Research from the United States shows that among children who qualify for preschool special education services, about 45% have speech or language difficulties. This tells us that speech and language delays are not rare. These difficulties can affect many areas of a child's daily life, including learning, behaviour, and social interaction.

One of the most important foundations for language development is social communication. Young children learn language best through interaction with people. Watching television or using computers alone is not enough to support healthy language development, especially in the early years.

Feldman (2019) highlighted several "red flags" that may suggest a child may be at higher risk of having a speech or language delay and should receive a full speech and language assessment.

Possible red flags by age:

• 6 months: Not smiling or making sounds
• 9 months: Not responding to their name; no babbling (e.g. "ba-ba", "da-da")
• 12 months (1 year): Not pointing to objects or using gestures (such as shaking head for "no"); Not taking part in simple social interactions (e.g. waving goodbye); Not using "mummy" or "daddy" to refer to parents
• 18 months (1½ years): Saying fewer than 5 words besides "mummy" and "daddy"; Not following simple instructions even with gesture cues
• 2 years: Vocabulary of fewer than 50 words; Not combining two words together (e.g. "more milk")
• 3 years: Not following simple instructions; Not combining three words together
• At or before 3 years: Losing previously acquired language skills without a clear reason, especially when social skills decline but motor skills do not
• At any age: Rarely or not comfortably engaging in social interaction

The last two points are especially important, and parents are encouraged to pay close attention to them. Experts stress that parents do not need to be passive observers of their child's development. In fact, doing the following four things can help reduce the risk of language delay:

1. Talk to your child often, especially when they are young. Use simple words and sentences, and an expressive, animated tone of voice.
2. Describe what your child is doing, seeing, or feeling, to help link words with actions and experiences.
3. Use plenty of language during everyday interactions, such as reading books together and playing games, to create a rich language environment.
4. Limit screen time, especially for very young children.

Early awareness and early support can make a meaningful difference. If parents have concerns, seeking professional advice sooner rather than later is always a positive step.

References

Feldman, H. M. (2019). How young children learn language and speech. Pediatrics in Review, 40(8), 398–411. Kansas Department of Health and Environment (2016). Number of Children Receiving Early Intervention and Special Education Services under IDEA, Birth through Age 5.