There are many myths about most things in life, one being speech and language development in children. Read on to find out what the biggest misconceptions are.
1-No words by the age of 1= RED FLAG
Truth: Most children say their first words between the ages of 12 and 18 mths. Often these words are still unintelligible. Causes for concern, however, are if your child has yet to speak a single word by 18 mths and 2 years, or if your child had been speaking then suddenly stops, or his language skills no longer expand.
2-The Use of “Baby Talk” Slows Down Language Development
Truth: The use of “Motherese”, or “baby talk” has been shunned for years with many recommending using “adult style” speech to newborns. The truth is this-any type of engagement with young children is beneficial. Some studies even show that babies actually react well to baby talk from parents.
3- Sign Language “Speeds Up” Language Development
Truth: Using sign language does not translate to accelerated language acquisition for children. According to a study from the University of Hertfordshire, Dr Liz Kirk found “Although babies learn the gestures and used them to communicate long before they started talking, they did not learn the associated words any quicker than the non-gesturing babies, nor did they show enhanced language development.”
If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s speech or language, contact an ASHA Certified Speech Language Pathologist in your area.
Palm Beach Speech Teach 