Experts state that a healthy 1-year-old child should be able to say at least one word meaningfully and emphasize that if there is a speech disorder or delay at this stage, a physician should be consulted without delay. Experts point out that since the brain development of a child before the age of 6 is quite flexible, weaknesses in speech can be corrected very quickly with small touches, and underline that jealousy about the newborn sibling may cause delayed speech.
First words. It starts to appear at the age of 1
Just as we expect a baby to be able to sit without support at the age of 7-8 months and to be able to walk at the age of 1, language and speech in a normal and healthy child must also go through certain stages. After the age of 1, an increase begins to be seen in the child's verbal output and intensive learning of the language, thanks to the many guidance he receives at that first age. When problems begin to appear at these stages, we are talking about language and speech disorders.
Mothers notice the problem by comparing
Unfortunately, the problem of not being able to find common ground within the family is a situation we see very often. . Particularly careful mothers can very well notice developmental delays or weaknesses in their children, but unfortunately fathers or other relatives delay the process a little. Delaying the process creates a handicap for both us and the child in terms of intervention. In cases where parents have questions in their minds, there would be no harm in taking the child for examination.
Intervention before the age of 6 is important
However, the delay is long. We have a lot to lose as we continue. Since the brain development of a child before the age of 6 is quite flexible, speech weaknesses can be corrected very quickly with small touches. But as time passes, we lose this chance. Even in children with autism, we very often hear about relatives who consider themselves more knowledgeable than specialists and doctors. Children with speech disorders or delays may be accompanied by autism spectrum disorder. Even though the child does not make eye contact and constantly turns around himself, even in such a clear picture, he says "no, that's it". They say "it will pass, this is not a problem" and are satisfied with his physical appearance and can delay the process a lot.
The new sibling can cause late speech
Jealousy about the newborn sibling and being no longer with him/her. Mental states such as thinking that you will not be taken care of are one of the reasons we frequently encounter. However, unrest within the family can greatly affect the psychological and developmental characteristics of children. In cases of speech delay, parents need to be knowledgeable about the following; Both speech delay and attention deficit can be symptoms of hyperactivity. They can be hyperactive, impatient and high-energy children. This situation should not be overlooked in order for the child to benefit better from therapy. At the same time, compared to other children, children who have problems with speech may be more likely to have learning difficulties during the school period.
Auditory impairment may not be noticed for years
Families, The scarcity or absence may not be noticed for a long time, and that lost time is really important. As the years pass without the child receiving any auditory stimulation, the problem grows and it becomes much more difficult to treat it. Such an important problem should not be overlooked. Therefore, along with speaking, it is very important whether the child is interested in the people around him, his peers, whether he has repetitive movements, whether he makes eye contact, and whether he turns and reacts immediately when called. If there is a problem with these, they should consult a specialist physician without delay.
Speech disorders can be treated
The family complained to us about delay in speaking. When the child arrives, we perform a detailed scan on the child in addition to speaking, because children go through some developmental stages and speech is one of these developmental stages. We need to examine the child's social skills, motor and self-care skills and cognitive structure. We need to consider neurological examination in some children. There are some subtle symptoms that suggest neurological problems. When we notice neurological problems during the examination, we request the child neurology department to participate in the process.
In neurological cases, we request an EEG.
This evaluation begins with a detailed history we take from the family and a clinical examination of the child. We base the observation on details such as the relationship we establish with the child, the observation of the child's relationship with his parents, how he speaks, whether he can establish a mutual conversation. During that evaluation process, we apply tests to evaluate all the delays and weaknesses that we think the child has. If we suspect a neurological problem, we definitely request an electroencephalography (EEG). Apart from that, we require developmental tests, tests to determine the level of mental intelligence, as well as examination and evaluation by a language and speech therapist. A total evaluation of what kind of therapy the child needs, therapists' evaluations, and recommendations to the family is very important for our treatment process.
If medication is given, there is a psychiatric reason
Child. Stating that they do not provide drug treatment for every situation in psychiatry, Sarı Gökten said, “The situation existing in the child is very important. For example, if we only diagnose the child we see as having a developmental speech delay, if there is a history of delayed speech in his family and the child seems to be developing, but is lagging behind his peers, we examine his developmental skills. If we do not see any problems with social and motor skills and non-verbal communication, in such a case, we only provide treatment by talking about speech therapy, nursery support, and what parents should and should not do. If we give medication to a child with a speech disorder, we can definitely say that there is a psychiatric condition.
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