Seeing children's growth and development well and gradually is the desire of many parents. One stage that is quite important in a child's growth and development is the stage of speaking or uttering words. However, children may experience speech delays. Speech delay is a delay in speech and language skills that is not appropriate to the child's age. This condition makes children unable to convey their thoughts due to limited language and understanding. If not treated, speech delay can hinder a child's development.
The causes of speech delay are influenced by several things, such as medical conditions, history of illness, hearing problems, motor disorders and autism. However, recently many parents have given gadgets to their children from a very early age. Behavior like this can hinder a child's language development. The reason is, children under two years old cannot yet digest the language they learn from watching. All they know are interesting images and pleasant sounds. Lack of language stimulation from parents is also a contributing factor to hampering children's language development. What are the signs of speech delay and how to deal with it?
Speech Delay Sign
Normally, a 2 year old child has mastered 50 vocabulary words and combines 2 words into simple sentences. However, there are exceptions for people with speech delay. Some conditions that need to be suspected as symptoms of speech delay are as follows:
- At 12 months, children do not use gestures, such as pointing or waving goodbye.
- Entering the age of 18 months, children prefer gestures to communicate. In addition, they also have difficulty imitating sounds and understanding simple speech.
- By age 2, they can only imitate speech or actions and do not produce words or phrases spontaneously. Children also say words or sounds repeatedly instead of using spoken language when communicating. The child cannot follow simple directions and has an unusual tone of voice (such as a hoarse or nasal voice)
How to Handle It?
- Often Invite Children to Talk
Diligently inviting children to talk is one way to add stimulation to overcome speech delay in children. Invite children to discuss things that are interesting to them, for example discussing their favorite cartoons or activities during the day. There is no need for long sentences, use simple sentences that are easy for children to understand, so that children have no difficulty answering all the questions. This can create an interesting discussion atmosphere for children. In the future, children will also be interested if they are spoken to again. - Listen Carefully and Give a Positive Response
Listening carefully to children when they speak is an important step in helping their language development. Giving positive responses, such as smiling, nodding, or giving praise, will make children feel heard and appreciated. Avoid correcting children directly when they make mistakes in speaking. Instead, help them to pronounce words correctly in a pleasant way, such as giving examples in a gentle way and inviting them to repeat it. - Reading Stories
Reading stories to children is an effective way to help them understand language and increase stimulation for speaking. By reading stories in a clear and expressive voice, children will be involved in the story and absorb new vocabulary and language structures. Using story books with attractive pictures also helps children understand the context of the story and enriches their imagination. - Sing Together
Singing with children is a fun activity and is beneficial for their language development. Children's songs often have simple, rhythmic patterns, helping children learn to pronounce words correctly and improve their rhythmic skills. In addition, singing together also strengthens the emotional bond between parents and children, which is an important aspect of children's language development. - Limiting Gadget Use
Too much time spent in front of a gadget screen, such as watching TV or playing electronic games, can hinder a child's language development. Research has shown that excessive exposure to electronic media can interfere with a child's language and communication skills. Therefore, it is important to limit children's time in front of the screen and prioritize direct interaction with parents and a language-rich environment.
Overcoming speech delays in children requires patience, attention and consistent interaction from parents and the surrounding environment. It is important to remember that each child has a different pace of development, and supporting them positively will help them reach their full language potential. With the right approach and strong support, children with speech delays can overcome their difficulties and develop into confident and skilled speakers.
Article written by dr. Baginda, Sp.A, M.Si. Med (Pediatrician, EMC Cikarang Hospital).