Photo by Jessica West
Speech development is significant, so many parents would understandably be worried if they see delays.
According to Healthy Children.org, about one out of five kids develop language and speech at a slower tempo than other children. And while this might not mean anything serious, speech delay can also indicate a hidden issue that requires specialized mediation.
Jo Ann Gramlich, an award-winning author and speech-language pathologist, understands how vital speech practice is for young ones, which is why she wrote her book titled “Talk, Play, and Read” to help parents and children. She encourages parents or guardians to seek help early to improve their kids’ speech skills.
With that said, let’s find out the four causes of children’s speech delays.
Explaining Speech Delays
A speech delay is usually labeled a speech-language lag since the two always go hand-in-hand. But it’s important to note that speech delays depict various skills, and a kid can be delayed in one area or both, and these areas are:
• Speech – Speech points out to talking and the ability to generate words and sounds accordingly. Kids with a speech delay can utilize words, but one has a hard time comprehending the words. It’s also possible that kids are struggling to speak because they have difficulty forming words.
• Language – Language includes comprehension and communication. It pertains to a youngster’s ability to communicate information in a way others can understand. Kids with a language delay can speak only when they use a few words. They might even have a difficult time comprehending other people.
Four Causes of Children’s Speech Delays
Some kids with speech delays have hidden developmental or physical issues causing the lag. While in some children, the reasons are more complex, and it’s challenging to identify a basis or cause for them. It’s the reason why Jo Ann Gramlich wrote her book to help kids and parents curb the effects of speech delays.
Here are four causes of children’s speech delays:
• Intellectual Disability – Youngsters with an intellectual ailment often have extensive developmental lags affecting their language and speech and their emotional, learning, physical, and learning development. These children may have problems pronouncing or producing words that others can comprehend.
• Oral-Motor Issues – Speech delays often happen when there’s an issue in certain parts of the brain responsible for controlling the muscles that make speaking possible. Kids struggle to make sounds since they can’t coordinate their jaw, lip, and tongue movement. A condition called Apraxia, when the brain cannot communicate with the facial muscles, children won’t be able to move the muscles required for speech.
• Autism – Kids that have autism have speech delays. A study discovered that 50% of kids aged 3 – 4 were diagnosed with autism and couldn’t talk at a standard level. But autism spectrum disorder also affects language growth in other means. Kids with autism also find it hard to communicate non-verbally, so they might be unable to express what they need by year one.
• Auditory Procession Disorder or Hearing Problems – Having issues with hearing can significantly impact a kid’s speech abilities, language usage, and comprehend what others say. If a child has a hearing issue called auditory processing disorder that hinders them from understanding the sounds they hear, it’ll be tough to understand language.
So there you have it, folks, four causes of children’s speech delays. With Jo Ann Gramlich and her book, parents can help their kids develop speech skills properly and avoid speech delays. Check out her books by visiting her website by clicking here, and be sure to get them whenever you can.
