Language is the basis of communication, learning about the world, and personality development. That is why it is so important to notice when a child’s speech development needs support.
What is SDD?
Speech language impairment is a condition in which a child begins to speak later than their peers or has difficulty with pronunciation, vocabulary, or sentence structure.
The reasons can vary — individual characteristics, organic disorders, insufficient speech stimulation, or emotional factors.
What to look for:
- before 1 year of age — the child does not respond when spoken to, does not babble;
- at 1.5 years old — does not try to repeat sounds or words;
- at 2 years old — vocabulary is less than 20–30 words;
- at 3 years old — speech is incomprehensible even to loved ones, simple phrases are absent;
- at 4–5 years old — the child has difficulty constructing sentences, retelling stories, and composing narratives.
How to help:
Create a language environment — talk, read, and sing together more often.
Use speech therapy games: blow out candles, play “Echo,” and do articulation exercises.
Consult specialists — a speech therapist, psychologist, or defectologist. They will help identify the causes and develop an individualized plan of action.
Remember: the earlier you start corrective work, the better the results.
Every word spoken for the first time is a small but very important victory.