Speech-Language Problems
A problem or delay in verbal, gestural, or speaking skills including articulation (pronunciation), voice quality, fluency, or language that interferes with learning, social adjustment, or communication. Some problem with speech affects one out of every 10 American children.
Cause
Hearing problems, low intelligence, or lack of verbal stimulation at home all may interfere with the development of speech. Children with older siblings or one child in a set of twins may not talk because others talk for them.
Diagnosis
Early detection is critically important if the child is to develop normal speech patterns and prevent the problem from interfering with learning in other areas. Problems with hearing or speech and language development can create barriers to social interaction and emotional well-being at a very young age and make it difficult for a child to progress in school.
Parents who suspect a speech problem should take the child to a speech and language specialist as soon as possible for an evaluation, which will include a full speech workup and a hearing test.
Treatment
Many speech problems can be corrected with short-term treatment, especially if the problem is diagnosed before first grade.
If a child needs therapy, some of the speech therapy options could include individual speech therapy. If the speech-language pathologist thinks the child may not need therapy right away, she may give parents some suggestions for techniques to use at home and check back with the family in a few months to check progress.
Warning Signs
All children develop at different rates, but there are some obvious signs that a child may be developing speech problems. Parents should consult their pediatrician or a speech therapist If the child:
• is not babbling or using language by 15 to 18 months of age
• by age three is using mostly vowels or omitting the beginning sounds in words, or if other people cannot understand what the child is saying
• has not mastered all speech sounds by age eight.
At certain ages, certain speech problems are normal. For example, stuttering is common between ages three and four years, but most children grow out of the habit of repeating sounds and hesitating between words. However, if this is happening for longer than two or three months and interferes with communication, the child may be developing a stuttering problem. Parents should ignore stuttering and not correct the child, but children with a severe stuttering problem should receive speech therapy to avoid a long-term problem.
Nodules on the vocal cords can cause hoarseness; a child should be seen by a doctor if he breathes through the nose while speaking and is hoarse.
Babbling that stops after a brief period may be a sign of a hearing disorder. Frequent ear infections can affect hearing and delay speech.
By the time a child is four years old she should be able to tell a story, and by age five should be able to listen to a story and answer questions.
What Parents Can Do
Parents can encourage speech development by talking and reading to the child, singing songs to the baby. Vocabulary and sentence length should be adjusted for the child’s level. Reading together out loud also helps to improve vocabulary, sequencing, and attention span.
Cause
Hearing problems, low intelligence, or lack of verbal stimulation at home all may interfere with the development of speech. Children with older siblings or one child in a set of twins may not talk because others talk for them.
Diagnosis
Early detection is critically important if the child is to develop normal speech patterns and prevent the problem from interfering with learning in other areas. Problems with hearing or speech and language development can create barriers to social interaction and emotional well-being at a very young age and make it difficult for a child to progress in school.
Parents who suspect a speech problem should take the child to a speech and language specialist as soon as possible for an evaluation, which will include a full speech workup and a hearing test.
Treatment
Many speech problems can be corrected with short-term treatment, especially if the problem is diagnosed before first grade.
If a child needs therapy, some of the speech therapy options could include individual speech therapy. If the speech-language pathologist thinks the child may not need therapy right away, she may give parents some suggestions for techniques to use at home and check back with the family in a few months to check progress.
Warning Signs
All children develop at different rates, but there are some obvious signs that a child may be developing speech problems. Parents should consult their pediatrician or a speech therapist If the child:
• is not babbling or using language by 15 to 18 months of age
• by age three is using mostly vowels or omitting the beginning sounds in words, or if other people cannot understand what the child is saying
• has not mastered all speech sounds by age eight.
At certain ages, certain speech problems are normal. For example, stuttering is common between ages three and four years, but most children grow out of the habit of repeating sounds and hesitating between words. However, if this is happening for longer than two or three months and interferes with communication, the child may be developing a stuttering problem. Parents should ignore stuttering and not correct the child, but children with a severe stuttering problem should receive speech therapy to avoid a long-term problem.
Nodules on the vocal cords can cause hoarseness; a child should be seen by a doctor if he breathes through the nose while speaking and is hoarse.
Babbling that stops after a brief period may be a sign of a hearing disorder. Frequent ear infections can affect hearing and delay speech.
By the time a child is four years old she should be able to tell a story, and by age five should be able to listen to a story and answer questions.
What Parents Can Do
Parents can encourage speech development by talking and reading to the child, singing songs to the baby. Vocabulary and sentence length should be adjusted for the child’s level. Reading together out loud also helps to improve vocabulary, sequencing, and attention span.
