Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 05:12 am

You cannot mark every child and judge them with the same standards of evaluation because every child is unique and different on this earth. So, if a child who is having delayed speech need not necessarily have any serious problems. There are many reasons why different children progress and make developments at different times. But if a certain period of time has gone by and your child has not yet learnt to speak or facing difficulties in pronouncing words then you should consult an expert and check to see whether your child requires speech delay treatment.  

What Is Speech Delay? 

Speech delay is when a child cannot speak the required amount of words or form them at certain ages that they are supposed to speak in. But if the child is a little late does not mean that he is having speech delay problems and need not be rushed for speech delay treatment. This is because every child is different, and you have to be patient with him. 

What Sort of a Problem Is Speech Delay? 

Speech delay is a developmental problem that can be dealt with care, time, and speech delay treatment. Such children are not able to form speech which is a sound made by the mouth due to many reasons. They may have some problem in uttering the words or they may stutter.  

Causes of Speech Delay 

Multiple reasons for delay in speech in children are observed. Normally it is considered normal for a child to form small sentences and utter single words by the age of two. If they cannot, then they need speech delay treatment by experts or institutes. The possible reasons for speech delay are: 

• A problem in the child’s mouth or roof of the tongue makes it difficult for the child to make sounds and words
• Loss of hearing in children due to ear infections
• Speech and language disorders
• Lack of stimulation
• Neurological problems
• Learning disability
• Intellectual disabilities
• Developmental problems associated with an autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy 

What Can Be Done in Such Situations? 

The first thing that you can do when you see your child having a speech delay is to consult a doctor. He will then suggest a professional who can help you out with the next steps and draw out a treatment plan. Your child may need to visit a speech language therapist or pathologist for speech delay treatment. The therapist will then assess: 

• The understanding capabilities of the child
• What they can say
• The various other means the child uses to get across to the other person with his gestures or nodding 

How to Find Out That Your Child Is Having Speech Delay? 

You will have to notice the timing of your child’s every development to assess whether your child is normal or not. In speech delay you can understand there is some underlying problem when by: 

• 3 years of age he cannot form short sentences or identify body parts and say words in their plurals
• 4 years of age the child cannot tell or recall small stories, make 5-word sentences, or use me or you correctly
• 5 years of age cannot understand two-part commands with a preposition, cannot say the first or last names, cannot use plurals or past tense, ask why or who questions or even relate their entire day’s happenings 

How to Treat Speech Delay? 

There are many ways in which speech delay can be treated. You can give your child speech-language therapy, give early intervention services so that later problems are avoided, and treat any underlying cause if any in the child. The parents have to take the initiative of starting speech delay treatment by taking them timely to a therapist or doctor. You have to look out for any signs of delay and remain on your alert. 

Is Speech Delay Preventable? 

Unfortunately, speech delay in a child cannot be prevented no matter how much as a parent you try. It is something which is present in the child from birth itself. But fortunately for parents of children with speech delay, there is the treatment for such children. Speech delay treatment is known to have helped many children to date.

So, in conclusion, it can be said that parents with children with speech delay should not lose heart as this condition is absolutely curable and your child can start speaking normally post-treatment. There is a treatment for every disease today with modern science and technology. So have faith in this procedure and keep encouraging your child to do better every day.