Teaching pronunciation to delayed children
To help develop the abilities of children who face speech delays, it is very important to increase communication with them. Parents and relatives can use innovative methods such as singing or reading to attract children's attention from the first days to enhance their language abilities in an entertaining and attractive way.
It is recommended that parents imitate the child's melody and voice when talking to him to make communication more effective. It is preferable to use a different tone of voice and a little higher than usual to attract the child's attention, which will make it easier for him to focus more on the speech.
It is also important to stimulate the child linguistically by increasing the complexity of the sentences slightly beyond the level at which he speaks. If he is able to form three-word sentences, for example, he should be encouraged to understand and use four-word sentences, emphasizing the simplicity of the phrases for ease of understanding.
Continuous daily communication with the child is also essential. Parents should involve him in daily activities such as meal times, changing clothes, bath times, and even in simple activities such as opening the door, using simple, understandable sentences that keep the child alert and engaged throughout the day.
What is delayed speech?
Delayed speech in children means that the child takes longer to learn and use speech correctly compared to other children of the same age. It can be seen that the child finds it difficult to express himself and his speech may be less clear and rich in vocabulary. This condition is not rare, affecting 3% to 10% of children, and boys are often three or four times more affected than girls.
Speech delay is classified as a communication disorder. It is diagnosed if a child appears to be late in achieving speech development milestones compared to his peers, which affects his ability to understand others and express his thoughts. In some cases, speech delay may be related to problems with hearing or cognitive abilities.
What are the symptoms associated with delayed speech?
Signs of delayed speech vary from one child to another, depending largely on the child's age. As children grow, they begin to learn new words and repeat them. For example, what a two-year-old can say is different from what a three-year-old can say. However, some common signs that indicate a speech delay can be identified, including:
First, the child ignores some words while forming a sentence and may have difficulty arranging words to form an understandable sentence. Therefore, a child may find it difficult to express a simple sentence consisting of three words even if he is three years old.
Secondly, the child may find it difficult to pronounce words correctly or use the appropriate pronunciation to express what he wants.
Third, it becomes difficult for the child to carry out instructions or follow the instructions given to him.
Finally, not being able to speak by the age of two years or not beginning to babble by the age of 15 months are signs that may indicate a speech delay.
It is important to see specialists for a comprehensive evaluation if such signs are observed to ensure that appropriate support is provided to the child.
Causes of delayed speech in children
Many young children, specifically 5 to 10 percent of them before they enter school, have challenges with speech and language development. According to what the University of Michigan found, it is very necessary for the family to be aware to confront these difficulties in a positive and effective way, through early detection of the condition and seeking medical advice to determine the appropriate treatment plan. There are several reasons that may cause delayed speech in children:
- Autism or cerebral palsy, which are conditions that affect the child’s psychological and motor development.
- Facing learning difficulties, such as problems with the ability to count numbers or disorders in processing auditory information.
The child is exposed to recurrent ear infections, which causes hearing problems.
- There are problems with the tongue or the roof of the throat, which makes the pronunciation process difficult.
When you see a doctor, he will conduct multiple examinations that include detecting types of verbal and non-verbal communication, in addition to analytical examinations to enhance interaction. This helps in identifying possible causes of delayed speech and directing appropriate steps for treatment, including comprehensive examinations such as hearing tests that may reveal problems that were not previously known to the family.
Appropriate treatment for delayed speech
When the main reason behind delayed speech in children is identified, the child is transferred to specialized institutions to receive appropriate treatment. These institutions may be centers that treat hearing problems, centers concerned with treating autism spectrum disorders, or even institutions specialized in treating physical problems that may affect the ability to speak.
In these places, children are presented to rehabilitation programs designed to help them learn to speak effectively, where treatment continues until a stage is reached where the child can interact normally within his social environment. This therapeutic intervention aims to effectively integrate the child into society, enhancing his ability to communicate smoothly with others, and reducing the chances of him facing challenges that may come his way in the future.
How does a child's speech develop?
In the first months, the baby uses crying and screaming to express himself. As he progresses to the period between the third and fifth months, he begins to make sounds such as “mo,” “yo,” and “ka,” which indicate his various emotions. By the sixth month and until his first year, the child enters the stage of vocal imitation or babbling, which is shared by children around the world regardless of their language.
By two years, the child develops to use more expressive and understandable words. Linguistic progress appears significantly, as he is able to pronounce about 50 words at the age of one and a half years, and his verbal ability increases to 250 words at the age of two years, and reaches 450 words at the age of three years. At the end of the third year, he is able to form complete, expressive sentences such as “I want to drink.”
The difference between delayed speech, stuttering disability, and lack of speech
The problem of delayed linguistic development in children is considered one of the important issues that requires attention. This delay shows a weakness in the child’s ability to comprehend and use language properly. By the age of three years, a healthy child can be expected to be able to recognize and use about a thousand words along with naming objects, singing songs, recognizing place names, and even telling simple stories containing four to six words in a single sentence.
On the other hand, some children face additional challenges such as stuttering and speech difficulties, which are problems resulting from disorders in organic or neurological development, which hinder their ability to communicate clearly. These problems affect approximately 5% of children. It is very important for parents and caregivers of the child to acknowledge these challenges and consult medical experts to determine the type of disorder and initiate an appropriate treatment plan.
