Being a father is a drastic change in life. Children bring an indescribable amount of happiness and well-being, but at the same time new worries and insecurities are also generated, especially related to the well-being of the little ones, both emotionally and health-wise. And there is no manual that says how you should raise your children, how to identify problems or what to do in each situation. We want to convey our understanding to you because, if you have reached this publication, it is because you are really at a point where you feel that there is something important that is slipping through your fingers and you want to remedy it as soon as possible. On this occasion, we are going to explain how you can identify if your child is suffering from a speech delay and what you should do accordingly.

Achievement guide by age

Before starting to name all the achievements, we want to point out that each child is a world and each one has their learning process at a different time. With this statement we want to recommend that you not become obsessed with comparing all the points or your child with others.

Below we are going to show you a list of some of the achievements that a child without problems in language development should generally follow:

From 12 to 18 months:

  • Can repeat words of one or two syllables (mom or dad).
  • Use basic gestures like waving.
  • Put speech first before gestures.
  • Knows easily imitate sounds.
  • When you point your finger, direct your gaze towards the designated place.
  • Reacts when called by his name.

From 18 months to 2 years:

  • Is able to say simple phrases or words voluntarily more than their immediate needs.
  • Can follow simple instructions.
  • Point objects, events, body parts...
  • Naming objects when asked.
  • Has a normal tone of voice and pronunciation (he does not have a nasal voice or a hoarse voice).

You also have to take into account if you understand less than expected when your child speaks. To give you an idea, from the age of two you should understand half of what the child speaks, at three years this percentage increases to 75%.

What is preventing you from language development?

Once you have analyzed your child's behavior, you may be wondering what could be causing such a delay in his or her development. The answer to this question is not a closed answer since it can be caused by many factors. Below we are going to show you a list of the three main possible reasons:

  • Oral problems. Like for example would be buccal alterations or short lingual freckle.
  • Oral-motor problems. This problem is caused by brain problems responsible for speech.
  • Hearing loss. Hearing loss can also cause alterations in language development, such that the child is not able to listen correctly and consequently understand and imitate the sounds of language.

If you still have doubts about whether your child is suffering from problems in his or her language development, do not hesitate to contact his pediatrician. He will be in charge of confirming if your suspicions are true and if so, treat it in the best way. Remember that early detection of alterations related to language development can make the impact minimal.