SPEECH
DEVELOPMENT IN A CHILD
What are speech
and language?
Speech and language are tools
that humans use to communicate or share thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Language
is the set of rules, shared by the individuals who are communicating, that
allows them to exchange those thoughts, ideas, or emotions. Speech is talking,
one way that a language can be expressed. Language may also be expressed
through writing, signing, or even gestures in the case of people who have
neurological disorders and may depend upon eye blinks or mouth movements
to communicate.
How do speech
and language normally develop?
The most intensive period of
speech and language development for humans is during the first three years
of life, a period when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills
appear to develop best in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and
consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.
There is increasing evidence
suggesting that there are "critical periods" for speech and language
development in infants and young children. This means that the developing
brain is best able to absorb a language, any language, during this period.
The ability to learn a language will be more difficult, and perhaps less
efficient or effective, if these critical periods are allowed to pass without
early exposure to a language. The beginning signs of communication occur
during the first few days of life when an infant learns that a cry will
bring food, comfort, and companionship. The newborn also begins to recognize
important sounds in his or her environment. The sound of a parent or voice
can be one important sound. As they grow, infants begin to sort out the
speech sounds (phonemes) or building blocks that compose the words of their
language. Research has shown that by six months of age, most children recognize
the basic sounds of their native language.
As the speech mechanism (jaw,
lips, and tongue) and voice mature, an infant is able to make controlled
sound. This begins in the first few months of life with "cooing,"
a quiet, pleasant, repetitive vocalization. By six months of age, an infant
usually babbles or produces repetitive syllables such as "ba, ba, ba"
or "da, da, da." Babbling soon turns into a type of nonsense speech
(jargon) that often has the tone and cadence of human speech but does not
contain real words. By the end of their first year, most children have mastered
the ability to say a few simple words. Children are most likely unaware
of the meaning of their first words, but soon learn the power of those words
as others respond to them.
By eighteen months of age, most
children can say eight to ten words. By age two, most are putting words
together in crude sentences such as "more milk." During this period,
children rapidly learn that words symbolize or represent objects, actions,
and thoughts. At this age they also engage in representational or pretend
play. At ages three, four, and five, a child's vocabulary rapidly increases,
and he or she begins to master the rules of language.
What are speech
and language developmental milestones?
Children vary in their development
of speech and language. There is, however, a natural progression or "timetable"
for mastery of these skills for each language. The milestones are identifiable
skills that can serve as a guide to normal development. Typically, simple
skills need to be reached before the more complex skills can be learned.
There is a general age and time when most children pass through these periods.
These milestones help doctors and other health professionals determine when
a child may need extra help to learn to speak or to use language.
What should
I do if my child's speech or language appears to be delayed?
You should talk to your family
doctor if you have any concerns about your child's speech or language development.
The above checklist should help you talk about your concerns. Your doctor
may decide to refer you to a speech-language pathologist, a health professional
trained to evaluate and treat people who have speech, language, voice or
swallowing disorders (including hearing impairment) that affect their ability
to communicate. The speech-language pathologist will talk to you about your
child's communication and general development. He or she will also evaluate
your child with special speech and language tests. A hearing test is often
included in the evaluation because a hearing problem can affect speech and
language development.
Depending upon the test results,
the speech-language pathologist may suggest activities for home to stimulate
speech and language development. These activities may include reading to
your child regularly; speaking in short sentences using simple words so
that your child can successfully imitate you; or repeating what your child
says, using correct grammar or pronunciation. For example, if your child
says, "Ball baybo" you can respond with, "Yes, the ball is
under the table." This allows you to demonstrate more accurate speech
and language without actually "correcting" your child which can
eventually make speaking unpleasant for him or her.
The speech-language pathologist
may also recommend group or individual therapy or suggest further evaluation
by other health professionals such as an audiologist, a health care professional
who is trained to identify and measure hearing loss, or a developmental
psychologist.
|
