A Matter of Speaking
The ability to speak is one of the most important skills a child can acquire. In fact, speech is the distinctive characteristic that sets human beings apart from the animals. When a child encounters difficulties in this process, the parents naturally become concerned. Your child's future depends on his success in mastering the art of communication.
Speech Delay
Most children utter their first recognizable word before they turn a year old, though some children are late bloomers. Generally speaking, pediatricians do not get overly concerned until a child fails to use any word after eighteen months. This is usually the threshold for doctors to refer a child to audiology to evaluate his hearing. Beside hearing impairment, other conditions, including autism and mental retardation, can also delay speech. After the pediatrician sets the investigation into motion, a panel of experts usually assesses the child with speech delay to ascertain the cause.
Some children have no problem using words, but their speech is often difficult to understand to people outside the family. This difficulty with articulation is called a lisp. During the acquisition of speech, all normal and otherwise healthy children can develop a lisp at one time or another. This is not a concern unless this pattern of speech causes embarrassment or anxiety for the child. Talk to your pediatrician if you are worried about your child's lisping.
Stuttering
Stuttering is characterized by a speech that is lacking in fluency. The flow of the words is often interrupted by pauses, repetition of syllables or words, or drawn-out vowel sounds. Disruption in fluency is common for children starting to learn to speak, typically from age two to six. It is considered normal until it causes undue tension and embarrassment to the child.
Alert!
Parents of stuttering children need to be patient. It is paramount for you to provide a relaxing home environment for your child to practice speech in a safe condition. Never blame or criticize a child for a halting speech. Such negative feedback can only intensify anxiety and worsen stuttering.
Fortunately, most children outgrow their stuttering, and less than 1 percent of adults stutter. For those who are plagued by stuttering into older childhood, an early consultation with a speech therapist is recommended. In addition, a supportive family is extremely important in helping children overcome this problem. Do not hurry a stuttering child to finish the sentence. External pressure tends to worsen stuttering. Allow plenty of time for the child to finish his sentence. Avoid finishing the thought for him. Most importantly, make every speaking opportunity as relaxing as possible.
