Speech and language

Human beings are social beings. We all love to communicate to share our feelings, ideas, thoughts etc. We can do this by speaking, writing, gesturing or pictures. We call this Language. There are many languages and each have defined alphabets and grammar as well as rules on how to use to talk, read and write. We need to hear and understand (receptive language) to speak (expressive language). Speech refers to the sounds in the language.

For a child to learn to speak and understand, they require the following prerequisite skills–

· Social, imitation and play skills.

· Intelligence, understanding and expression.

In addition Intact hearing, good structure of mouth and tongue, exposure to words and family interaction.

· Reacts to sound – newborn to 3 months.

· Turns to sound- 4-6 months.

· Turns towards sound -7-9 months.

· Recognising family members- 6-9 months.

· Understanding no, responds to one step command with gestures, points for help- 10-12 months.

· Responds to one step command with out pointing , points to show interest, imitates often- 18 months.

· Responds to two step command , parts of pictures and body parts – 2-3years.

· Knows opposites, prepositions, pronouns- 3 years.

· Responds to three step command, knows age and gender- 4 years

· Know adjectives, right, left- 5 years.

• Smiles responsively to parents when smiled, eye contact - says aa , oo, ee - birth 3 months.
• Laughs, makes sounds – 4-6 months.
• Babble continues (mama , baba, dada)- 7-9 months.
• Meaningful mama , appa -10-12 months.
• 5-6 words, big words – thank you, want more – 1 ½ years.
• 100 words, 2 word phrases- 2 years.
• Speak 3 word sentences, Answers what, where questions – 3 years.
• Answers when questions, can tell story, speech clear, others can understand what they speak– 4 years.
• Answers why questions– 5 years.

Myths

· Television and media help in language development.

· Boys speak late.

· My child understands everything but doesn’t speak or busy doing something else.

Tips to improve speech

From early days

· No media exposure.

· Speak about everything you do, though it sounds mundane.

· Animated voice, eyes, expressions as you speak.

· Make sounds like ma, ba, pa, wow, oh, dog says bow -bow.

· Read books – bright coloured pictures, build vocabulary, don’t use baby words; teach the correct words.

Gradually…

· Expand words as they speak, repeat and reword if necessary.

· Gradually build vocabulary, don’t use baby words; teach the correct words.

· No cooing by 6 months.

· No babble by 10 months.

· No gestures and first word (Amma, Appa ) by 12 months.

· No pointing , about 5 words other than names by 18 months.

· No 2 word sentences by 2 years and 3 word sentences by 3 years.

· Speech not clear, difficult to understand even to family by 2 years. and to everyone by 4 years.

How to develop speech by American speech and hearing association