One of the biggest concerns for all the parents out there is the time when their little one will start talking. Right now there’s a lot of issue going around about delayed speech and language development and this is something growing among children with the passage of time. Most of the parents make this big mistake of handing over iPads and phones to their little ones just so that they can watch cartoons and stay calm. As a parent, this is the worst thing that you can do to your child.
Know that your little one needs you to communicate with him and you are the reason he’s going to talk or babble in the first place so instead of putting cartoons in front of him, you should spend some time and try to talk to your toddler. Believe or not, your newborn can hear you and he is observant enough to learn from you.
What To Worry About?
Now, if you aren’t putting any cartoons or video games in front of your child and if you are giving proper attention to him and even then if you don’t see any signs of interaction and communication from him then yes, you should be a little worried. Mostly parents who observe that their children have the delayed speech problem hesitate from seeking professional help and honestly, this is the worst thing you can do to your child.
As a parent, it’s your responsibility to opt for speech therapy treatment services especially if you feel like your child is incapable of speaking even when he is two. Now, a lot of you might have this common question that when exactly a toddler starts speaking. Well, there’s no defined age when your little one will actually speak but yes, there are a few signs that may indicate delayed speech and language development in your child.
Speaking As Per As Ages
First of all, if your baby is 12 months old and if he babbles or waves and uses gestures then know that he is on the early stage of speech development. When he turns 18 months old, your little one should be able to say words like “mama” or “dada” easily and by the time he is 2 years old, your baby should be able to combine two words together to form a sentence like “baby crying”. These are some common signs that yes, your baby will talk soon and he is perfectly fine in regards to speech development.
The problem begins when you see that your child is not responding to any sounds when he is 12 months old. Also, if he isn’t saying a word even when he is 18 months then know that it’s the right time to seek professional help.
Also, you have to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional help and delayed speech can be fixed if treated early. You cannot just wait for your baby to start talking even when he is 3 years old because that will be too late. So, the sooner you take your toddler to a therapist, the better it will be for you.
There’s no doubt in the fact that some babies are late talkers but then again it all falls back to your observation and your attention. You should be observant with your baby as much as it’s possible especially during the first 1 to 4 years because that’s the time when you can figure out if there is something wrong with your kid.