A child who is late in speaking is one of the most common types of developmental delays. Delayed speech in children is usually only temporary. However, in some cases, this condition can be a sign of hearing or developmental disorders in children. Speech and language disorders are often experienced by children, ranging from unclear speech to difficulty expressing what they need. This condition often makes parents worry and compare their children with other children of the same age. In fact, each child’s speech development can be different.
Causes of Speech Delay in Children
The causes of speech delays in children can occur due to various factors, namely:
- Raised in an environment with more than one language or bilingual.
- Difficulty understanding words or finding words.
- Hearing loss.
- Structural abnormalities of the oral cavity, such as a cleft lip or tongue abnormality.
- Stuttering.
- Neglect from others.
- Autism spectrum disorder.
Stages of Children’s Speech Development
Although each child’s speech development stage is different, there are basic benchmarks that are commonly used to measure a child’s speech ability. This can also be a benchmark for whether or not a child needs help.
The following are the stages of speech development in children according to their age:
- Age 3 months
A 3-month-old baby “talks” with sounds that have no meaning or can be called baby talk. At this age, he may communicate more using expressions, for example by smiling when seeing or hearing his mother’s voice. - Age 6 months
At the age of 6 months, babies begin to make sounds that sound more clearly syllables, although they still have no meaning, such as “da-da” or “ba-ba”. By the end of 6 months, babies can use these sounds to express happiness or dislike, not just by crying. It is important to note that at this age babies can look in the direction of the sound, pay attention to the flow of music, and turn their heads when their name is called. - Age 12 months
Babies are generally able to say the words “mama” or “ayah” and imitate the words they hear. At the age of one year, they can also understand some commands such as, “Come here” or “Get the bottle”. - Age 18 months
At this age, babies can usually say around 10-20 basic words. However, it is normal for some words to be unclear in pronunciation, such as the word “makan” being pronounced “mam”. At 18 months, babies can recognize the names of people, objects, and some body parts. They can also follow simple instructions accompanied by movements. - Age 24 months
A 2-year-old baby can usually say at least 50 words and communicate using 2 vocabulary such as “want milk”. He is also increasingly fluent in speaking and begins to understand simple questions. - Age 3–5 years
A child’s vocabulary at age 3–5 years will increase rapidly. By age 3, most children can grasp around 300 new words. They can also understand longer commands, such as, “Come on, wash your feet and brush your teeth,” or, “Take off your shoes, then change your clothes.” By age 4, children are generally able to speak using longer sentences and explain an event. Meanwhile, by age 5, they can already have conversations with other people.
How to Stimulate Children’s Speaking Ability
Don’t believe in the myth that children can learn to talk on their own. The active role of the mother as the closest person to the child greatly influences the development of their speech.
Here are some ways that can be done to stimulate children’s communication skills:
- Follow all the words
Pay attention to the sounds uttered by the child. Even if you don’t understand what he means, repeat his voice again as you catch it. That way, the child will feel like he is talking to you and get used to imitating your words and tone of voice. This will certainly take some time. So, be patient and keep giving your child as many opportunities as possible to “chat” with you. - Talking while moving
When talking to your child, you should also be active and expressive. For example, say, “Come on, let’s drink milk,” while shaking the milk bottle or, “Love the doll,” while stroking the doll. The same goes for teaching your child to recognize body parts. - Create a narrative
Even though your child cannot speak like an adult, you can still use everyday conversation when communicating with him. For example, when dressing your child, you can say, “Today, you are wearing a flower-patterned shirt to go to the park,” while showing him his clothes. This can help your child understand certain objects through your words. Apply this to other activities, such as bathing, feeding, or changing diapers.
Always make a habit of speaking in complete sentences to him. For example, when he points to a doll on the table. Don’t take it straight away. It’s better to say one or two sentences like, “Do you want to play with this doll?” When he responds with a nod or a smile, you can give it to him straight away. - Play together
When you have children, sometimes parents have to act like little children. Invite your child to play, role-play, or imagine something to develop their verbal skills. For example, Mom can invite your child to pretend to call Dad with a toy phone. - Praise their development
Always give praise, smiles, and hugs every time your child makes a good sound or new vocabulary. In general, babies learn to speak from the reactions of those around them. The main key to stimulating the development of your child’s speaking ability is to communicate with them a lot. Make sure that you always use positive and loving responses.
If you suspect your child is a late talker, don’t worry too much. Basically, every child has a different growth and development rate. Even so, if your child is a late talker, you should still have him/her checked by a doctor so that treatment can be given if an abnormality is found.
