Language and Speech Delay

Parents often begin to notice language delays when comparing one child to a sibling who could say words and sentences at certain ages. The parent typically thinks that the child will “catch up”. Many parents hesitate to seek advice feeling a child will just grow into it. Cooing and babbling should occur prior to 12 months. After 12-15 months a child should be using a wide range of speech sounds in their babbling (p, b, m, d or n) and start to mimic sounds from family members. At 18-24 months toddlers should be saying at least 20-50 words by the time they turn 2. From 2-3 years, parents should see big gains in their child’s vocabulary. There are different terms for delays in speech and language: Receptive language delay – This is when a child has difficulty understanding language. They have trouble comprehending when they listen or read. Expressive language delay – This is when a child has difficulty talking or expressing his/her ideas. Pragmatic language delay – This is when a child has difficulty understanding the semantics of speech (the meaning of what is being said)