Giving and receiving communication through language is a skill that develops in young children and progresses through life. Language gives children the ability to exchange information and to make their wishes known to those around them. Children develop language through interaction with others while learning to use their hearing, speaking abilities, and body movements to communicate.
Language
Many people often associate language to be the same as speech. Speech is one component of language in a person, but language comprises many other factors, as well. It involves speaking, gestures, body movements and understanding another's tone of voice. Language is also speaking words in combinations, creating new words and using a specific word for a certain situation. All of these are components of language that develop in childhood.
Development
Language development begins very early. Infants communicate their needs by crying, and parents learn to differentiate between what each cry means to signify hunger, fear or discomfort. A baby understands sounds and can tell the difference between the voices of her parents and a stranger. The muscles of the face and jaw develop as a child grows, and she begins to understand the sound of her own voice, as evidenced in cooing and babbling. As a child continues to grow, she forms words and can speak with some meaning. She can also receive communication from others through their words, tone of voice and gestures.
Milestones
Children follow typical milestones in their development of language as they grow, although each child will develop at his own pace, notes the National Institution on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. If your child is lagging behind in language milestones, it doesn't mean he will have a language disorder, but if you are concerned, check with a professional.
Between 6 and 12 months, a baby will vocalize, respond to his voice, turn toward a sound and may have spoken a first word. A child between 1 and 2 years is developing a vocabulary, and by 2, he may be able to say almost 50 to 150 words. He can repeat phrases; use pronouns; speak in short, two-word sentences; and name items around him. At 3 years, a child can speak in three-word sentences; use prepositions; label the parts of his body and say his name and age; and his vocabulary will increase "to too many words to count," states Kids Health from Nemours.
Warning Signs
There are signs that could indicate the potential for a language delay: Parents should be concerned if their child is between the ages of 12 and 24 months and is not making attempts at verbalization or trying simple gestures or if their child is older than 2 and is not trying to speak on her own without prompting; not following simple directions; or is not relatively easy to understand while talking, especially by her own parents, advises Kids Health from Nemours. Parents may have a gut feeling that something is wrong, only to be told by well-meaning family and friends that everything is fine. Concerns related to language development should be addressed to provide help if a problem is diagnosed.
Solutions
If concerns arise, the first step is to talk with a family doctor. She can perform an initial physical exam to rule out any obvious sources of delays and will be able to connect parents with resources for further testing. Most children will have a test to determine hearing loss, as this is a significant factor that can affect language development. Resources are available in each state through Early Intervention, with professionals trained in working with children who have language delays, and assistance is available through the public school system. Parents who suspect their child may have a language disorder should not hesitate to seek help, as it is the role of these services to provide assistance to children.
References
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: What is Language? What is Speech?
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Speech and Language Developmental Milestones
- Child Development Institute: Language Development in Children
- Kids Health from Nemours: Delayed Speech or Language Development
