Hearing your toddler say "Mama" and "Dada" for the first time is one of the most exciting milestones. Every parent cherishes hearing their toddler's first words. However, language development varies for each child. While some children reach communication milestones on time, others may need extra support. If your toddler isn't meeting key speech milestones, it might be time to consider speech therapy.
As parents, it’s obvious to be worried about your child’s development, especially when it is all about communication. Speech and language undeniably have a crucial role in academic success, social interactions, and the child's overall well-being.
Luckily, speech and language therapy for toddlers has proven to be helpful for a child’s conversational development. It helps them understand social cues and improve their quality of life at home and school. If you are experiencing the early signs of speech disorder in your child, this detailed guide is all you need. It will help you analyze your child’s need for speech therapy and how it can help improve their communication.
Speech therapy is a specialized treatment often carried out by professional Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) to help children overcome communication challenges. It helps them learn to speak properly and understand communication.
Speech and language therapies also aid with oral motor concerns, such as swallowing, chewing, articulation, social skills, and auditory processing. The treatment process starts with a detailed assessment where the SLP evaluates the challenges the child faces.
Then, SLPs work with you to set up a customized plan to help address the issues in your child. Sessions often last for about 30 to 45 minutes. It may take up to a week or even a few months to correct the speech disorder, depending on the issue’s complexity. After initial appointments and diagnosis, you can schedule the sessions that work best for you.
Speech delays and language disorders are often the first signs of developmental issues in toddlers. The moment you experience communication and language issues in your child, it’s time to act fast. Early diagnosis and speech development increase the chances of improvements rather than waiting for it to be resolved with time.
Here’s how early speech and language development can help your child:
Early intervention helps parents get all the support they need to improve their child’s communication skills. Early speech development allows parents to feel confident about the treatment. They can experience the improvements in a few weeks. However, there is only one condition - they need to find the best speech therapy centers like Kick Start.
When your toddler is experiencing a communication or language disorder, their ability to understand and interact with other children may also be affected. This will make it difficult for them to develop friendships, solve common problems, and ability to negotiate conflicts. Early speech therapy for toddlers can help them overcome articulation problems and learn how to use language to express feelings and interact with people around them.
Children with delayed speech and language development are often seen to have frustrated behavior that keeps them aside from other kids. As it's difficult to express needs and wants, they often develop aggressive behavior like biting or hitting. However, early intervention can help them with speech and behavior skills.
Communication development is essential for literacy and greatly influences a child’s academic success. Many studies suggest that having a good command of language helps a child with their imagination and ability to create new ideas.
Early speech and language treatments can extend support to kids with their day-to-day activities. This includes providing a lot of opportunities for toddlers to learn while playing, getting ready, brushing their teeth, eating, bathing, helping with household chores, getting ready for bed, etc. Early intervention helps families understand their child’s needs and how to break down learning into small steps. When children know what to do next, they will find learning in every activity fun and want to explore more.
Apart from the love and affection for your toddler, you should track some developmental milestones to ensure your child is doing well.
Here are some early warning signs of speech delay you should not overlook:
If your toddler isn’t responding to their names up to the age of 18 months, it could be a sign of developmental issues. Studies suggest that these children are more likely to be suffering from autism spectrum disorder or ASD. However, there may be an issue with their hearing or receptive language skills.
A professional speech-language pathologist will evaluate the issue. If it is related to the speech delay or behavior disorder, they might work with you to schedule therapy sessions for your child. But if there’s a serious issue and your toddler is suffering from ASD, they can suggest the appropriate medical professionals help your child improve speech, communication, and behavior skills.
If your child starts to speak complete sentences but is stammering. It is a common situation for toddlers where they repeat the first letter of the word and have difficulty saying the sentences. For instance, “d-d-d-dog” instead of simply saying ‘dog.’ However, the problem of stuttering in toddlers often goes away on its own by the age of five. But if it's not, it will be even worse. For children with extreme stuttering or stammering issues, it is recommended to get the help of speech and language pathologists (SLPs).
A child should be able to follow simple instructions, such as ‘drink water’ and ‘pick up the ball’ by the age of 2 years. However, if you notice your toddler isn’t following your instructions, staring at you blankly, or constantly disregarding them, this isn’t just a speech disorder. In such a case, your child needs specialized speech therapy to help improve their receptive language skills.
Some kids habitually omit difficult words; this might be a sign of a phonological process disorder. This is a serious issue in which kids have trouble pronouncing specific words and continue to make similar mistakes when speaking. However, a speech-language pathologist will address the extent of the child’s problem and provide immediate treatment, such as specialized speech therapy, to improve their ability to pronounce more complex vocabulary.
If your child was born with conditions like cleft lip or palate, they might need expert speech therapy. Children born with such conditions will definitely have issues pronouncing certain sounds and words. They might even have physical problems such as eating correctly.
In such a situation, a speech-language pathologist can extend support for disorders like velopharyngeal insufficiency. This disorder may affect the mouth's soft palate and make it challenging for the child to say specific sounds, having the letters “m” and “n.” SLP will determine whether the therapy sessions will improve the condition or if the child needs a more intense treatment, such as surgery.
If your child speaks among close ones but becomes shy during social gatherings or becomes selectively mute, then it could be a sign of selective mutism (SM). It is a disorder in which the child refuses to speak in specific situations, speaks in low whispering, or uses non-verbal cues. If that’s the case with your child, it is important for parents to get the help of a pediatric speech-language pathologist, who can address the issue and determine whether it is due to behavioral issues, social anxiety, or even trauma.
Luckily, there are several treatments for selective mutism based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavioral approaches. A specialist SLP can help administer these treatments for your child.
By age four, your child must be able to convey what he or she wants. For instance, even a stranger should know what message your child is trying to convey to you. If you still find it difficult to understand your child by age four, it should not be a good sign, and you should immediately consult a specialist speech-language pathologist.
If your child struggles to form sentences or remember complex words, it might be a sign of Developmental Expressive Language Disorder. This is common among school-aged children, but it's important to get help from a child speech pathologist to address it properly.
It's normal for very young children to use one word for many things, like calling any toy a "ball." But if they keep doing this after 12 months, it might be a sign they need help. A speech-language pathologist can work with your child to grow their vocabulary and improve how they express themselves.
If your child frequently swaps sound in words, like saying "tat" instead of "cat," it might indicate a language development issue. It's important to address this early to help them pronounce words correctly. This can improve their communication with other kids and teachers and boost their performance in school. Seeking help from a speech-language pathologist can be very beneficial.
In speech-language therapy, a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) works with children individually, in small groups, or in classrooms to help them with their speech problems. Therapists use different methods, such as:
The SLP interacts with the child through play and conversation, using pictures, books, objects, or current events to help develop language skills. The therapist may model correct words and grammar and use repetition exercises.
This involves the SLP helping the child to produce correct sounds and syllables during play. The SLP shows how to make certain sounds, like the "r" sound, and may demonstrate how to move the tongue to speak specific sounds.
The SLP uses various oral exercises, like facial massage and exercises for the tongue, lips, and jaw, to strengthen the mouth muscles for eating, drinking, and swallowing. Different food textures and temperatures may also be introduced to improve the child’s oral awareness.
Speech therapy can help your toddler overcome developmental issues such as articulation problems, stuttering, and behavioral challenges. By monitoring your child's behavior, you can identify potential speech concerns early and address them promptly. However, there's no need to panic if you notice something unusual.
Speech-language pathologists are trained to provide expert guidance and support in these situations. If you think your child could benefit from speech therapy, consider scheduling a consultation with one of our experienced therapists today.
If your toddler isn't speaking much by 18 months or has trouble understanding simple words and instructions, it might be a sign they need speech therapy. Other signs include not playing with sounds or babbling by 12 months, using very few words by 2 years old, or having difficulty putting words together to make sentences. You should immediately consult a speech therapist for proper evaluation.
There are various reasons why a child’s speech might be delayed. These can include hearing issues, oral-motor problems, developmental disorders, or lack of interaction with parents and caregivers. Sometimes, it can be due to genetics or other medical conditions. It's important to get a professional assessment to pinpoint the cause.
Typically, speech therapy can begin as early as 18 months if there are clear signs of speech delays or disorders. The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes, so don't hesitate to consult a speech therapist if you notice any signs of delay.
It’s possible your 4-year-old has a speech delay, where they understand language but have trouble expressing themselves. This can be due to various reasons, such as oral-motor issues or developmental delays. It's crucial to get a speech evaluation to identify the problem and start appropriate therapy.
By age 2, a toddler should typically be able to say about 50 words clearly. They might also start combining two words to form simple sentences like “more juice” or “mama go.” If they're not meeting these milestones, it might be worth consulting a speech therapist.
Late talkers might start to use short and simple words more actively around the age of 2-3 years. However, it's important to track down their progress and consult a speech therapist if there are concerns. Early intervention can make a big difference.
The most common cause of speech delay in children is hearing loss. If a child can't hear properly, they might struggle to mimic sounds and words, leading to delays. Regular hearing checks can help catch this early on.
