For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Reasons For Speech Delay In Kids

By Shatavisha

From the moment your child is born, you become all the way more excited to hear him. His childish squeaks and squeals are music to your ears and you just cannot wait for him to utter his first words.

What begins as an exciting wait often turns worrisome for the parents when they notice other children who are of their ward's age talk, when their child has not yet begun to speak.

However, on a positive note, it is seen that most children who take up speaking on a slow pace often end up catching with the speech rate of their peers in a couple of years' time.

In fact, in the Indian context, it is often seen that parents end up worrying themselves sick about their child's late speech; when in reality, their child is not even a late speaker.

It is important to remember that every individual has a definite time when he or she will acquire a particular capability. As parents, we must support them and wait for the right time.

However, it is equally important for us to know when it is too late and at which point should we be alarmed by the problem and explore the options of medical treatment. For all of that to happen, we must first try to understand the reasons for speech delay in kids. Let's take a look at the reasons below.

1.General Growth Delay

1.General Growth Delay

This form of delay is one where the child encounters all other (or at least some other) milestones later than his or her peers. The best part about this is the fact that most often, this is temporary; and over the years, the child grows up to be a perfectly normal human being with sound intellectual and verbal capabilities.

2.Autism

2.Autism

Speech delay is one of the many symptoms of autism. Thus, if you are already aware that your child is suffering from autism, you can expect speech delay in him or her and must be prepared for the same.

3.Apraxia

3.Apraxia

This condition is characterized by the fact that a child is not able to make the right sounds. Thus, if you feel that the sounds that your child is making does not make much of a sense to you, you should take this very seriously and talk to your paediatrician about the same.

4.Dysarthia

4.Dysarthia

In this condition, you will notice that your child is very active and keen to communicate. But he or she tries to avoid speech as much as possible and tries to compensate the lack of speech with gestures. This condition requires therapy.

5.Hearing Multiple Languages

5.Hearing Multiple Languages

Children who are used to listening to multiple languages in their home often end up getting confused. This is because they have access to a much larger vocabulary. The good thing here is the fact that this sort of child does not require medical intervention, and he/she usually catches up with his/her peers soon enough.

6.Hearing Loss Post Speech

6.Hearing Loss Post Speech

In case the child has suffered from a loss of hearing after he has started with uttering his first words, chances are that his speech will be a little slurry and definitely quite a lot delayed. In such cases, you should consult a specialist.

7.Expressive Language Problems

7.Expressive Language Problems

In this case, the child is able to think and understand clearly. His emotional quotient is also good and he is able to do everything else that children of his age engage in. The only thing that he abstains from is the use of expressive language for basic talking. This may be due to some trauma that the child has suffered early on in life and must definitely be spoken to with a doctor.

8.Lower Intellectual Capabilities

8.Lower Intellectual Capabilities

You may notice that your child is not as smart as his peers. While this may disappoint you, you must not forget that the way a person speaks is no reflective of his intellectual abilities. As a parent, it is your duty to have faith in your child's abilities and give him the time and space that is required for him to blossom.

9.Cerebral Palsy

9.Cerebral Palsy

As we all know, cerebral palsy causes serious problems in controlling spasms in the tongue, which in turn hampers the physical vocal coordination. If you suspect that your child suffers from any of it, it might be a cause of speech delay in your little one.

10.Lack Of Encouragement

10.Lack Of Encouragement

One possible cause of speech delay may be the fact that your child is not encouraged to speak. Make sure you spend more and more time with your child and encourage him to speak his first words. You will be amazed to see the results that your encouragement will bring to the life of your little one.

Read more about: speech