From babbling to fluency: discover how early speech intervention boosts language skills, confidence, and communication success in children.
Babbling, smiling, gesturing, and putting words together are just a few examples of language your child will start to learn in their first few years of life. Language development is a crucial aspect of a child's early years, encompassing the acquisition of skills such as babbling, smiling, gesturing, and putting words together. Language is the way we communicate with others; verbally or nonverbally. It is the way we share ideas, tell what we want, and so many other things. Speech is how we pronounce sounds and words. All children develop at their own rate so it is important to remember that not all children will develop at the same pace. May is Better Hearing and Speech Awareness Month so there is no better time to talk about the importance of early intervention with speech!
While the two might seem to be the same, they make up two completely different parts in a child’s development. Speech is the oral form of communication, aka the physical act of talking. It is the process of producing words which includes articulation, fluency, and voice. Language is a system of communication that consists of sounds and gestures. It can be spoken, written, or communicated as body language. Language skills encompass the ability to understand and use words and gestures effectively. There are two areas of language; receptive (what you hear/understand) and expressive (communicating wants/needs).
Developing strong communication skills is essential for effective interaction and understanding in various social contexts.
Speech is how we say sounds and words. It is made up of the following: –Articulation: This is how we make sounds with the use of our mouth, lips, and tongue. –Fluency: Fluency is the rhythm of our speech such as repeating sounds, pausing, and stuttering. –Voice: This is how we use our vocal cords and breath to make sounds. It is how we talk, yell, cough, etc.
Language refers to words that we use and how we are using them to share ideas and what we want. Our language makes up a variety of things such as: –How to Make New Words: This is how we take one word and add things on to make it mean something else. For example, “friend”, “friendly”, and “unfriendly” all have a different meaning but the same root. –How to Put Words Together: Learning how to put words together to form sentences. –What We Should Say: This is when we learn what we should say in certain situations. For example, learning how to politely ask someone to do something versus rudely demanding something. –What Words Mean: Many words have different meanings but the same spelling and/or sound. For example, fair can mean two different things: the fun outdoor event or a reasonable feeling.
Speech fluency refers to the smooth and effortless flow of speech, encompassing various aspects such as rhythm, pace, intonation, and articulation. Achieving fluent speech is essential for effective communication and building strong interpersonal connections. Fluent speech allows individuals to convey their thoughts, ideas, and emotions in a clear and coherent manner, contributing to self-confidence, social interactions, academic success, and professional growth.
Stuttering is a common fluency disorder characterized by interruptions in the flow of speech, manifesting as repetitions of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases. The speech may sound interrupted or blocked, with repeated parts of a word, dragged-out syllables, or tense speech. Stuttering can be caused by a combination of genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, and its symptoms can vary in type and severity. Treatment for stuttering typically involves speech therapy, which aims to improve fluency and reduce disfluencies.
Cluttering is another fluency disorder that can manifest as rapid or irregular speech. Individuals with cluttering may exhibit blending of words, slurring, stopping and starting speech, or frequent use of fillers such as “um” or “uh” during their speech. Cluttering can be caused by faulty or disrupted auditory feedback systems or mild neurological impairments in the brain. Symptoms of cluttering include fast speech, repetitions of syllables or words, and difficulty slowing down while speaking. Treatment for cluttering typically involves speech therapy, which aims to improve speech clarity and fluency.
Because every child develops at their own rate, it’s important to do your research and know what to expect. Doctors follow an expected age range to tell if a child might have a developmental delay and could benefit from therapy. It’s important to remember that this is just a guideline to follow. Your pediatrician can give you a better idea if there is a concern for your child. Conditions such as autism spectrum disorder can also be associated with developmental delays in speech and language. Language and speech disorders will have different signs and you’ll tend to notice language difficulties before you notice speech.
Speech Disorder Signs For young children, it is perfectly normal to say some things incorrectly while they are learning. Many times they will grow out of this! Typically between ages 1 to 3 years there are certain sounds we are looking for them to say correctly such as: 1 to 2 years: Not saying p,b,m,h, and w the right way most times 2 to 3 years: Not saying k,g,f,t,d, and n the right way most times.
It is important to note that fluency disorders vary in type and severity, with symptoms such as repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. Stuttering is relatively normal in young children as they are learning to speak. Most of the time children grow out of this as well. Signs to look for that show that a child might benefit from speech therapy such as: 2.5 to 3 years: Trouble saying sounds or words, repeating the first sounds of words, pausing a lot, and stretching sounds out.
Language Disorder Signs Below are possible signs of language disorders, which may include difficulties with one or more language skills. Birth to 3 months: Not smiling or playing with others 4 to 7 months: Not babbling 7 to 12 months: Only making a few sounds. Not using gestures such as pointing or waving 7 months to 2 years: Unable to understand what others say 12 months to 18 months: Only saying a few words 1.5 to 2 years: Unable to put two words together 2 years: Saying fewer than 50 words 2 to 3 years: Has trouble playing/talking with other children 2.5 to 3 years: Has trouble with early reading/writing
The earlier that you spot signs the sooner you can get the proper help for your child. Children with speech and language delays can benefit from pediatric speech therapy. Early intervention can help prevent the onset of persistent fluency disorder by addressing stuttering or cluttering behaviors early on. In an initial evaluation, a speech language pathologist will be able to tell you if your child is on track or will need to receive speech therapy. Speech therapy can equip children with the skills they need to succeed and feel more confident. A child’s speech is how they speak, listen, read, write, and socialize. It’s important to grow their speech skills while they are young so they can properly communicate as they get older.
Speech therapy can also help improve pragmatic communication skills, which are essential for engaging in clear and meaningful conversations.
If you think that your child might have a speech or language disorder, contact PediaPlex! We have locations in Frisco, Fort Worth, and Southlake with pediatric speech therapists who would love to help! Visit our website today to learn more about speech therapy and fill out an intake form.
-The PediaPlex Family
Discover how PediaPlex’s expert care can support your child’s growth and development. Fill out the Patient Intake Form or contact us today to schedule an evaluation and start your journey toward success!
or Contact Us
