Spot Early Signs Of Speech Problem In Your Infant

Speech disorder is when a child is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or where normal speech is disrupted. Articulation disorders, speech impediment, and stuttering are examples of speech disorders.

 Speech disorders involve difficulty in producing certain sounds such as “s”or “r”. While all children develop at different rates, it’s important to ensure that your child is showing continuous language growth and progression.

How to observe?

• Social interaction is the foundation of language development, Your child should pay attention to other people, respond to sounds, music, games, or moving toys.
• During 4 and 6 months old, your little one will show an increase in babbling like using some vowel sounds (a,o,u).
• Around 6 months they start putting together some consonant and vowel sounds( p,b,a)
• Between 6 and 9 months, your baby should start recognising own name .
• Your child should also respond to different sounds that you make, and he might even start trying to imitate them. Children with talkative parents develop their language skills faster.
• By 12 months, Baby should be saying his first words, such as "mama," "dada" and "baba." You can help increase his vocabulary by reading books and simply talking to your baby about what you are doing in everyday tasks.
• Also at 12 months, your little one has started waving hello and good-bye, as well as shaking his head no.

What to do?

If you think your child is unable to do any of these it can indicate warnings signs of speech disorder, it’s important to seek the advice of a pediatrician or speech language therapist.

As our kids hit toddlerhood, making sure they’re on track with major development milestones such as talking can sometimes be difficult to judge. In the meantime, there’s lots you can do to help your child

1) Talk while doing things and going places.Use simple but grammatical speech that is easy for your child to imitate.

2) Expand on words. For example, if your child says 'mango' you respond by saying, "You're right! That is a yellow mango".

3)  Find time to read to your child every day. Try to find books with large pictures and one or two words or a simple phrase or sentence on each page. Name and describe the pictures on each page.

4) Continue to sing songs, play finger games and tell nursery rhymes. These songs and games introduce your child to the rhythm and sounds of language.

5)Sort pictures and items into categories and ask your child to point out the item that does not belong in a category.

6) Read books that have a simple plot, predict and talk about the storyline.

7) Look at family picture, and have your child explain what is happening.

8) Follow your child's directions as she or he explains how to do something.

9) Give full attention to your child when he or she is speaking and acknowledge, praise, and encourage him or her afterward.