Typical warning signs for children with speech delay

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Le Thu Phuong - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

There are many parents who have difficulty in assessing their child's speech delay. Children with speech delay are temporary, can it be waited for a while or is this a real medical condition that requires the intervention of medical professionals? Equipping knowledge helps parents catch the warning signs of a child's speech and language retardation, thereby helping parents make better decisions.

Speech is a means of verbal communication, expressed through sound. The three main components of speech are: pronunciation, accent, and fluency. Speech disorder occurs when a child speaks out loud but others do not understand what the child is saying, for example: the child has a stutter, slurred speech.
Language is a medium used to express and receive information, through words or gestures (body language, sign language). Language is a measure of intelligence, so language development disorders are often more severe than speech disorders.
Speech and language disorders: is the abnormal development of language, this is the most common form of developmental delay in children, more common than other forms of developmental delay (eg, retardation). vision, motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills delays).
Language delay or speech delay in children is when a child's language develops in the correct sequence, but at a slower rate than other children.

The child does not respond to loud noises. Babies do not make growling sounds. Or your baby begins to growl but does not know how to imitate other sounds (by 4 months of age).

The most reliable warning sign is: the child does not respond to noise.

Babies don't try to communicate with others (while other babies have already started using sounds, gestures or words), even when they need help or want something. The child does not know how to say a single word, for example, “mom” or “dad”. No babbling, no consonants (eg p or b). Children do not know how to perform simple movements such as waving goodbye, shaking their head to say no, pointing at the object they want. The child does not respond when the correct name is called. Does not understand and does not respond to simple words such as: “no”, “hello baby” and “bai bai”. Children show no interest in the world around them.

Your baby is 16 months old and still doesn't understand and doesn't respond to words like "no", "get up". Couldn't say any words. Does not know how to point to objects or pictures in front of them when asked, for example, parents ask: "Where is the ball". Children do not know how to point to things they like, as if trying to express the idea "Mom/Daddy look here!" and combined with the movement of looking up at parents.

The child cannot point to certain body parts (eg, head, eyes, nose) when asked by an adult. The child cannot say any 6 words yet. The child is unable or unwilling to attempt to communicate in any way, even when he or she is in need of help. Don't know just what I want. Still can't say simple words like: "mom", "carry". Children do not understand simple commands, for example “Don't touch it”. Does not respond with words or gestures when asked by many mothers or relatives "what is this?", "where are the baby slippers?"

The child's vocabulary grows slowly (not gaining a new word per week).

The child has not yet said 15 words in total. Unable to speak for himself, but only imitating what his parents or other people said. Unable to conduct simple conversations with only 2 word sentences, for example: “Mother holds”, “Drink more” (or can speak but stutters). Reluctance or inability to communicate verbally, except in emergencies. Does not understand instructions or longer questions, for example, “Get your shoes”, “Do you want a drink?”, “Where is Dad?” Does not know how to pretend to play with dolls or play with herself, for example: feeding dolls, talking to dolls alone, grooming herself. Does not know how to imitate the actions or words of others. When looking at books, children cannot point to a picture that their parents name. The child cannot connect two words together. Not knowing the use of common household objects, for example, toothbrushes, dishes. Note: at this age, about one-fifth of children may show signs of speech delay, many of which will catch up with them when they grow up.

Children cannot say simple sentences of about 2-4 words. Unable to name some body parts. Does not remember things that are repeated over and over, for example a short poem. Unable to ask simple questions on their own. No one in the family can understand what the child means.

3-year-olds do not use any personal pronouns (child, mother, father). Unable to put words together into a short sentence, e.g. “Help me”,” Wants to drink more” Does not understand short instructions or questions, e.g. “Pick up your shoes and put them on the shelf”, “Noon” What do you want to eat now?" The child's speech is very unclear, making it difficult for people inside and outside to understand. Often stutters, has difficulty making sounds or words, when speaking, the child's face is contorted. Children do not ask questions. Little or no interest in story books. Doesn't care and doesn't interact with other children. Children, in particular, find it difficult to separate from their parents.

Children are not able to pronounce most consonants fluently. Do not understand the concept of "same" and "different". The child does not use the personal pronouns "child" and "mother" properly.

According to statistical studies, about one-fifth of children experience a delay in speaking or using words than their peers. Some children even show behavioral disturbances due to their inability to express what they want to say.
Children with simple speech delay are sometimes temporary in nature, which can be eliminated with the help of the family. Parents need to encourage children to practice speaking with gestures or sounds, need to spend time playing, reading and talking with children every day.
In some cases, a child with a speech delay may need help from medical professionals. Sometimes, a child's speech delay can be a warning sign of more serious problems. Problems that often accompany children with speech delays can include: hearing loss, developmental delays in other areas or even childhood autism. Language delays in young children can also be a manifestation of learning difficulties, which can only be diagnosed when the child reaches school age.
If the child has the above-mentioned signs of delay, the first thing that parents need to do is check the child's hearing ability. Even the case that the child looks and sounds good should not be subjective, because most children are very good at guessing based on images and gestures of adults. Hearing impairments need to be detected and treated promptly. Parents should not wait and hope that the child will overcome the defect on his own. Children should be taken to a specialist if there is doubt about the child's language development. Children who are slow to speak or have language abnormalities, if detected early and treated promptly, will help improve their communication skills quite effectively.
Choose to take care of pregnancy and give birth at Vinmec International General Hospital, right from the time in the womb, the baby has been screened for birth defects; examination immediately after birth, audiometry to screen for hearing loss or congenital deafness - the cause of language delay.
5 “red flags” related to autism-related language delay in children that parents should be aware of:
No babbling by 12 months of age Does not know how to signal (pointing index finger, waving, shaking hands) hand...) at 12 months Can't say single words by 16 months Doesn't say 2-word sentences on her own by 24 months (doesn't count repetitions) Loss of language or communication skills in any Any age If they notice abnormal signs in their child, parents should take the child to a reputable facility for examination and treatment. At Vinmec International General Hospital, children will meet with pediatric psychiatrists and psychologists, through the Denver II test to assess four areas of child development including: fine motor, gross motor, language , individual-society; together with psychological tests such as CARS, CBCL, DBC-P, ... to detect speech delay alone or with other psychological disorders. From there, give advice and training instructions suitable for each child.