Understanding Speech Delay
Speech delay is a delay in speech and language abilities that are not appropriate for the child’s age. This condition makes the child unable to convey his thoughts due to the limitations of language and understanding that he has. If left untreated, speech delay can hinder a child’s development.
Not being able to talk until the age of 2 years can indicate that the child is experiencing a speech delay. This condition can be treated with speech therapy or stimulation assistance from parents. The ability to speak or pronounce words is one of the important stages of a child’s growth and development. However, children can experience a speech delay. Speech delay can be caused by various things, ranging from hearing disorders, abnormalities in the structure of the mouth, to nerve disorders.
Signs of Speech Delay in Children
In general, a 2-year-old child can already master around 50 vocabulary words and combine 2 words into simple sentences, such as “I’m hungry”. Meanwhile, a 3-year-old child is already able to put 3-4 words into a complete sentence.
However, we need to be aware of the presence of speech delay if the child shows the following signs:
- At 12 months, children do not use gestures, such as pointing or waving goodbye.
- Rarely tries to speak or imitate what others say
- Does not react when called
- Avoids eye contact when spoken to
- Difficulty naming objects in the house
- Cannot yet put two or three words together
- Entering the age of 18 months, children prefer gestures to communicate. In addition, they also have difficulty imitating sounds and understanding simple speech.
- By age two, they can only imitate speech or actions and do not produce words or phrases spontaneously. Children also say words or sounds repeatedly instead of using spoken language when communicating. Cannot follow simple directions and have an unusual tone of voice (such as hoarseness or nasality).
If your child shows the above signs, you should consult a pediatrician. If your child does have a speech delay, the doctor will recommend appropriate treatment, including speech therapy.
How to Deal with Children with Speech Delay
In addition to undergoing speech therapy, mothers can help stimulate their child’s speech abilities. Some ways that mothers can do to stimulate their child’s speech development include:lain:
- Often talk to your child
The easiest way to stimulate a child with speech delay is to involve him in every conversation. In fact, mothers are advised to talk directly to him, even if it’s just to tell him what you’re doing. For example, when changing your child’s diaper, tell and explain what you’re doing. You can use simple words or short sentences. Thus, the child will be encouraged to imitate or respond to what you say. - Reading stories to children
Reading story books to children from an early age is useful in improving their speaking skills. By listening, children can learn to understand the names of objects or stories in books. To support speech delay therapy, mothers can ask children to imitate the names of characters or objects in the books being read. Mothers can look for story books with cartoon characters that children like. - Respond to what he/she says and correct it
If your child says something that is not quite right, don’t rush to refute it. You should respond to what he/she says by using the right words or sentences. For example, if your child asks you to “fasten” the buttons on his/her shirt, you can respond by saying, “Yes, I will button your shirt.” This can support the development of children who experience speech delays. - Help your child understand the names of objects
When wanting something, a child with a speech delay may only point to the object instead of saying a request. In this condition, you can help your child understand the names of the objects. Thus, the child will be encouraged to imitate the names of the objects he hears. - Ask questions to get your child to choose
Stimulating the ability of children with speech delay can be done by asking them to choose something. Ask your child a question, for example, “Do you want to eat an orange or an apple?” If your child points to one of the fruits, ask them to use the word “orange” or “apple” in choosing. - Limit gadget use
A study conducted on 18-month-old children who play gadgets more often shows that this habit is related to speech delay. Therefore, to prevent speech delay in children, mothers are advised to limit gadget use in children to only 1 hour per day. This aims to encourage children to talk to family members rather than playing with cellphones.
In addition to implementing some of the methods above, to train children with speech delay, mothers should avoid speaking using “baby language”. Mothers can teach how to speak using good and correct language. Children’s development in speaking is indeed different. There are some children who can speak according to, or even faster than their age, but there are also those who experience speech delay and require extra training from their parents.
However, you don’t need to worry as long as the delay can be caught up in a few weeks, this is still considered normal. If you are worried about your child’s speech development which may be late, or even if there are signs that need to be watched out for leading to a speech delay, you should immediately consult a doctor to ensure your child’s condition and get appropriate treatment.
