Speech and Language Problems in Children

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Basics

• Summary
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• Latest News
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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• 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
• Late Blooming or Language Problem? (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• 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

Latest News

• A Toddler's Screen Time Tied to Speech Delay (05/04/2017, HealthDay)

Treatments and Therapies

• Speech-Language Therapy (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• How Does Your Child Hear and Talk? (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech Family Start Guide (Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America)
• Developmental Dyspraxia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Language Delays in Toddlers: Information for Parents (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Language-Based Learning Disabilities (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Preschool Language Disorder (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Selective Mutism (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Specific Language Impairment (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) Also in Spanish
• Speech and Language Disorders in the School Setting (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonological Processes (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia) (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

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: Dysarthria and broader motor speech deficits in Dravet syndrome.
• Article: Audiovisual materials are effective for enhancing the correction of articulation...
• Article: Interactive Book Reading to Accelerate Word Learning by Kindergarten Children...
• Speech and Language Problems in Children -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders) (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
• Find a Professional: Online Directory of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Programs (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• 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