How speech pathology treats delayed language development
“Children who have not yet reached their age-appropriate speech and language milestones”
What is a language delay?
In speech pathology, we refer to a child who has delayed language as:
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a 12-month-old who is yet to say their first word and uses mostly gestures to communicate (e.g. pointing, waving)
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an 18-month-old who has less than 50 words
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A 2-year-old who has less than 200 words or is yet to join words to make short phrases.
What causes it?
What does it look like?
“There is no one cause for “late-talking”… and no-one’s “fault” and supportive intervention by a parent, carer or speech pathologist can make a significant difference”
Milestones
Age |
Expressive LanguageBy this age, your child should use: |
Receptive languageBy this age, your child should understand: |
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12 months |
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18 months |
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2 years |
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When to seek help for language
At Talkshop Speech Pathology we recommend beginning therapy if your child is 6 or more months behind their expected developmental milestones. While the evidence is mixed in terms of which areas of communication are the best indicators for long-term difficulties. The following three key factors have been identified as the most important communication markers: degree of expressive language (use of language) delay, degree of receptive language (understanding of language) delay, and degree of gestural impairment[5].
You should seek support if your:
12 month old:
- not making eye contact
- not babbling
- not using gestures like pointing and waving
18 month old:
- has 10 words or less
- uses gestures more than words
2-year-old:
- has 50 words or less
- is not joining 2 words together
Many children who are late to talk eventually catch up with their peers. However, research has not revealed the early indicators to identify which children will not catch up without intervention. As the milestone gap widens, likely, the duration of a speech therapy program to close the gap will also increase. Research does support that a program of speech therapy can achieve significant improvements at any stage of a language delay. However, early intervention reduces the developmental impacts of a language delay in many other areas of a child’s development.
“Rather than hoping for the best, it is recommended to seek the support of a speech pathologist”
How can speech pathology help?
Assessment
Therapy
Example therapy goals for a child using single words:
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Firstly, to increase the number of action words (verbs) to support the use of two words together.
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Secondly, to expand the range of vocabulary. Increasing the variety of words through child-directed play.
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Finally, to increase understanding (comprehension) of language through book reading and play strategies.
Who we work with
“We use both child and adult learning strategies to support both you and your child to develop your skills”
References
1 Cable, A, L. & Domsch, C. (2011) Systematic review of the literature on the treatment of children with late language emergence. International Journal of Language Communication Disorders. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21401813. Accessed 11 Jan. 2019.
2 National Senate enquiry on speech and language skills, https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary-Business/Committees/Senate/Community-Affairs/Speech-Pathology/Report/c03
3 Scarborough H.S. (2009) Connecting early language and literacy to later reading (dis)abilities: Evidence, Theory & Practice. In Fletcher-Campbell F., Soler J., Reid G. (2009) Approaching difficulties in literacy development: Assessment, Pedagogy and Programmes. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306200560-Connecting-early-language-and-literacy-to-later-reading-disabilities-Evidence-theory-and-practice. Accessed 11 Jan. 2019.
4 Dorothy V Bishop 1, Margaret J Snowling1, Paul A Thompson1, Trisha Greenhalgh2, CATALISE-2 consortium – CATALISE: a multinational and multidisciplinary Delphi consensus study of problems with language development. Phase 2. Terminology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28369935. Accessed 11 Jan. 2019.
5 Dale, P.S., Price T.S., Bishop D.V.M, & Plomin R. (2003) Outcomes of early language delay: I. Predicting persistent and transient language difficulties at 3 and 4 years. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing. 46.3. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4f84b707-c146-41a4-ade3-da5854df6d35. Accessed 11 Jan. 2019.
Additional Resources
McLeod, S., & McKinnon, D. (2007). Prevalence of communication disorders compared with other learning needs in 14,500 primary and secondary school students. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 42, 37–59.
Gersten, R., Fuchs, L. S., Williams, J. P., & Baker, S. (2001). Teaching reading comprehension strategies to students with learning disabilities: A review of research. Review of Educational Research, 71, 279–320.
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Combining-Words-Together.aspx
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Parents%E2%80%99-role-in-language-intervention.aspx