What are language difficulties?

Young children learn at their own pace; they learn language gradually, and each child develops language differently.

However, a child may be considered to have a language delay if they have not acquired one or more language skills that are expected for their age. We know that 13% of children aged 2–5 have language problems¹.

Children with language problems should be able to catch up to their peers with targeted speech-language therapy. However, it is important to act early; when a child is very young, it is impossible to tell whether the delay is temporary or caused by developmental language disorder (dysphasia), which is a persistent issue.

Signs

The table here provides an overview of a child’s language development by age (0 to 5 years). It is provided for informational purposes only.

Causes

There is no single cause of a language delay. The issue may be hereditary or caused by hearing loss related to otitis, for example.

Recommendations

If the child has a limited vocabulary, their sentences seem too simple for a child their age or they appear to have no desire to communicate, it is best to consult a speech-language pathologist.

A speech-language assessment aims to determine how far behind the child is for their age and detect which areas of language are affected. Next, play-based speech therapy and daily stimulation by the child’s parents will target the areas that need to be developed.

Before age 4, language stimulation by a speech-language pathologist and by those around the child are the best way to develop language skills. Interacting with the child, rephrasing their words and asking them certain questions all encourage language development.