Delayed Speech Development and ASD
As parents with young children, not knowing when your child is going to start speaking can be overwhelming. Every child learns language and speech at different stages in their life. For that reason, it is best to know more about delayed speech developments and when your child is expected to reach certain milestones so you may know when to be concerned.
Speech and language delays are quite different. However, some children can experience both of these developmental delays.
Speech delay: difficulties/delay with articulating sounds that make up words. (For example, your child may attempt to use words but you may find difficulty in understanding the specific sounds they are trying to express.)
Language delay: difficulties/delay in the use of language. (This includes being unable to understand what they hear or read, and being able to pronounce words but having difficulties forming sentences or understandable expressions with them.)
Consequently, your child experiencing these delays means that they are unable to use words or important forms of communication at the ages they’re expected to.
Here are some common symptoms of speech and language delays for you to see if there is a cause for concern. Consider seeking a professional if your child:
By 12 months:
Not babbling
Isn’t using gestures such as waving
By 18 months:
Does not have a small amount of vocabulary to consistently use
Prefers gestures over using their voice to communicate their needs
Has trouble imitating sounds
Has trouble understanding simple verbal requests
By 2 years:
Can only imitate phrases but cannot produce them spontaneously on their own
Still only using a small amount of words repeatedly
Can’t communicate more than their immediate needs
No word combinations
Can’t follow simple instructions
Has an unusual tone of voice (e.g. raspy or nasal sounding)
Parents or regular caregivers cannot understand 50% of their speech
By 4 years:
Strangers who do not know the child cannot understand their speech
Not speaking in complete sentences
Finds difficulties using the right words in sentences
There are many possible causes of delayed speech and language developments, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is certainly one of them. According to research, children with autism typically start producing words at 36 months, while a neurotypical child starts at around 12 to 18 months. However, this does not mean that all children with autism experience speech delays. One of the most common symptoms of autism is difficulty with social interaction and communication, and delayed speech and language developments are just a developmental delay that contributes to that symptom.
Although many often associate speech delays with ASD only, they are also very common in children without ASD. There are some key symptoms that sets apart speech delay caused by ASD from ones that are the result of other causes, such as hearing problems, mental health conditions, down syndrome, or other genetic conditions.
Symptoms distinct to children with ASD and speech delays:
Lack of communication or social skills that one would expect at certain ages
Difficulty mimicking the behaviours of those around them
Lack of desire to build strong social bonds with peers
Absence of motivation from social responses such as hugs, smiles, etc.
It is important to note that not all individuals with ASD experience delays in speech and language developments. These are just symptoms that are the most common amongst those who do.
Seeing your child struggling to keep up with the developmental milestones of their peers is scary and many parents quickly resort to panicking and assigning developmental disorders to their child. If you think your child may have a developmental delay, look for treatments such as speech-language therapy as early intervention could make a great difference. Ultimately, it is important to seek the opinions of licensed professionals if you are concerned about the cause of speech delays as symptoms vary from child to child.
References
Hartnett, J. K. (2017). Delayed Speech or Language Development (for Parents) - KidsHealth.
Kidshealth.org. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/not-talk.html
Hunt, P. (2023, May 23). Speech Delay and Its Connection to Autism. Bluesprig Autism.
https://www.bluesprigautism.com/blog/speech-delay-and-its-connection-to-autism/
Lisa Jo Rudy. (2010, December 13). 8 Signs That Late Speech Could Be a Sign of Autism. Verywell
Health; Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/is-late-speech-a-sign-of-autism-259888
My Health Alberta. (n.d.). Learning About Speech and Language Delays in Children.
Myhealth.alberta.ca. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abs2581
Sherred, L. (2020, December 9). Speech Delay vs Autism: Understanding and Recognizing the
Difference. Autism Parenting Magazine. https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/speech-delay-vs-autism/
Sounderic. (2023, July 22). Speech Delay vs Language Delay. Sounderic; Sounderic.
https://www.sounderic.com/post/speech-delay-vs-language-delay
