Speech Process in Children
Although the concepts of language and speech are similar, they have different meanings. Language can be defined as a set of rules used to communicate. Speech, on the other hand, involves physically expressing the emotions and thoughts to be transmitted in this system through the necessary organs. Speech production in children; It begins with behaviors such as babbling, babbling (ba-ba-ba, etc.), laughing, and making different sounds. Then, around 12 months, meaningful words begin to pour out. It is possible to observe major differences in the child's speech development in a short period of time, during the process that occurs around 18 months. The process experienced during this period can be called the word explosion. Following this process, sentences of 2-3 words begin to form around the age of 2.5. Speech development continues rapidly. Deviations that occur in one or more of these steps are evaluated by experts. As a result of these deviations, delays in speech development can be observed. Delay in the development of speech can be seen due to neurological, genetic, sensory and neuropsychiatric reasons, and sometimes it can occur for an unknown reason.
The Child Receives Stimulus Appropriate for His Age
Another important factor during language and speech acquisition is that the child encounters stimuli appropriate to his age. Before the age of 3, children's intense exposure to tablets, phones and television as age-inappropriate stimuli also has negative effects on language and speech development. In addition, some children may experience developmental delays by being exposed to insufficient stimuli (toys, activities, social interaction, etc.). Because devices containing screens cause children to be distracted and exposed to one-sided stimuli without having to react. Therefore, communication is not provided and it is a one-sided flow. The child does not feel the need to show any reaction or behavior. Therefore, the emergence of behaviors that are expected to be appropriate for his age is delayed. For these reasons, the child's development is negatively affected. Strengthening communication and interaction within the family, providing questions appropriate to the child's age. Exposure to external materials (toys, stories, etc.) and social relationships serve as developmental supports.
What Should Families Pay Attention to?
The role of the family in speech development is essential, as seen in all areas of development. As the conversation begins, a mutual interaction is observed, which occurs as a result of the child repeating through imitation and the child's repetition. For this reason, it is important to keep the frequency of children's exposure to screens (tablet, phone, computer, etc.) low and to support them with one-on-one human interaction during speech development. Therefore, communication with the child in speech acquisition; Eye contact, emotional and physical closeness, and attention are important. Giving children time to complete their speech or think about words is a matter of patience that the family must show. Sometimes, there may be families who act hastily and take action by understanding what the child wants from his body language, without finishing his sentence or waiting for him to utter the necessary word. But if we want to support conversation, it is important to provide the child with time and a space where he feels comfortable. Responding quickly to requests without waiting for them to speak can reduce the need to speak, slowing down or even hindering progress. For this reason, listening to the child patiently, encouraging him/her to talk instead of quickly criticizing him for his mistakes, and avoiding a tense mood are behaviors to be adopted by families.
If your child has a delay in language and speech development and you have concerns about this issue, you can request an evaluation from psychologists working with children for developmental evaluation. Individual studies in cases requiring study on speech and language; It is carried out by language therapists, language and speech disorders specialists.
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