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It is natural to compare your child to others and it can feel frustrating to see other children chatting away if your child is silent, or struggling to talk and understand. However, all children develop at different rates, says speech and language therapist Janet Cooper. We caught up with Janet to discuss parents' worries about their children's speech development.
Communication comes in many forms: babbling, pointing and odd words are all positive signs that your baby wants to communicate.
Communicating well is really important and means children can understand the world, learn, talk to others, make friends and share how they feel.
It should reassure you to know that lots of children struggle with speech and language and that it doesn't always mean there is a deeper issue.
Studies estimate that 1 in 10 children develop speech, language and communication difficulties, particularly in the early years.
What are the signs my child might be behind?
You will be offered health visitor checks for your baby until they are two so their development can be tracked. These will look at height, weight and physical development as well as speech and language, to see if everything's OK.
Outside of these checks, you can keep an eye on their development and that they are reaching certain milestones. Your child might be behind in their language skills if:
- they do not seem to respond to sounds
- they show no interest in interacting with you
- they do not seem to be reaching any of the key milestones
- they seem frustrated that they cannot communicate with you
- they’re making a lot of speech sounds that no-one understands.
There is plenty you can do to help your child and lots of expert help available if you are worried – you know your own child best, so just remember to ask a professional if you are concerned. Spotting problems early means you can get the support you need.
Do speech and language difficulties run in families?
There are some specific speech and language difficulties that may have a genetic link – this might mean that a number of family members have similar difficulties. However, there is such a wide range of things that make up communication skills that this is not always the case. If you have any concerns about your child’s speech or language development it is best to talk them through with your health visitor or early years professional.
Twins might be behind with their language development, but it’s not normally a cause for concern – read about how they learn to communicate.
My baby was born prematurely – will they develop more slowly?
All children need time to develop and if they are born prematurely they might not reach milestones at a typical age.
Premature babies will be offered extra health checks to keep an eye on their development and so that support can be provided where necessary.
If your baby is born prematurely, their milestones will be assessed from their due date, not from when they were actually born.
By the age of two, their development will often even out with children their age, and you can use their actual birth date instead. In very premature babies, sometimes this is extended to three years of age.
Can I do anything to help my child’s speech?
There’s plenty you can do to support your child:
spend as much time as you can together talking and playing – children learn all about communication through interacting with you and you can easily build communication activity ideas into your daily routine.
reduce background noise (such as the TV) as this can slow down listening skills and confuse your child
limit the amount of time your child has a dummy in to give more chance for them to talk
limit using gadgets and mobile phones – over-use of these reduces the amount of time you’re able to interact together
take your child to groups at places like children’s centres, libraries and community centres to give them chances to mix with other children
If you are following all of these bits of advice and your child is still not progressing, you may need a referral to a speech and language therapist.
Most speech and language therapy departments can be accessed via your local NHS service. You can often make the referral yourself, but it is always good to check first with your child’s health professional, GP or nursery practitioner.
In case you missed it
When do babies start to talk?
Quiz: How does children's language develop?
