Speech delay is a common developmental problem that affects as many as 10% of preschool children. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Oral Impairment: Many kids with speech delays have oral-motor problems, which is a problem in the areas of the brain responsible for speech. This makes it hard to coordinate the lips, tongue, and jaw to make speech sounds.

• Hearing Loss: Hearing problems can affect speech. So an audiologist should test a childs hearing whenever theres a speech concern. Kids who have trouble hearing may have trouble saying, understanding, imitating, and using language.

• Slow Development: Some children just take more time to start talking.

• Intellectual Disability: Mental retardation is the most common cause of speech delay, accounting for more than 50 percent of cases.

• Autism: A developmental disorder that can cause speech and language delays.

• Psychosocial Deprivation: The child doesn’t spend enough time talking with adults.

• Being a Twin: Twins are more likely to have speech delays than single children.

• Elective Mutism: The child just doesn’t want to talk.

• Cerebral Palsy: Delay in speech is common in children with cerebral palsy.

Its important to note that a speech delay may mean that a childs timetable is a little different and they’ll eventually catch up. However, speech or language delays can also signal something about a child’s overall physical and intellectual development. If there are concerns about a childs speech development, its important to seek professional evaluation and treatment as early as possible.