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Home › Articles › Guiding Baby's Development › Early Signs of Speech Delays

Early Signs of Speech Delays

Tips for Spotting Speech Problems in Older Babies and Toddlers

By Lisa A. Goldstein

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If you have concerns about your child's speech and language skills, Boggs recommends talking to your pediatrician about getting a speech-language evaluation with a certified speech-language pathologist. "Early identification and early intervention has proven to be most effective in the remediation of speech-language deficits in children 0 to 3," she says.

Speech-language pathologists are trained to look at many areas of language development as well as interaction, play, gesture and oral motor functioning, Boggs says. "During a speech-language evaluation, the SLP can help better determine if there is a larger concern with the child, or if it may be an isolated speech delay," she says. "The SLP will also help determine if the child will also benefit from speech-language therapy."

Potential Diagnosis

Etlinger's son ended up with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, though it was on the milder to moderate side. "While not all children with speech delays have autism, some do, and it is one of the early signs in many cases," Etlinger says.

Other causes of speech delays – and there are many – include overall developmental delays, cognitive delays, apraxia, structural abnormalities, hearing loss and oral motor weakness, Boggs says.

Etlinger's advice to other parents is to get your child tested if you have any doubts at all that your child's development is on track. "We did get our son tested early, and got him therapies soon after," she says. "I am convinced that is a big part of why he's progressed so rapidly." He's now 5, and began talking at between 2 1/2 and 3 years old, and his verbal skills continue to blossom.

"Try not to freak out," Etlinger says. "Speech delay does not equal autism in all cases. But even if it's a simple speech delay, speech is so fundamental to development that it can create challenges ... if left unattended, so it's important to think about that too when making a decision."

What Parents Can Do to Help

The ASHA publication, which can be found at www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart.htm, also has suggestions for what parents can do to help. No matter the age, talking constantly to your child is important. When your child is 1 to 2 years of age, use simple but grammatical speech that is easy for your child to imitate.

Take a sound walk around the house or in the baby's room. Introduce him to Timmy Clock, who says "t-t-t-t." Listen to the clock as it ticks. When your child is 2 to 3 years of age, expanding on vocabulary is important. Ask your child questions that require a choice and reinforce successful communication.


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