Speech refusal in toddlers covers a lot of complex issues and might have its roots in a several conditions, from learning disabilities to hearing problems. What might seem like a refusal to talk can in fact be a lack of understanding or a problem . Also, toddlers develop at slightly different rates. Understanding your toddler and the expected speed of speech development in children helps you look out for any possible problems.
Speech Milestones
By 12 months your child should be able to say a couple of words and babble in imitation speech, according to the University of Michigan Health System, so a lack of vocabulary at this early stage of toddler development is nothing to worry about. However, at the other end of toddler development, 3 years old, your child might know up to 450 words, can make simple sentences and include elements such as plurals and verbs in his speech. At this stage, if your toddler won't talk it might be related to speech refusal or a learning condition.
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is a form of speech refusal that occurs when a child feels anxious, threatened or simply a little shy, according to Harvard Health Publications. For example, it's a common occurrence to find that a toddler only mumbles, nods or grunts in a doctor's office or in front of unfamiliar adults. As a toddler gets used to different situations and new adult faces, she might grow out of refusing to speak. As the muteness usually comes from fear, not bad behavior, it's not a good idea to shout or pressure your toddler.
Language
In some cases speech refusal in toddlers stems from multiple languages in the home. For example, if parents and family members speak both Spanish and English it can create situations in which a child refuses to speak one or both languages. It helps to have a clear idea of which language you want to speak in the home to your child, rather than mixing between two languages. Toddlers brought up around two languages might refuse to speak in larger groups.
Learning Disability
Because children develop at different rates it can be hard to diagnose a learning disability in a toddler, but in some cases a learning development problem will manifest as speech refusal. This might come partly from frustration and shyness on the part of your child, and it also might have a physical link, such as problems with the ear or formation of the mouth. Your doctor will need to refer you to a specialist to diagnose your toddler with a potential language-based learning disability.
References
- Harvard Health Publications; Children’s Fears and Anxieties; December 2004
- University of Michigan Health System; Speech and Language Delay and Disorder; June 2008
- Columbia University Teacher's College; Debunking the Myths of Multilingualism; March 2011
- Language-Based Learning Disabilities: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association;
