Important Goals for Speech Delayed Children

Meeting Developmental Milestones

• Although children develop at different rates, the second and third years are a critical time for developing speech and an understanding of language, according to KidsHealth. Developmental milestones are general guidelines used to determine if a child̵7;s development falls below what is normal for other children who are the same age. Despite some children developing speech more slowly than their peers, if your child continues to be far behind or begins showing additional symptoms, he could have a communication disorder that may be related to a more complex problem.

Encouraging Language Skills

• Before a child can use language, she must be able to understand it, notes a 2009 article from ̶0;Parents̶1; magazine. Parents can help children develop language skills by singing songs, reciting nursery rhymes, playing word games and reading stories together. The extent of a child̵7;s vocabulary and the ability with which she uses language depends on how much practice she gets using her speech and language skills. Hearing you talk improves your child's ability to understand language and expands her vocabulary so that she can put her thoughts into words. The more new words she hears, the more words she will learn to use in conversation. You can help your child develop her speech and language skills by regularly engaging her in conversation.

Language Comprehension

• Understanding how to use words is a basic part of learning language. Even before they can talk, kids learn that words describe things and activities. But problems understanding what words stand for can affect a child̵7;s ability to follow instructions. If your toddler has trouble following simple one- or two-step instructions, he could have a speech and language delay, which could affect his ability to read, socialize and pay attention when he attends school. You can test a young child̵7;s language comprehension by reading a story and then going back and asking him what happened in the story as you point to each page.

Pronunciation

• How well your child pronounces words is another fundamental part of her speech and language development. While it̵7;s normal for kids to have trouble pronouncing some letters and blended sounds -- particularly consonant sounds -- until they are 5 or even 6 years old, an article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians points out that you should be able to understand what a 2-year-old says at least half of the time and a 4-year-old most of the time if her speech and language skills are developing normally.

Speech-Language Assessment

• If you are worried that your child is not talking as much or as clearly as you would expect him to for his age, talk to his pediatrician about having him evaluated by a speech pathologist. If a speech-language professional determines that he has a communication disorder, depending on his diagnosis and particular needs, the type of speech therapy he receives can vary. A therapeutic program may involve teaching him other ways to communicate, improving his understanding of language, adding to his vocabulary or helping him develop better conversation skills.