Not talking yet?

Talking is a major milestone many parents anticipate. Nothing like hearing them utter the first “mama” or “dada” or having your first true exchange of words complete with those cute toddler mishaps like “Pooh eated all the honey!” Early talking has also been linked to better reading and writing skills in the future. And tantrums do tend to lessen when a child is better able to express himself.

When a child is possibly lagging in speech, well-meaning family, friends, even doctors  could tell you not to be concerned. They can say things like, “uncle Joe didn’t speak until he was 4 and he’s fine.” So you brush away your concerns and do nothing. Experts caution against taking the wait-and-see approach when it comes to your child’s speech development. If you suspect something isn’t right, trust your instincts.

Dr. Marilyn Agin is one of the authors of the new book The Late Talker: What to do if Your Child Isn’t Talking Yet. She explains that most late-talkers do eventually catch up with their chattier peers. However, a recent study shows that over 7% of 5-year-olds will end up not out-growing their speech problems before they start school.

Dr. Agin, who is a neurodevelopmental pediatrician and medical director of the Early Intervention Program in New York City says, for this 7% of kids, the consequences of late intervention can be grave. She adds, “I’ve seen children as young as 3 who are self-conscious about their speech, which can lead to low self-esteem.” From here, the problem could snowball and stall language development even more.

Besides the self-esteem issue, a speech delay could also be a symptom of other problems – from autism to many other learning disabilities. If any of these are the case, early intervention can make a world of difference in helping your child.

Dr. Agin lists some warning signs in her book. Seek medical advice if you notice any of the following:

• By 9 months, your infant has yet to babble or she babbles with few or no consonant sounds.
• By 12 months, your baby looks at something he wants but does not use gestures, like pointing, to show you what he desires.
• By 16 months, you still haven’t heard your child’s first words.
• By 24 to 30 months, your child has yet to speak in two-word phrases (like “more cookie”).
• By 36 months, your child says only single-syllable words with no final consonants (”ca” for cat, “beh” for bed). She also doesn’t ask questions and has frequent tantrums when not understood.

“You know your child best,” says Dr. Agin. “If, deep down, you suspect there’s something wrong with your child and you’re not satisfied with the response from your pediatrician, make an appointment with a speech pathologist or a neurodevelopmental pediatrician.” In most states, local counties run free early intervention program for kids below age 3.

In the end, it’s likely your child will outgrow the speech delay. But taking some tests won’t do any harm and will give you peace of mind. If in case there’s a problem causing the speech delay, taking these steps to have your child assessed early can ensure the problem won’t become worse – or irreversible. Many learning disabilities can be overcome if addressed soon enough. Better safe than sorry!

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