What is delayed speech and language development (speech delay)?
Delayed speech and language development (speech delay) is diagnosed when a child displays a level of speech and language development that is below the norm expected for their age.
A speech delay involves the words a child can speak and use. It does not connect to their ability to comprehend or communicate nonverbally. A language delay may include issues with comprehending and putting words together to form sentences.
Some speech delays are not uncommon before the age of 3 years old. But by the age of 3, a child not meeting particular language and speech milestones may be referred for further assessment.
Understanding development-related symptoms and features
Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.
Developmental symptoms may affect different parts of an individual’s development. These include their emotional and social development, their physical development, as well as their cognitive and communication skills.
Developmental milestones help to track a child’s developmental progress and flag delays. A delay may be isolated or accompanied by other developmental delays either in the same area and/or in other areas too.
Symptoms relating to development may be many and wide-ranging. They can include a walking delay, issues with speech and language including late talking, trouble socializing with others, or with showing emotion.
Delayed speech development may be associated with conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, hearing impairment, or genetic syndromes like Down syndrome. It can also result from environmental factors, such as limited exposure to language or developmental delays in other areas.
What should I do next?
In some instances delayed speech and language development may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Delayed Speech and Language development, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist. Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis. FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.