Speech Delay

Children grow and develop at different rates, though there are general developmental milestones that most children will follow. When they do not meet those milestones, it can raise some concern as to what is causing it. Here are some notes from the experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics on what to look out for:

Speech & language milestones:
- Bye age 1:
  - Say “mama” to mom and “dada” to dad
  - +1 additional word
  - Listens when people talk to them
- Bye age 2:
  - Say 50-100 words
  - Use 2-word phrases
  - At least half of what they say is understood by strangers
  - Follow simple commands (e.g. place your cup in the sink)
How to encourage speech and language development:
- Encourage your child to talk (even if it’s not perfect!)
  - Speak with them often and about a variety of things
- Read to them daily and encourage them to participate
Possible explanations for delays:
- Normal developmental variation
- Hearing issue
- Processing or speech production issue
  - Your pediatrician may recommend testing to evaluate for these possible causes and determine the best course of action

Some children with speech delay will experience it only temporarily, while others may need professional assistance. If you have any concerns that your child might have a speech delay, schedule a visit with your pediatrician to discuss it. Feel free to check out this link from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages_stages/toddler/Pages/Language-Delay.aspx