Early Detection of Language Disorders: Pay Attention To These Signs

Approximately 1 out of 20 children display symptoms of a Language Disorder. We at Suffolk Center for Speech believe it's important for parents to know these symptoms, to detect them as early as possible and, if need be, bring them to a Speech Pathologist for an evaluation.

Children with a receptive language disorder find difficulty in understanding others. These are some of the symptoms of a child with a receptive language disorder:

• Difficulty comprehending what others say to them
• Difficulty following directions given to them
• Difficulty organizing thoughts

Children with an expressive language disorder experience difficulty in expressing their needs or thoughts. Here are some symptoms of a child with an expressive language disorder:

• Difficulty organizing thoughts and translating them into sensible sentences
• Difficulty finding the correct word, often using placeholders such as "um" or "uh"
• A weak vocabulary relative to others their age
• Leaving words out of sentences
• Using certain phrases over and over again
• Difficulty using tenses (past, present, future) properly (in comparison to others his/her age

But when should you contact a professional? Some children are only behind in their language skills, while others can truly benefit from seeing a speech therapist. It's hard to know, especially for new parents, if it is necassary to bring a child of a particularly low age for an evaluation. The NY Times, in an informative article regarding receptive and expressive language disorders, explains when it is a good time to seek evaluation:

"Call your child's health care provider if you see the following signs that your child does not understand language well:

• At 15 months, does not look or point at 5 to 10 people or objects when they are named by a parent or caregiver
• At 18 months, does not follow simple directions, such as "get your coat"
• At 24 months, is not able to point to a picture or a part of the body when it is named
• At 30 months, does not respond out loud or by nodding or shaking the head and asking questions
• At 36 months, does not follow 2-step directions, and does not understand action words

Also call if you notice these signs that your child does not use or express language well:

• At 15 months, is not using three words
• At 18 months, is not saying, "Mama," "Dada," or other names
• At 24 months, is not using at least 25 words
• At 30 months, is not using two-word phrases, including phrases that include both a noun and a verb
• At 36 months, does not have at least a 200-word vocabulary, is not asking for items by name, exactly repeats questions spoken by others, language has regressed (become worse), or is not using complete sentences
• At 48 months, often uses words incorrectly or uses a similar or related word instead of the correct word"

We hope this helps new parents in detecting potential language disorders. It's imperative that parents stay informed, pay attention, and if need be, seek professional evaluation. It's not difficult, especially at the Suffolk Center for Speech. We take most major health insurance policies, and our staff of therapists are highly trained in the evaluation and treatment of language disorders. Our platform engages children and motivates them to succeed in therapy. Therapy for language disorders is known for becoming more and more difficult as children age without intervention. For your child's sake, we're devoted to keeping Long Island parents informed. So...read, share, like, and know.

Written by: Tim Strampfer