Speech delay or disorders affect one in fourteen children worldwide, and often, they can go unnoticed until the child is well into their toddler years or later. That said, the parents who do pick up on their kids' struggles earlier on can offer them a much better chance of overcoming their speech difficulties before they become habitual.
In this article, we'll take a look at how you can help your child develop healthy speech practices in the comfort of their own home.
What is the difference between a speech delay and a disorder?
A speech delay is when a child's speech progresses slower than the level expected for their age in comparison to other kids. For example, kids at around two to two and a half years old should be able to use basic language to ask questions. Now, if your child is unable to do this, they may have a speech delay. A speech delay doesn't necessarily mean that your child isn't learning; it's simply that they're learning at a slower pace than others.
On the other hand, a disorder is diagnosed when a child actually has a significant impairment that hinders their ability to communicate. For instance, they might struggle to comprehend or communicate in all five of the domains of language, namely:
- Morphology - the construction of words
- Syntax - how words and phrases are arranged
- Semantics - the meaning of words
- Pragmatics - using language in context
- Phonology - how language sounds
Often, parents think that their children might just be late talkers, as many are, however, if they have a disorder, catching it earlier will give them better chances of learning coping methods that are even working through the disorder.
Speech delay activities you can do at home
As parents, we should all want to see our children grow and develop into functional and successful individuals. To do that, we put in large amounts of time and energy to help them succeed, and this starts when they're born. One way you can help your child's speech development is by doing activities with them at home, like:
Play everyday
Children learn best when they're doing something that fully engages all of their senses. For example, playing educational games like matching colours or animals is a great way to teach them communication skills. Try to set aside 30 minutes a day to sit with your kid and play. This will benefit your relationship with them and allow you to gauge your child's development.
Read age-appropriate books
Reading is another brilliant way to help them develop speech. Read your child's appropriate books and encourage them to engage with the story by asking them to repeat words or about the characters. For younger kids, books with lots of colours and images are a great way to keep them entertained while they learn new concepts and stretch their imaginations.
Don't get complicated
Children can overstimulate quickly, which can cause them to become distracted and agitated. So, when it comes to working with them at home, avoid getting complicated. They don't need a hundred toys, but just a few open-ended toys to allow them to play with them in different ways.
Teach your kids about feelings and emotions
Kids need to learn to understand what they're feeling and how they can cope with it. Teaching this is generally the responsibility of the parent and it's vital so they can learn to communicate their emotions in an appropriate way.
Children who struggle with a speech delay might get frustrated when they fail at communicating with others. Unfortunately, if they don't know how to communicate these frustrations or process them, they might lash out or become disinterested in continuing the learning session. Again, keep things simple. Give them one or two coping methods that'll allow them to default to when they're frustrated. This will help them calm down and try again when they're ready.
Teach them sign language
Sign language can be one of these default methods. Children who struggle to communicate verbally can be taught some basic sign language signs that'll help them communicate when their speech fails them. Many people believe that teaching sign language stunts your child's speech development. However, this isn't true. Sign language will help your child understand the fundamentals of communication. Think of it as laying a foundation to build upon. One where their communication skills can develop as they learn.
Encourage your child to ask for things
Place your child in a position where they need to communicate to get something they want. For example, place their favourite toy on the countertop where they can't reach it and encourage them to ask for it by either pointing if they're unable to speak, saying one or two words like "please", or asking you to get it for them in a full sentence. As you do this regularly, you'll teach them to ask for things politely and aid their speech development at the same time.
Final thoughts
Speech development is a fun time for parents. As you wait for anticipation to hear the first words out of their mouth, remember to continually encourage them to communicate with you in different ways. If they happen to have a speech delay, remain patient and offer them the tools to develop their speech correctly in their own time. In situations where you feel they might need help, then working with a speech therapist would be your best option.
This is a collaborative post. All views and texts are my own.
