Language development is crucial in a child’s early years when it comes to communication, social interaction and academic success. A parent should be very mindful of any language deficiencies in their child’s milestones. While it is true that individuals progress at their own rate, there are some early warning signs that can be looked out for. Identifying these promptly is beneficial for timely interventions and support.
Understanding language disorders
Language disorders broadly fall into categories that are grouped into expressive and receptive issues.
An expressive disorder denotes a delay or difficulty in verbally communicating a message, knowing “the right words” to express and/or formulating sentences. Receptive language disorder, on the other hand, means that a new language and/or abandoned process is having a negative impact on understanding or processing what someone else says. Finally, sometimes a child is diagnosed with a mixed receptive-expressive problem, meaning they will not be able to get by and understand appropriately and/or communicate appropriately.
Key indicators of language disorders in infants (0-12 Months)
Language development actually starts long before a child utters their first word. Infants start using pre-linguistic communication by cooing, babbling and making sounds to respond to others. By focusing on the early signs a baby usually exhibits in language development, parents may spot warnings that could develop into a wider disorder.
1. Limited babbling or vocalisation: Most children begin to babble around 6-7 months. By this age, babies typically produce repetitive syllables such as “ba-ba” or “da-da.” Lack of or very reduced babbling by this age is considered a red flag for delay in speech development.
2. Poor eye contact: Infants usually use eye contact as an early form of communication. Avoiding eye contact at all times can be an indication of some issues in social interaction to which language problems are highly linked.
3. No response to sounds or names: Infants should, through responding to the sound of a familiar voice, other sounds, or their name, turn their heads or make some sound. If an infant is unresponsive to these sounds, hearing problems or a language disorder might be suspected.
Signs in toddlers (12-36 Months)
By the time children enter into the toddler years, they should be experiencing a spurt in their vocabulary and sentence structure. The development of language becomes very significant in these years, in which delays may now become evident. Parents should look out for:
1. Limited vocabulary: By 18 months, an average toddler says around 20 to 50 words. By the time a child reaches the age of 2, their vocabulary should include more than 200 words. They begin combining those words into simple sentences. A significantly smaller vocabulary may be considered an expressive language disorder.
2. Difficulty imitating sounds or words: Toddlers learn much by imitating the speech of others. Stuttering, trouble imitating sounds or words, and a general delay in beginning to use words may indicate a speech delay.
3. Inability to follow simple instructions: By 2, the child can follow simple commands like “come here,” “give me the toy.” A child who has problems understanding and following such commands may be suffering from receptive language disorder.
4. Echolalia: Echolalia, meaning repeating things others have said, is common in very young children who have started learning to talk. If a two-year old uses echolalia excessively with no original word combinations or continues doing so past age 2, then this may be a sign of a language disorder.
Red flags in preschoolers (3-5 years)
Language skills become more complex in the preschool years with the ability to form sentences, ask questions, and hold simple conversations. Parents should watch for these milestones:
1. Difficulty forming sentences: By age 3, most children begin to form short sentences and start asking questions. An expressive language disorder may be suspected if a child struggles to combine words or uses partial sentences.
2. Inability to retell simple stories or events: Preschoolers should be able to describe simple events or retell short stories. If your child struggles with this, it could indicate a possible problem with either language comprehension or expression.
3. Poor pronunciation and articulation: Mispronunciation around younger children is normal, but a consistent poor articulation of words or significantly bad clarity may indicate a speech disorder.
4. Frustration in communication:
Language-disordered children get frustrated easily at times when they fail to get their point across. Tantrums and withdrawal from conversations may suggest a communication problem.
When to seek professional help
Some of the above reasons may hint at the necessity of professional advice. Speech and language therapy is a specialist field that takes care of the diagnosis and treatment related to communication disorders. Thus, a speech-language pathologist will be able to make a fully comprehensive assessment of your child and structure an intervention plan.
Supporting your child at home
Besides seeking professional help, parents can also support language development at home. Engage in conversations with your child, read books, and encourage imaginative play that involves communication. Patience and positive reinforcement are key when speaking. If your child is receiving speech therapy, reinforce the techniques and exercises recommended by the therapist. Consistency between therapy visits and home practice is often necessary to see any real progress. Language problems affect a child’s communication, learning and social interaction. Thus, by being aware of early signs of these disorders, parents can ensure their children receive needed help as early as possible. While every child develops at their rate, some have lingering problems of language development that should not be ignored. Early intervention, such as speech therapy for children, gives a more significant opportunity for overcoming difficulties. Whether your child has just begun to coo or is off to preschool, being informed and acting quickly will make the difference.
