Language Development Delay: Types, Symptoms And Causes

From birth, babies begin to communicate by crying or smiling. As they get older, they incorporate gestures and sounds until they utter their first words. However,  many s have delays in language development for different reasons, in addition to difficulties in expressing themselves and, sometimes, even in understanding.

Delayed language development can affect children’s interactions, personality, and learning;  however, it is not an uncommon condition. Between 5 and 10% of school-age children have some kind of communication problem, according to the Department of Health at the University of Michigan (United States).

Delay in language development: a problem in communication

Types and Symptoms

There are two types of delay in language development :  receptive, which refers to the difficulty of understanding what is being communicated to you, and expressive delay, which is the difficulty of communicating with words. On many occasions the two are combined.

Sometimes it takes adults a while to discover these communication difficulties in their children, but there are symptoms that can catch  the  parents’ attention and lead them to suspect a problem.

• The child still does not babble around 15 months.
• Does not utter words at 2 years of age.
• Finds it difficult to express sentences at the age of 3 years.
• Does not understand instructions.
• Doesn’t react when we talk to her.

Causes of delayed language development

Delay in language development usually originates in the brain, but it can also be caused by physical impairment, social adjustment problems, or learning difficulties.

The main causes are:

• Hearing loss. It is common for children who cannot hear have difficulty learning to speak.

• Autism.  Not all autistic children have problems expressing themselves, but sometimes speech problems are caused by autism.
• Neurological Problems. Conditions such as cerebral palsy or muscle atrophy can affect the muscles needed to speak.
• Dysfunctional environments. Homes where children feel marginalized, abused or isolated can make it difficult for them to learn to speak. In these cases, the lack of communication is selective.
• Apraxia of language. This is a condition in which the speech muscles do not react to the brain’s signal.

Treatment

It can be difficult to know whether the delay in language development is a product of one of these conditions or whether it is simply a temporary situation. It is best to consult a pediatrician if you notice that the child does not comply with the normal cycles of communication. A timely diagnosis can help find a quick solution.

Depending on the cause, the child may be referred to an audiologist, speech therapist, psychologist or even a social worker. It is most recommended to have a multidisciplinary team in which the child’s communication is encouraged.

Family participation is essential to the success of any therapy. Whether to encourage language or to establish non-oral forms of communication, parents must be involved in the entire process.

Tips for parents

From the moment they are born, children begin to learn everything that their new environment presents to them. One of your first references is the auditory one. Even when in utero, they begin to hear the first sounds at 18 weeks, and may respond to voices with movement at 25 or 26 weeks.

Therefore, it  is recommended to talk to the little ones from the moment they are born or even before. Other stimuli, as they grow, will help to foster a rapid development of their communication skills.

• Respond to children’s babbles with words and sounds.
• Sing for them since they are babies.
• Read books out loud to them. You can start with special baby books and progress as they grow.
• Always answer your questions.
• Teach the names of things, even if they are babies and don’t speak yet.

Finally, if you have detected a problem with your child’s communication, consult a specialist in the matter. As we mentioned, an early diagnosis will allow you to start appropriate therapy to resolve language problems as quickly as possible.