Reasons that influence delayed speech development in a child

Every parent wants their child to develop and grow normally, without any delays or disturbances. However, today's children are exposed to various factors that, to one degree or another, adversely affect their development. First of all, this concerns the child’s speech. Numerous surveys and statistical data show that every second child has speech problems, some to a greater extent, and others to a lesser extent.

And the problems concern not only the correct pronunciation of words; some children do not speak at all until preschool age, but only use gestures. In any case, no matter what problems a child has with speech, it is necessary to seek help from a speech therapist at the first symptoms.

So, what factors influence the development of a child’s speech and what needs to be done so that this problem does not affect you.

Types, levels and forms of speech dysarthria in children

Table of types of disease by location of the lesion

Classification according to the degree of development of pathology:

• I (erased) - only a speech therapist can identify incorrect pronunciation during examination and examination, almost complete recovery is possible;
• II – pronunciation is clear, but defects are noticeable;
• III – the child is understood only by close people, strangers rarely;
• IV – even relatives do not understand the pronunciation or there is no speech, most often considered within the framework of cerebral palsy.

Important! The erased form is characterized by difficulty chewing solid food. Parents should not change their child's diet because of this. It is necessary to gradually accustom him to chew on the same basis as other people. Source: E.F. Arkhipova Erased dysarthria in children: a textbook for university students // M.: AST: Astrel: KHRANITEL, 2006, p.319

Child’s speech at 3 years old: deviations

A child has deviations from the norm if he:

• Experiences serious difficulties when retelling, that is, he cannot remember the content of a short simple text that is age appropriate, such as “Kolobok”, “Ryaba Hen”, he understands it poorly, cannot formulate a thought;
• Incorrectly pronounces more than 5-7 sounds by the age of 4 (three-year-old children are still allowed to do this);
• Uses onomatopoeia and simplified versions of words instead of full ones;
• Has a small vocabulary;
• Has difficulty pronouncing words - repeats sounds or syllables (instead of a machine - mmmashina, instead of a cartoon - mumumultik);
• Talks too fast.

The last 2 points are sometimes associated with stuttering.

Have you noticed these problems in your child? It is worth considering seeing a speech therapist. Because in this case, parents often do not have the necessary knowledge and will not be able to help the child on their own.

Causes and symptoms

The disease is provoked by a number of harmful factors:

• viral diseases of the expectant mother;
• pathologies of the placenta at the stage of intrauterine development;
• Rhesus conflict;
• fetal hypoxia;
• very rapid or slow labor with cerebral hemorrhage in the child;
• some birth injuries;
• prematurity;
• infections of the brain and its membranes, such as meningitis;
• Cerebral palsy (up to 85% of cases of dysarthria);
• TBI;
• hydrocephalus;
• severe intoxication;
• encephalitis. Source: L.I. Belyakova, Yu.O. Filatova Diagnosis of speech disorders // Defectology, 2007

Who should you contact to identify general underdevelopment?

If a child does not speak at 4 years old, it is better to show him to several specialists at once:

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• speech therapist-defectologist - will assess the severity of the speech disorder and suggest the direction of correctional work;
• ENT specialist - will help make sure that hearing is normal;
• a neurologist - will examine the child, get acquainted with the baby’s development chart to exclude organic damage and, if necessary, prescribe appropriate medications.

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Often, a consultation with an experienced speech pathologist-speech pathologist is enough to determine ODD and begin correction, as in the case of our student Roma.

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But if the speech therapist still recommends visiting other specialists, then you should listen.

Symptoms and treatment

The main symptoms include the following:

• incomprehensible, slurred speech;
• spastic manifestations in the articulatory muscles (neck, lips, face, tongue are constantly tense, articulation is limited, lips are tightly closed);
• hypotonia of the articulatory apparatus (lips do not close, tongue lies motionless in the mouth, mouth is slightly open, increased salivation);
• dystonia of articulatory muscles (when a child tries to talk, his muscle tone goes from low to high);
• slurred pronunciation;
• in difficult cases, the child misses sounds, replaces them or pronounces them distorted; Source: O.Yu. Fedosova Features of sound pronunciation of children with mild dysarthria // Speech therapist in kindergarten, 2005, No. 2, pp. 36-41
• slowness of conversation;
• inability to speak (in severe forms);
• nasal voice without signs of a runny nose;
• change, omission, replacement of some sounds with others;
• fading of a phrase towards the end of its utterance, rapid breathing during a conversation due to lack of air;
• very high, almost “squeaky” voice;
• a fast or very slow flow of words, while the child cannot change the tone.

When to sound the alarm if a child does not speak?

1. If up to 8-9 months of life the baby is more silent.
2. If a year does not respond when you talk to him. For example, if you ask “where is the chair?”, and he does not turn his head towards where the chair is. And to attract your attention, he often cries.
3. If at 1.2 - 1.6 years the child does not distinguish familiar objects by ear and cannot show them in the picture. For example, you ask him to show where the bed is, but he cannot show it either in the room or in the picture.
4. If at 1.5 - 2 years old the child does not understand how to fulfill your simplest requests. For example: “Give me a cup from the table,” “Take the little soldier and put him in the box.”
5. If at 2–3 years old the child does not speak simple sentences. For example: “Mom, I want to eat”, “Dad, here.”
6. If at 3–4 years old a child cannot speak in sentences. For example: “Dad came home from work,” “The dog is lying under the table.” He also pronounces most sounds incorrectly.

What to do? Treatment methods for the disorder

The child must undergo additional classes with a speech therapist (at home or in a special institution) on:

• development of motor skills;
• forming a conversation;
• honing diction;
• correcting the pronunciation of distorted sounds;
• expanding vocabulary;
• development of phonetic hearing;
• memorizing grammatical structure.

Against this background, drug therapy is carried out using nootropics. Medicines in this group specifically affect brain functions: stimulate mental activity, cognitive functions, increase learning abilities, and improve memory.

The package of measures also includes exercise therapy - articulation gymnastics to strengthen the facial muscles, massage, exercises with the hands and fingers.

Sources:

1. E.F. Arkhipova. Erased dysarthria in children: a textbook for university students // M.: AST: Astrel: KHRANITEL, 2006, p. 319.
2. L.I. Belyakova, Yu.O. Filatova. Diagnosis of speech disorders // Defectology, 2007.
3. 3. O.Yu. Fedosova. Features of sound pronunciation of children with mild dysarthria // Speech therapist in kindergarten, 2005, No. 2, pp. 36-41.

The information in this article is provided for reference purposes and does not replace advice from a qualified professional. Don't self-medicate! At the first signs of illness, you should consult a doctor.

Is OHP of the first degree dangerous?

OHP itself is not dangerous, but if correction is not started in time, the consequences can be serious. Speech therapists and neurologists say that up to 3 years of age there is no need to worry. But if your child is already 3 years old and does not speak at all or only said his first word at this age, this may be a signal of delayed speech development.

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If you continue to ignore the problem, it will get worse. Against the background of underdevelopment of speech, mental development may be disrupted: thinking will become inhibited, concentration and memory will deteriorate, and coordination of movements will be impaired.

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The child’s performance at school will drop, self-esteem will decrease and complexes will appear, he will become withdrawn and prone to depression. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to identify the problem as early as possible and take action.

Prevention and recommendations: memo to parents

What can and cannot be done at home when developing speech in a child?

• It is important to learn to speak to your baby clearly, distinctly and slowly.
• You can’t “little”, because children will definitely repeat the pronunciation defects. This will slow down the absorption of sounds.
• Under no circumstances should you scold for incorrect pronunciation or mimic.
• It is important to teach four-year-old children easy words first, then difficult ones.
• Parents should study at home as the specialist says. At the same time, they show interest, attitude, and calmness. It is important to conduct classes regularly.
• At home, you need to ask “Why?” more often. This is how children learn to form sentences, analyze, and develop an active vocabulary.
• You should talk to your son and daughter more often and have them tell you their favorite cartoons and fairy tales. Write educational stories with your children.
• Make applications: this will delight the baby and will also contribute to the development of fine motor skills. The child learns to work with paper, scissors, glue, and get complete pictures.
• Use a mirror when practicing. Kids are interested in watching their achievements. They continue to study themselves, the movements of their lips and tongue.
• To be motivated to study, encourage your child with praise from relatives and tasty sweets for each achievement in speech development.

It is important to show the child interest in his development. Don't let your mood take over. Babies are sensitive to parental irritation. They become isolated and trust is lost. This indirectly inhibits the process of speech development.

Is it possible to prevent the development of dyslalia?

Speech therapists give the following advice.

• When learning a language, a child imitates those around him. Make sure he only hears correct, clear speech. If among your loved ones there is someone with a “fiction defect,” then explain to the child why it is necessary to speak like a person who clearly pronounces all sounds. Don’t lisp, don’t use distorted words like “komalika” instead of “komarika”.
• Do everything to ensure that your child has the correct bite. Excessive consumption of soft foods, pacifiers, prolonged breastfeeding - all this is harmful for the proper development of teeth and jaw, and muscles of the speech apparatus.
• Develop fine motor skills. As you know, the motor and speech centers are located nearby, and small movements of the fingers and stimulation of the nerve endings on the inside of the palm contribute to better blood supply to the necessary parts of the brain.

How to promote speech development in a 3 year old child

Dear mothers and fathers, you should not remain on the sidelines, you can also contribute and share new necessary knowledge about the language and the world as a whole. This means helping children develop and improve their speech skills.

• Communicate on different topics accessible to the child’s age;
• Introduce children to new objects and phenomena and their characteristics, tell them what, how, why and why is happening;
• Say not only the names of the objects themselves, but also their components (shirt - collar, pocket, sleeve, buttons...);
• Play by asking to look for objects of a certain color, shape, etc.;
• Train your child to put the correct endings in words;
• Introduce prepositions and teach them to use them correctly;
• Play role-playing games;
• Together, look at and comment on pictures in books, ask questions about them;
• Read books to your child expressively, portraying different characters in their voices;
• Learn to retell (leading questions about what you read will help with this), memorize poems and songs;
• Do exercises to develop the articulatory apparatus (for example, “fence” - stretch your mouth into a wide smile, “ball” - deflate and puff up your cheeks, “clock” - stick out your tongue and move it from side to side, “horse” - click your tongue, etc. .P.);
• Keep your kids busy with activities that require fine finger work - playing with buttons, cereals, small toys, modeling, finger painting, etc.

The fact that a child’s speech at 3 years old is still far from perfect, in a sense, even plays into the parents’ hands. This period is fertile ground for getting closer to your baby. Therefore, be sure to answer “why” questions and respond to calls for help pronouncing this or that word, and children sometimes ask for this too.

Be your child's helper, be there!

Causes of slurred or absent speech

We see that there is a wide variety of violations of a child’s communication through speech. There are also many reasons for this.

Recently, speech therapists, psychologists and doctors have been sounding the alarm: more than 60% of four-year-old preschoolers speak and formulate thoughts incorrectly. This problem threatens the current generation in that incorrectly structured communication is followed by erroneous spelling of words and a reduced quality of assimilation of school material. What kind of literacy and academic performance should you dream of then?

There are many reasons for speech development disorders at four years of age:

• Pain in the mother during pregnancy.
• Birth injuries, lack of oxygen, asphyxia.
• Late maturation of brain structures.
• Neuroinfections and TBI (traumatic brain injury) present in early childhood.
• Pathologies at the chromosome level.
• Pedagogical neglect.
• Insufficient communication between the child and parents.
• Excessive “immersion” in gadgets.
• Stress, nervous shock during the period of speech formation.
• Hearing pathologies.

There are statistical data: in 4-year-old boys, speech disorders are diagnosed 4-5 times more often than in girls of the same age.

Parents themselves often become the cause of poor pronunciation of words. They do not create an atmosphere of trust where the child could open up, communicate, share news and experiences. The reason for this is excessive busyness, the desire to occupy the child with a computer or phone in order to relax in silence. In general walks, conversations over tea, communication skills are formed.

Forecast

The prognosis of tachylalia depends on the cause of its occurrence. It is also important to take into account the mental and emotional development of the baby. In addition, overcoming problems with tempo and speed of speech depends on the participation of others. It is important that the child feels the support of his parents and regularly studies with the teacher.

Tachylalia tends to recur. Therefore, after normalizing speech, parents should ensure that the baby does not speed up during a conversation. As a rule, the pathology is considered overcome if relapses are not observed within 12 months after the end of classes.

If your child speaks quickly and you don’t know what to do, then seek help from specialists at the NEAPL Speech Therapy and Psychology Center. Experienced teachers will identify the problem,, if necessary, refer you to specialized doctors and carry out competent correction of the pathology.

Why did the child begin to speak quickly and unintelligibly?

The reasons why children speak quickly and slurred have not yet been precisely established. Experts have identified several provoking factors leading to tachylalia. It could be:

• heredity. According to recent studies, most children suffering from rapid speech rate have relatives with the same problem;
• neurological problems. They can be caused by infections, injuries and diseases of the nervous system.

If a child speaks quickly and indistinctly, then do not panic. Contacting specialists will help identify the cause of the violation and correct it.

Is it worth waiting for weather by the sea?

The opinion of experts is definitely no! Undoubtedly, the individual pace of development cannot be denied, but what one could “turn a blind eye to” at 2 years old already requires correction at 4 years old.

The thing is that a problem that is not solved at an earlier age grows like a snowball, creating new ones. Without communication, a child cannot develop properly either intellectually or emotionally. The development of speech goes hand in hand with the mental development of the child. This means that correctional classes will require a lot of effort and time from both the specialist and the student himself.

At the age of 3 years, children’s speech is still in the process of formation, which means that there is not much catching up to do. The main thing is to find the cause in time and try to eliminate it.

What parents should be concerned about:

• By the age of 4-5 years, the child completely lacks coherent speech. By this age, the child should have completely outgrown baby babble and syllables instead of words. 13 ways to teach a child to speak.
• The child speaks, but his vocabulary is very poor. Some words are replaced by one or two syllables.
• The words do not agree with each other in the sentence.
• The child understands everything that is said to him and can fulfill the request, but cannot express his thoughts.
• There are many errors in speech, both lexico-grammatical and phonetic.

The easiest way to check if everything is okay with a child is to understand his statements from a stranger. Often in a family, only the mother understands what the child is saying. By the age of five, this is already a reason to contact a specialist.