DELAYED SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DISORDER
A speech and language delay is when a child isn’t developing speech and language at an expected rate. It is a common developmental problem that affects as many as 10% of preschool children.
Every child develops at his or her own pace. But if your child doesn’t talk as much as most children of the same age, the problem may be speech delay.
Your child may have a speech delay if he or she isn’t able to do these things:
- Say simple words (such as “mama”) either clearly or unclearly by 12 to 15 months of age.
- Understand simple words (such as “no” or “stop”) by 18 months of age.
- Talk in short sentences by 3 years of age.
- Tell a simple story at 4 to 5 years of age.
The most common causes of speech delay include:
- Hearing loss
- Slow development
- Mental retardation
Other causes include:
- Psychosocial deprivation (the child doesn’t spend enough time talking with adults).
- Being a twin.
- Autism (a developmental disorder).
- Elective mutism (the child just doesn’t want to talk).
- Cerebral palsy (a movement disorder caused by brain damage).
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Various syndromes like downs syndrome, cornelia de lange syndrome, etc
Why might living in a bilingual home affect my child’s language and speech?
The brain has to work harder to interpret and use 2 languages. So it may take longer for children to start using either one or both of the languages they’re learning. It’s not unusual for a bilingual child to use just one language for a while.
VOICE:
One is said to have a voice disorder, when the voice has changed for the bad affecting one’s pitch, loudness and quality of voice. It usually happens due to excessive and abnormal use of voice especially for teachers, singers, hawkers, etc. It is most often associated with a pathology in the ‘voice box’.
Misarticulation:
Often one is said to have an articulation disorder, when one’s speech sounds wrongly pronounced. It happens due to incorrect placement of oral structures during communication, and becomes a concern after a particular age.
FLUENCY:
Speech that is produced with a lot of struggle and efforts, along with an excessively fast rate sounds dysfluent. There are stoppages in one’s speech that are present pretty often and are noticeable. In layman’s language one labels them as stammerers.
APHASIA:
A language disorder caused by recent brain injury in which all aspects of language comprehension and the production are impaired to varied degrees. One or more aspects of language comprehension and production may be affected. It affects the emotional, social, family, occupational aspects of the client’s life. Here in, we come into the picture and perform the testing to understand the areas of language affected and devise a treatment plan for the same.
APRAXIA
A speech disorder showing no evident neurological pathologies. Primarily, it is an articulatory disorder characterized by sensorimotor problems. The person has difficulty in the correct placement and movement of the speech muscles for the voluntary production of speech. It makes one sound as though he has flat speech with no rhythm.
DYSARTHRIA:
It is a speech disorder caused when there is damage to one’s brain. The person can have an irregular/ abnormal rhythm and incorrect production of speech, along with breathing problems and other associated muscle weakness, paralysis, etc. Diseases like Parkinsons,
DYSPHAGIA
It is a disorder of swallowing caused due to weakness, trauma or a disease like cancer. One can most often notice discomfort during eating, and evident coughing, choking or pain during eating which leads to a rapid loss of appetite and weight.
CLEFT LIP AND PALATE:
Cleft lip and cleft palate are openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate) or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate result when facial structures that are developing in an unborn baby don't close completely. Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects. They most commonly occur as isolated birth defects but are also associated with many inherited genetic conditions or syndromes. Having a baby born with a cleft can be upsetting, but cleft lip and cleft palate can be corrected. In most babies, a series of surgeries can restore normal function and achieve a more normal appearance with minimal scarring. Speech problems occurring post these can be treated by a speech language pathologist.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT:
When one has a difficulty in hearing or complete loss of hearing from an early age, one cannot pick up language at the usual pace and often lacks in communication and daily aspects of life. At such times, visiting an ENT specialist and getting the correct equipments to help one hear followed by training is of utmost importance. One can also lose hearing with age due to various reasons and hence, needs an aid to assist him to listen. Losing of a very important hearing sense can lead to one being backward in all aspects of life including studying, working and a detachment from the outside world. It is frustrating and hence, needs to be helped.
