Speech and Language Problems in Children

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Children vary in their development of speech and language skills. Health care professionals have lists of milestones for what's normal. These milestones help figure out whether a child is on track or if he or she may need extra help. For example, a child usually has one or two words like "Hi," "dog," "Dada," or "Mama" by her first birthday.

Sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss. Other times it may be due to a speech or language disorder. Children who have speech disorders may have trouble making speech sounds correctly. They may hesitate or stutter when talking. Children with language disorders might have trouble understanding what others say or difficulty sharing their thoughts.

If you have concerns about your child's speech or language development, talk to your child's health care provider.

NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Start Here

• Delayed Speech or Language Development (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Speech and Language Delay (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Speech and Language Developmental Milestones (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) Also in Spanish
• Speech and Language Impairments (Center for Parent Information and Resources) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Speech-Language Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)

Specifics

• Developmental Dyspraxia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Language Delays in Toddlers: Information for Parents (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Specific Language Impairment (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) Also in Spanish
• Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia) (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
• Your Starting Guide To Childhood Apraxia of Speech (Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: 17q12 duplication (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: cerebral folate transport deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: FOXP2-related speech and language disorder (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: SATB2-associated syndrome (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Language Disorders (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Unable to Speak: Selective Mutism in Youth.
• Article: Low-level neural auditory discrimination dysfunctions in specific language impairment-A review...
• Article: Pediatric Speech and Language Perspectives on Interprofessional Practice.
• Speech and Language Problems in Children -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders) (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Children

• Going to a Speech Therapist (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

• Language disorder - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Speech disorders - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish