Help your child when he talks late

A child's speech delay can make parents feel anxious and sleepless for many nights. However, in most cases children who speak late are not too concerned because most young children will develop language at their own pace. However, sometimes we still need to evaluate the child's speech ability to take early measures to support language development for children.

Research shows that about 15-25% of young children have some kind of communication disorder, in which boys tend to develop language skills a little later than girls. But in general, a child can be "labeled" as a "late-talker" if they say fewer than 10 words by the age of 18-20 months, or less than 50 words by the age of 21-30 months.
Most experts say that by the age of 12 months, babies can already say single words, such as "dad" or "mom". In addition, children at this age can also understand and comply with simple requests from parents.
The following are the major speech and language milestones in your baby's first 5 years, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, including:
By the end of the second year after birth, toddlers Can speak in sentences of 2-3 words. Besides, children can also follow simple instructions and repeat words heard in conversation. By the end of the 3rd year after birth, your baby can already follow instructions with 2-3 steps, and recognize and identify practically all common objects and images. Furthermore, children this age already understand most of what others say to them and also speak well enough for people outside the family to understand. By the end of the 4th year after birth, children are able to ask abstract questions (such as “why?”), and distinguish similar and different concepts. In addition, children at this milestone can also master the basic rules of grammar when heard in conversations. Although children need to speak clearly by age 4, they can mispronounce half of the basic sounds and this is not a cause for concern. By the age of 5, children can tell a story in their own words and use more than 5 words in a sentence. Although some children are slow to speak or seem a little behind in spoken language, if their language acquisition is better, it means they can understand what others say to them. When a child doesn't use a lot of words but still seems to understand what you're saying and is able to follow through on requests, there's no reason to be too worried compared to slow kids. speech and language acquisition. Overall, language acquisition is considered to be an important predictor that distinguishes late-talkers from those with developmental delays.

According to health care professionals, chronic ear infections that cause hearing loss can contribute to a child's speech delay. In particular, children who are exposed to diseases from other children may also be at increased risk of more ear diseases.
Chronic ear infections can have negative effects on a child's early learning experiences, including language abilities. On the other hand, the first years after birth is considered an important period for children to develop their speech and language abilities. Therefore, when babies are in the first 5 years after birth, they have hearing problems that can interfere with speech as well as language acquisition.
The reason why children are slower to speak than other children is also partly genetic. However, environmental factors can also play a role in slurred speech, such as exposure to toxins (eg, mercury), nerve damage, thereby affecting children's speech and language ability.

Although children can develop language skills at different rates, it is important that their progress is steady and certain milestones are reached within the time allowed. Here are some indicators of whether a child is developing normally or has a delay in speech, including:
Most babies will start whispering and babbling in their first year of life. Children should babble all consonants, but if they are limited in this regard, this can be a red flag of late speech. Newborns should begin to imitate the sounds their parents say, if they don't, it's also a warning that they're slow to speak. Don't worry too much if your child can't say sounds like "l", "r" and "s" clearly. These particular sounds tend to develop over time and it may not be until the age of 7 that some children have perfected the ability to say these sounds.

The situation of children with speech delay needs to be resolved early to help children improve and develop their language abilities at the right age. A pediatrician or language specialist can run a number of tests to help analyze a child's speech and advise parents on ways to stimulate language development. language for children. In case you suspect that your child has hearing problems, you should take your child for a hearing test.
Children who speak slowly can often have problems with language and academic development in school. Oral language, on the other hand, is fundamental to all academic areas, including reading, writing, and mathematics. Delayed detection and treatment of children with speech delay will seriously reduce the child's future learning foundation.
A recent study found that children who were found to have delayed speech between the ages of 24 and 31 months tended to become poor speakers and readers, and had weaker vocabulary abilities than children other during the first years of primary school.
Parents should not be indifferent to the idea that a child who speaks late will develop and catch up with other children quickly, unless your child has been evaluated so by a doctor. Therefore, if your child shows any signs of speech delay, you need to take him to the pediatrician as soon as possible.

Here are some ways to help promote normal speech and language development in your child, including:
Talk regularly with your child throughout the day, even at bath time, diaper changes and during meals. eat. For example, you can get your child's attention and then talk about what you're doing. When you talk to your child, speak at a level above the child's ability to speak. If your child can use 3 words at a time, you need to say more, but do not overwhelm him with very complex sentences. Children tend to pay more attention and imitate more when their parents speak with the “Motherese” method – speaking with a higher pitch, using some facial gestures, speaking at a slow pace and with emphasis. main syllable. You should often sing and read to your children from an early age. To be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Parents should supplement their children with supportive products containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet their child's nutritional needs. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.

Reference source: webmd.com