Speech delay

Speech delay, also known as alalia, refers to a delay in the development or use of the mechanisms that produce speech. Speech – as distinct from language – is the actual process of making sounds, using such organs and structures as the lungs, vocal cords, mouth, tongue, teeth, etc. Language delay refers to a delay in the development or use of the knowledge of language. Because language and speech are two independent stages, they may be individually delayed. For example, a child may be delayed in speech (i.e., unable to produce intelligible speech sounds), but not delayed in language. In this case, the child would be attempting to produce an age appropriate amount of language, but that language would be difficult or impossible to understand. Conversely, since a child with a language delay typically has not yet had the opportunity to produce speech sounds, it is likely to have a delay in speech as well. The warning signs of early speech delay are categorized into age-related milestones, beginning at the age of 12 months and continuing through early adolescence. At the age of 12 months, there is cause for concern if the child is not able to do the following: Using gestures such as waving good-bye and pointing at objects Practicing the use of several different consonant sounds Vocalizing or communicating needs Between the ages of 15 and 18 months children are at a higher risk for speech delay if they are displaying the following: Not saying "momma" and "dada" Not reciprocating when told "no", "hello", and "bye" Does not have a one to three word vocabulary at 12 months and up to 15 words by 18 months Is unable to identify body parts Displaying difficulties imitating sounds and actions Shows preference to gestures over verbalization Additional signs of speech delay after the age of 2 years and up to the age of 4 include the following: Inability to spontaneously produce words and phrases Inability to follow simple directions and commands Cannot make two word connections Lacks consonant sounds at the beginning or end of words Is difficult to understand by close family members Is not able to display the tasks of common household objects Is unable to form simple 2 to 3 word sentences Studies show that children diagnosed with speech delay are more likely to present with behavioral and social emotional problems both in childhood and as adults.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (4)

Speech delay

Child development

Child development involves the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and the conclusion of adolescence. Childhood is divided into three stages of life which include early childhood, middle childhood, and late childhood (preadolescence). Early childhood typically ranges from infancy to the age of 6 years old. During this period, development is significant, as many of life's milestones happen during this time period such as first words, learning to crawl, and learning to walk.

Autism spectrum

Autism, formally called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction, and repetitive or restricted patterns of behaviors, interests, or activities, which can include hyper- and hyporeactivity to sensory input. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language.