Delays in Speech & Language Development

About 7.5 million Americans have difficulty communicating using their voice, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). These delays, often first present in early childhood, can be caused by a variety of factors. Fortunately, there are many resources for doctors, educators and parents to combat these developmental delays and ease any unwarranted pressure on the struggling individual.

Delayed Speech Development Causes

• Speech delays are sometimes part of global development delays.

  Delayed speech can be caused by both physical and mental impairments. The most common cause is oral-motor problems, which mean portions of the brain are not able to communicate with other areas that control speech. Deformities of the tongue and palette, most commonly a cleft palette, make it difficult to form words for young speakers, also leading to delayed speech. Hearing problems, even as temporary as recurring ear infections, can impact a child's ability to pick up speech at the normal rate.

Delayed Speech Development Warning Signs

• Children should be able to imitate sounds by 18 months, according to speech pathologists.

  Even though there are typical ages at which children begin to form sounds, words and communicate in full sentences, it can be difficult to know if any delays are signs of a deeper problem. According to research from the University of Michigan, parents should consult a professional if a child isn't using gestures by the time he is 12 months old, if he prefers gesturing to speaking by the time he is 18 months old or if he has difficulty understanding instructions from parents or other adults.

Seeking Help From Speech Pathologists

• A primary-care physician can refer a patient to a speech pathologist.

  Speech pathologists work with patients who have difficulty speaking either due to physical impairments or mental delays. Most patients are children, although speech pathologists also work with adults. Initially, the speech pathologist will conduct an assessment, which includes what a child understands, her vocabulary to date, alternative forms of communication such as gesturing, clarity of speech and how the child forms words, and how the parts of the mouth work together physically to form words. Based on this assessment, the pathologist will recommend further treatment.

Treatments for Delays in Speech Development

• Reading to a child can counter speech problems.

  After an assessment, the speech pathologist may recommend speech therapy for the patient, which will work to treat the causes of the delayed language development. In addition to professional therapy, there are things parents can do at home to help. Some recommendations from the NIDCD include narrating actions and activities throughout the course of a normal day, reading books aloud together and spending as much time communicating and asking questions as possible. With professional therapy and help from parents, most children eventually overtake these frustrating delays in speech.