A typical two-year-old can usually say around 50 words and can speak in two and three-word sentences. There is a massive increase in vocabulary when they get to the age of three, as around this time, children can speak about 1000 words and their sentences increase to being four words long. If your toddler hasn’t reached these milestones, then it may well be they have a speech delay. This is nothing to be concerned about, as there is plenty of help for children with a speech delay and they are quite common. This article will talk in more detail about some of the main causes of speech delay.
Do You Think Your Child Has a Speech Delay?
If you think that your child might have some kind of speech delay, then you should consider getting in touch with Physio Inq, who provide speech therapy kids can engage with and benefit from. This is a good idea if your child is struggling with expanding their vocabulary and can’t put longer sentences together. With a hands-on and attentive speech therapist, your child will be able to find their voice effectively.
The Causes
So, what are some of the most common causes of speech delay in children? They include but are not limited to:
- Problems with the Mouth
A speech delay can often prove to be a problem with the mouth, palate, or tongue. This is a condition called ankyloglossia (otherwise known as tongue-tie), which is where the tongue is connected to the floor of the mouth. The result of this is that it becomes difficult for children to make certain sounds. Those, in particular, include the likes of D, L, R, S, T, Z and Th. Infants also struggle with breastfeeding if they have ankyloglossia, so if this was the case, then that could well be the cause.
- Language and Speech Disorders
There is a difference between a speech delay and a language delay. A speech delay would be present in a child who can understand and nonverbally communicate but is unable to say many words. A language delay is when a child can say a few words but is unable to put them into an understandable phrase. Some of these delays could be caused by brain function and might be early signs of a learning disability.
- Hearing Loss
If a toddler is unable to hear well or only hears distorted speech, then they are going to have difficulty forming words. One of the major signs of hearing loss is that the child doesn’t acknowledge a person or object when named and only responds to specific gestures. On the other hand, some of the signs of hearing loss could be a bit more subtle and speech or language delay might be one of the only noticeable signs. If you think this might be the case, then you should take your child to the doctor, who will be able to test their hearing more effectively.