Speech difficulties - what they are & what you can do about them

It is not uncommon for children at a younger age to have some difficulty pronouncing certain language sounds or letters if they are in a certain order. Sometimes the letter sounds can jump around, change places and it can get a little wrong quite simply. This is often something that grows away over the years, but not always, and people then talk about the child having speech difficulties. The problems can manifest themselves in many different ways, and it can therefore be difficult to know when, and if, you need to seek help.Here you can read more about what speech difficulties are and what they are due to. You will also find tips and advice on what you as a parent can do to help your child, what signs you should be aware of, and when it may be relevant tosöka professionell hjälp.

How do speech difficulties manifest themselves?

Language disorders in children look very different and can be expressed on one or more language levels. Some children's difficulties are about pronunciation, and it is enough for them to get help with how to shape their mouth and tongue to get the letters and language sounds right. But there are also the children who have difficulty with language comprehension in general. They struggle with vocabulary, grammar and sentence construction. This becomes a bigger problem, as it is not just about learning to pronounce specific letters or language sounds, but lies deeper than that. About 1-2% of a cohort is said to have a severe language disorder, and it is important as a parent to pay attention to their child's problems, and act as soon as possible. Your child's ability to communicate and make himself understood is vital, and unsolved speech difficulties in preschool can result in reading and writing difficulties when they later start school.

Important to remember

As always when it comes to children, one must remember that everyone is different. It is natural for children to develop at different speeds. This also applies to the language. Some children speak clearly and correctly already at the age of three, while others instead develop other skills, and let the language come later. This must be kept in mind as a parent, and a certain variation in language skills is completely normal, but it is often said that a four-year-old's language should begin to resemble that of an adult. It can be a good yardstick to start from.On the website of the European Association of Speech Therapists CPLOL you can read about language development in children

What causes speech difficulties?

There are several different factors that affect a child's language development and which consequently can also cause possible speech difficulties or language delays if they do not develop as they should. Five factors are usually discussed:

• Motor skills - how to move the mouth and tongue to get the right pronunciation.
• Understanding language sounds - knowledge of language sounds and how they should be pronounced.
• Grammar - understand the composition of words and tempus.
• Language comprehension - understand the meaning of words, parts of words, and sentences.
• Pragmatics - the ability to adapt what is said according to the social situation

Individual problems

A child with speech difficulties may have problems in one or more of these areas, and how these problems manifest themselves is very individual. Some children have a good understanding of language and can easily understand what others are saying, but it is difficult to express themselves and put words in the right order. Some may have a keen eye for grammar and language sounds, but the motor skills mean that they still cannot make themselves understood as the pronunciation does not sound as it should. There are also children who have good language skills but who instead have difficulty understanding what others are saying to them. In short, there are many different problem areas. And in order to get the right help from the beginning, it is therefore important to try to map out what specific problems the child has, before seeking help.At Speech Therapy Services, you can read more about this

How to help your child

Even if you have sought professional help, it is important to make sure that you train and help the child at home as well. You must not forget how important you as a parent are to your child's development. Children learn a lot by reflecting on how parents and others in the environment do different things - this also applies to communication and expression!

To think of:

• Body language - do not focus only on the child communicating with words, encourage expression with the body. You can say a lot with a smile or a nod. Use a lot of body language and gestures to clarify what you mean.Express yourself simply - use short, simple sentences, and speak clearly and slowly.
• Take it easy - sometimes you can be in a hurry to answer your own questions when the answer from the child is delayed, but try to take it easy. Sometimes the answer comes after a while if you just let the child think at his own pace.
• Play with the child - learning through play is a very effective way of learning, where the child learns things without actually being aware of it. Play with the child and talk a lot about what you do, and about the toys you play with. Tell us about colors and shapes.
• Read to the child - it may go without saying, but reading to the child develops language comprehension.Sing for / with the child - in case of certain speech difficulties, it can be easier for the child to put the words in a melody. Try singing together, it's not only fun, but very developing for the child!
• Here you will find fun songs with movements and cozy lullabies.
• Fill in and reinforce - help your child to formulate the words clearly and fill in with more words. For example, if your child is trying to say "boat", fill in and say "Yes, what a nice green boat!". Or if your child says "dog" - "Yes, there goes the neighbor's dog!".
• Pepper the child - try to make learning a positive experience, and pepper the child in all its attempts to communicate.

Here you will find good exercises for children with speech difficulties

Signs of speech difficulties

As a parent, you often have a feeling about whether your child needs help or not. And if you are worried about your child's language development, you should contact BVC. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to detect certain signals, and then it can be nice to get some outside help. Below you will find a list of signs that may indicate language difficulties. If several of them agree with your child, you should contact BVC for further investigation.The child ...

• is uninterested in social interaction.
• has a lack of vocabulary.
• have difficulty quickly finding the right word.
• can not say single words at 1 ½ years of age.
• has at 2 years of age deficiencies in language comprehension.
• does not say sentences of 3 or more words at the age of 3.
• have difficulty understanding linguistic messages.
• shows some interest in books and being read for.
• have trouble learning new words.
• is at 4-5 years of age difficult to understand.
• at the age of 5 can not inflect words that have a simple sentence structure.
• in school age have difficulty remembering given information.
• in school age have difficulty expressing themselves and telling stories.
• have reading and writing difficulties.

The list comes from logopeditjänst.se, and you will find it in its entirety.

Stuttering

Stuttering means that the person repeats whole words or parts of words, and has difficulty coming forward in his speech. This can happen in specific situations and more or less often. It is not really known what causes stuttering. But it is known that there is a neurobiological background, and that it is to some extent hereditary.In children, stuttering begins at 2-5 years of age and affects about 5%. For most people, stuttering is something that goes away with age. But for some, the problem is persistent, and results in nervousness about talking to others and insecurity in social contexts.On Stamningsförbundet you can read more about stuttering and get tips and advice on where to turn if your child is stuttering.Children's development of languageLanguage skills and understanding are something that the child begins to develop very early, but before he begins to speak on his own, he listens and learns by observing and reflecting behaviors around him. This does not only apply to language. Are you curious and want to read more about children's development in general? Here you can read about children's development 0-1 year and 1-2 year.