A child’s first words often come with much anticipation and excitement, but for many toddlers, these early words don’t always emerge as expected. Approximately 15% of toddlers are considered “late talkers”. But what exactly constitutes a late talker?
A child is considered to be a late talker if they are delayed in their use of single words and/or word combinations, despite having no delays in other areas of development (e.g. social skills, motor skills, problem solving). A child is delayed if they are using less than 50 single words, or if they are not combining two words together, by the age of 2 years.
Do our late talkers ever catch up?
We all have that one well-meaning family member who regales us with stories of their child who didn’t utter a word until they turned 5, assuring us that there is absolutely no need to seek professional advice or intervention. But is this really the best advice?
Whilst some children do indeed appear to catch up without intervention, research indicates that it is impossible to predict which children will catch up and which children will continue to experience language difficulties down the track. So whilst being a late talker is a risk factor for later language difficulties, it is far from a certainty.
What do we know about supporting late talkers?
Whilst many children who are identified as late talkers appear to catch up to their peers by the time they begin school, some of our late talkers will continue to experience challenges in their understanding and use of language. This may include difficulties in vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, reading, writing and comprehension. This suggests that whilst our late talkers may appear to catch up, they may still experience disadvantages developing later language and literacy skills.
But it isn’t all bad news! Time and time again, research has shown that early intervention can make a world of difference for children experiencing early language delays. When parents learn how to support their child’s language development within everyday activities, children show improvements in not only their understanding and use of language, but also their social skills.
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Parents play a pivotal role in supporting their child’s early language skills.
In a 2011 study, researchers found that parent-mediated language intervention in the context of everyday activities and interactions was just as effective – and sometimes even more effective – than therapy delivered directly by a speech pathologist. Given what we know about the strength of parent-child relationships, and the exponential number of opportunities a parent has to support their child’s language development over the course of a day (compared to the opportunities available within a 30-minute therapy session), this is not at all surprising.
Strategies to support your child’s communication skills
Children are most receptive to develop their communication skills within the context of engaging, responsive back-and-forth interactions with the people they love. This approach is often referred to as “serve and return”, analogous to a game of tennis in which one player cannot have a meaningful game without the active involvement of another player. By closely observing and then responding to your child’s communication attempts in a meaningful way, parent’s can create endless opportunities to build their child’s language skills.
The Hanen Centre identifies the following key elements in supporting successful interactions:
- Get face-to-face with your child. Literally, get down on their level so that you can easily see each other’s faces.
- Observe. Pay close attention to what your child is doing or saying. By closely observing your child, you will gain a closer insight into what they are interested in – this is your key to successful communication.
- Wait. When we wait quietly, we give our children a chance to start an interaction with you. Research suggests that children are more motivated to communicate, and more likely to remain in back-and-forth communication for a longer period of time, when they have initiated the interaction. The longer the interaction, the greater the number of opportunities we have to build their language skills.
- Listen. By closely attending to the sounds, gestures, or words your child uses, you can reinforce to your children that their communication is meaningful.
- Follow their lead. This means responding to what your child is interested in, rather than directing them what you feel they should be communicating about. By following a child’s lead, they are encouraged to continue to take turns in interactions.
Consult a speech pathologist!
If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, we recommend always seeking the advice of a professional. A speech pathologist will be able to conduct a thorough assessment of your child’s communication skills and provide you with the skills and strategies needed to support their development.
