by Caroline Tigeress

Created on: July 07, 2009   Last Updated: July 09, 2009

Any delayed child can be a handful to raise, but when it is a speech-disabled child, the rules change entirely. Even more so when this child is unable to speak clearly and with confidence.

Early diagnosis is best, of course. The sooner you get a handle on this the better. As a rule, babies like to babble and coo, it is generally their start on the world of talking and communication. Full word structures generally do not occur until twelve to fifteen months of age. However, pre-word structures begin at age seven months, and atypically go to eleven months.

Look for basic gurgling noises where children are attempting to mimic the easier syllables that they hear their parents say. Mah-mah and dah-dah might not come very clear at this point, but it is still something to be looking forward to.

At about the year stage is where you need to be placing your major concerns. At that point, we have full formation of the word itself, and the baby will be learning more and more. Two word question structures are not uncommon. If there is a delay in this point, now is the time to consult a pediatric speech therapist. Two to even three word sentences are not uncommon toward the latter part of the first year, and a good tip here is that different consonants will be used during communications.

The two-year stage is when the child will really start to strut their stuff. Multi-word sentences become common, and it is hoped that by this point the child is in speech therapy. Objects will be addressed to by name and function, and on occasion direction. "Want Cookie Please" and "Play Red Ball" are all good examples of this concept.

At three to four years, we should be looking at early preschool concepts, and if the child is not able to receive help at this point, the actual preschool itself may have better access to resources especially in impoverished areas.

During a point your child should be able to formulate reasonable sentences and emote well, speaking clearly enough that non-related adults will have little difficulty recognizing what is being said. The child should have no problem in interacting with their peers.

In conclusion, we must approach our children's speech delay in a professional manner, with a critical eye, looking at long-term development.
For more reading, research, and general information, here is the website for the American Speech-Language Association:

HTTP://www.asha.org/default.htm

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