Toddlers from 18 to 20 months who use fewer than 10 words, and toddlers from 21 to 30 months who use fewer than 50 words without combining them, can be classified as "late talkers," according to a review in "Contemporary Pediatrics." While most of these children eventually catch up, delayed speech can indicate a hearing or language disorder. Talk to your pediatrician or a speech pathologist if you are concerned about your child's ability to communicate.
Hearing Disorders
Even a mild hearing disorder can impede a child's ability to use and understand language. Newborn babies are typically assessed for hearing disorders before they leave the hospital, but excessively loud noises, ear infections, or medical problems can cause hearing loss in infants and young children. Hearing disorders are easily diagnosed using physiological or behavioral tests.
Auditory Processing Disorder
Delayed speech can be caused by auditory processing disorder, a condition in which the brain has trouble processing and interpreting sounds despite normal hearing. Auditory processing disorder is sometimes called central auditory processing disorder, auditory perception problem, auditory comprehension deficit, central auditory dysfunction or word deafness. Children with this disorder often have trouble recognizing the distinctions between sounds in words. For example, a child with auditory processing disorder may confuse the words "ball" and "call," even if they are spoken loudly and clearly. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, auditory processing disorder can lead to behavioral and academic problems if left untreated.
Developmental Speech and Language Disorder
Developmental speech and language disorder is a term that is used when a child's speech delay cannot be explained by an intellectual disability, a neurological problem, a physical abnormality, or a hearing impairment. A developmental speech and language disorder is a type of learning disability in which the brain functions differently, resulting in problems with articulation, communication, and understanding speech. According to neuropsychiatrist Dennis Cantwell, children with a developmental speech and language disorder may also exhibit problems with attention and motor coordination.
References
- "Contemporary Pediatrics"; The "Late Talker"---When Silence Isn't Golden; M. Agin; November 2004.
- Dennis Cantwell et al; Developmental Speech and Language Disorders; Guilford Press; 1987.
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Auditory Processing Disorder in Children
- University of Michigan Health System: Speech and Language Delay and Disorder
