Speech Therapy Services for Speech Delay

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Speech delay is a general term used when toddlers are not meeting their communication milestones on time. It is estimated that 10-20% of 2-year-olds experience a communication delay, with boys being three times more likely to be affected (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). Toddlers who are late to talk may have difficulty using the sounds that form words and/or learning new words quickly. A comprehensive speech-language evaluation can help determine the specific kind of difficulty your child has and create a therapy plan to address the area(s) of need.

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What causes speech delays?

Speech delays may be associated with a family history of late talkers, frequent ear infections, prematurity, or broader developmental delays and conditions such as autism. However, in many cases, children present with a speech delay for no known reason, and it is not well understood why this occurs.

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When should I get help for my child?

• Your child is not using 50 words or putting words together by 24 months
• You need to repeat new words many times for your child to understand
• Your child is not regularly using new words
• Your child does not appear interested in playing with other children
• Your child often seems to be in their “own world”
• Your child is not using simple sentences by 36 months

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