Is Your Child Late to Speak? Here’s How to Help

Speech skills are an important developmental stage for children that parents should pay attention to. If a child experiences speech delay, this condition often makes parents worried.

A child with speech delay presents a unique challenge for parents. The child may struggle to communicate, express feelings (anger or sadness), and convey sensations (hunger or sleepiness). Therefore, moms need to recognize the signs of speech delay in children so that it can be addressed promptly.

Signs of Speech Delay in Children

According to Reuters Health, to identify whether a child has speech delay, moms can observe the following signs:

1. The child does not babble by the age of 15 months.
2. The child cannot say clear words by the age of 2 years.
3. The child is unable to form short sentences by the age of 3 years.
4. The child has difficulty following instructions.
5. The child’s articulation or pronunciation is unclear.
6. The child struggles to combine words into a sentence.

How to Address Speech Delay in Children

If your little one exhibits the conditions mentioned above, moms need to take the following steps to help them learn to speak better:

1. Consult a professional: Immediately consult a pediatrician or speech therapist to get an evaluation and appropriate further action.
2. Provide language stimulation: Engage your child in conversation, read books together, and encourage them to express themselves.
3. Create a supportive environment: Foster a learning environment at home using educational games and build interactions with your child.
4. Limit gadget use: Gradually reduce screen time to prevent the child from feeling pressured while still being able to learn to speak and use language.

Preventing Speech Delay in Children

Moms certainly want their little ones to grow and develop optimally according to their age stages. Therefore, there are several things you can do to prevent speech delay. Steps you can take include:

1. Regular interaction: Frequently interact with your child through questions or reactions to their gestures or statements. Additionally, encourage discussions. Even if your child cannot respond yet, the process of listening and responding is crucial for their speaking skills development.
2. Read to your child from an early age: Choose books with engaging pictures and simple stories to help your child understand words and enhance their vocabulary. After reading, discuss the book together.
3. Provide toys: Give your child toys like dolls or role-playing games that can help them learn to speak in a fun way.
4. Early detection: Monitor your child’s speech development and take action, such as consulting a psychologist, if there are concerns.

These are the signs of speech delay in children and various actions parents can take to address this condition. Moms don’t need to panic; instead, they can determine the right steps to manage their child’s speech delay. Continue to support your child’s growth so they can become the person you hope for in the future.