Language development begins at birth. Within the first days of life, infants begin to learn that crying communicates the need for food, attention, or a much-needed diaper change. Parents quickly learn to distinguish between their infant’s various cries and know when the fussing signals the need for a nap versus the onset of an illness.
The greatest period of growth in speech and language development occurs during the first three years of life before a child enters school. Like other areas of physical growth and development, the range of normal speech and language development can vary a lot. Parents who have a basic understanding of typical speech and language development may recognize the early signs of delays and know when it may be necessary to seek intervention services from a speech-language pathologist. In this article, we will explore the main components of typical language development, examine signs of potential delays, and highlight ways parents can support their child’s language development.
Receptive Language
Receptive language refers to a child’s ability to understand both spoken and nonverbal language (e.g., gestures or facial expressions). Receptive language typically develops before the ability to express oneself through spoken language, gestures, or other forms of expressive communication. During the first months of life, infants typically alert to sounds and will often quiet their crying upon hearing a parent’s voice. By their first birthday, toddlers usually respond to their name and can follow simple instructions, such as “No” or “Come here.” Receptive understanding continues to grow quickly in the first three years of life. By the time children enter preschool, most children know nearly 1,000 words. Preschoolers typically begin to understand more complex language concepts such as opposites (e.g., big-little or hot-cold) and spatial relationships (e.g., in, through, or under). Please refer to the resources at the end of the article for more detailed descriptions of receptive language milestones.
Young children experiencing possible receptive language delays may not understand the meaning of common gestures, such as nodding or shaking one’s head. They may have difficulty pointing to objects or pictures despite repeated exposures to the words and objects. Other indicators of possible receptive language delays include having trouble following familiar requests or difficulty understanding simple questions. Parents who are worried about their child’s understanding of language should discuss these concerns with their pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist.
Expressive Language
While receptive language refers to understanding language, expressive language is the ability to use language to communicate with others. Expressive language encompasses not only speaking, but also the use of gestures or alternative forms of communication such as sign language. During the first months of life, infants begin to coo and babble trying to imitate the sounds they hear. By their first birthday, most children can say a few words, and by the time they turn two, toddlers begin to combine these words to say simple phrases, such as “Car go.” or “Mommy bye-bye.” When most young children enter preschool, they can communicate their ideas using sentences with 4-5 words. They begin to use more sophisticated grammar including the use of pronouns (e.g., he, she, his, mine, etc.) and the past tense (i.e., I played cars with daddy.”). Please refer to the resources at the end of the article for more detailed descriptions of expressive language milestones.
Young children experiencing potential expressive language delays may have difficulty naming common objects. They may have trouble formulating questions and putting words together to make sentences. Preschool children with expressive language delays may also struggle with using language socially such as conversing with others. Parents who suspect their child may have an expressive language delay should consult a speech-language pathologist for a screening or a possible evaluation.
Speech Production
Articulation, or the ability to produce the sounds of speech, is closely related to expressive language. As a child’s early speech develops, parents often acquire an uncanny ability to interpret the meaning of their young child’s early speech attempts. A mom or dad will recognize that their young son means the word machine when he yells “guh-sheen” when passing a construction site. It is normal for young children to say some sounds incorrectly. It is estimated that parents and familiar caregivers understand about 50% of a typical two-year old’s speech and 75% of a typical three-year old’s speech. By the age of four, most children’s speech is intelligible to even unfamiliar communication partners.
The ability to produce speech sounds follows a developmental progression. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a child who is 2 years old who is not producing the sounds /p/, /b/, /m/, /h/, and /w/ correctly in spoken words most of the time may have a possible articulation disorder. Children who are three years old or older may be experiencing a speech sound delay if they are unable to produce the sounds /k/, /g/, /f/, /t/, /d/, and /n/ correctly in spoken words most of the time. Children with possible speech articulation problems should be referred to a speech-language pathologist for a possible evaluation.
A young child’s difficulties with speech production may be caused by other conditions. Although uncommon, some children might exhibit apraxia of speech, which results from significant difficulties coordinating the movements of the jaws, lips, and tongue to produce the sounds of speech. Stuttering and hearing loss may also impact a child’s speech production. A parent or caregiver who suspects any of these conditions should seek the advice of their pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist.
Supporting Your Child’s Speech & Language Development
How can busy parents support their child’s speech and language development? The most important thing you can do to support your child’s language development is to talk to your child often. No special training or materials are needed. Help your child learn new words by pointing out and naming objects as you go about your daily activities. Explain what you are doing as you perform household tasks. Since curious young children already ask a million questions, spend a few moments answering their questions. Taking advantage of these seemingly insignificant moments to talk with your children provides numerous opportunities to promote their language development.
Reading to your child is another way to promote speech and language development. You can build language by pointing out words in the book and discussing what your child sees in the pictures. Reading aloud exposes children to a variety of sentence structures and grammar that you may not use in day-to-day conversations. Reading with your children is truly a win-win situation as it not only builds their language skills, but also helps lay the foundation for future reading development.
The use of technology is widespread in today’s society. Many young children seem drawn to electronic gadgets. Entertaining children through screen time is convenient, appealing, and sometimes a necessary evil. However, there is emerging evidence that suggests that excessive TV watching or use of electronic devices interferes with children’s language development. You may want to consider setting limits on screen time to allow for more face-to-face interactions with you or other family members.
Parents and caregivers are often the first to recognize possible speech and language delays. You know your child best. Trust your instincts. If you suspect that your child is experiencing speech or language delays, you can reach out to your family’s primary healthcare provider who can refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation and therapy, if needed. You may also consider contacting your local school district as many offer speech and language screenings as part of their early intervention efforts.
Conclusion
In the book Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain, author Dana Suskind, M.D., defined language as “the element that helps develop the brain to its optimum potential” (p. 1). Language development is also key to future school achievement. As parents, you possess what Dr. Suskind describes as the “miraculous power of parent talk.” Some children may need additional supports from a speech-language pathologist; however, nothing can compare to the benefits of the time you spend talking with your child.
This column provided a brief overview of speech and language development in young children. For some children, the development of spoken language never occurs or is so delayed that it significantly impacts their ability to communicate. In next month’s column, we will explore how forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) help young children with significant speech and language delays.
References and Resources
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Early identification of speech, language, and hearing disorders. Retrieved January 18, 2021 from https://www.asha.org/public/early-identification-of-speech-language-and-hearing-disorders/
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Preschool language disorders. Retrieved January 18, 2021 from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/preschool-language-disorders/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, June 10). CDC’s Developmental Milestones. Retrieved January 18, 2021 from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
Hartnett, J. K. (2019). Delayed speech or language development. Retrieved January 18, 2021 from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/not-talk.html
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Childhood apraxia of speech. Retrieved January 17, 2021 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-apraxia-of-speech/symptoms-causes/syc-20352045
McLeod, S. & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s speech sounds. Retrieved January 19, 2021 from https://cdn.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/3119104/Treehouse-A4.pdf
National Institutes of Health. (2021). Speech and language developmental milestones. Retrieved January 16, 2021 from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/speech-and-language-developmental-milestones
Suskind, D., Suskind, B., & Lewinter-Suskind, L. (2015). Thirty million words: Building a child's brain. Dutton.
Take Care Staff. (2019, December 21). Technology's impact on childhood brain, language development. Retrieved January 19, 2021 from https://www.wrvo.org/post/technologys-impact-childhood-brain-language-development#stream/0
Dr. Krislyn Carlson is a K-5 special education teacher with the Beresford Public School District. She has twenty-two years of experience teaching special education at the elementary and middle school levels. Krislyn obtained her doctorate degree with an emphasis on special education and administration from the University of South Dakota. Current interests include adapting literacy and language instruction for students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs.