Why does a child not talk at 2-3 years old - reasons, and what should parents do? Treatment, tests, speech therapist consultations, classes and games

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education of Russia over the past few years, the number of children with delayed psycho-speech development has doubled. Usually this problem begins to appear between the ages of 2 to 3 years. Watching how your baby's peers are no longer just bursting in an incomprehensible language, but delighting mothers and dads, remembering more and more new words, it's hard to keep calm. So I want to panic and run to the doctors asking how to accelerate the development of the child’s speech. The main thing in this situation is not to panic and not to give free rein to negative emotions. Experts say that some inhibition of speech development is not a cause for concern. Typically, the delay is due to certain reasons, identifying and eliminating which, you will hear the long-awaited first words of your crumbs. The main thing is to turn to specialists in time. The ideal option is to see a doctor when the baby is 2 - 3 years old. In adulthood, delayed speech development will inhibit the development of the child’s thinking. Consider the main criteria by which the development of speech of the crumbs can be delayed, and how to overcome them.

Speech development standards for a child 2 - 3 years old: test for a child's speech

First you need to figure out whether the child is really characterized by a retardation of psycho-speech development, or is it a figment of the imagination of the adults around him. It happens that parents expect too much from their baby, although his skills are the norm for this age. We suggest you take the simplest test to determine if your child has all the necessary speech skills. For each positive answer, put a plus sign, for a negative - minus sign.

1. He comments (accompanies, speaks) the actions of surrounding objects and people with the help of characteristic sounds: bi-bi (about a riding car), tu-tu (about a train), tsok-tsok (about a horse).
2. He correctly pronounces the main sounds, with the exception of sonoric ("p", "l") and hissing ("f", "w", "h", "u").
3. Lexicon of about 1300 words. To "measure" you can use the test from the Internet. It is important to mark only those words that are regularly used by your child.
4. Able to construct meaningful sentences from words.
5. He knows how to name the objects shown in the picture (as a test, offer the baby an image containing at least 12 - 15 objects and phenomena).
6. Actively uses the main parts of speech: Nouns (mom, dad, mouse); Adjectives (red, good, kind); Verbs (drank, eat, went for a walk); Pronouns (me, you, we).
7. While not using: Communion (offended, fed); Communion (approaching, telling).
8. Able to call an object, its quality and the action performed: "a red cat drinks milk."
9. Able to tell a small fairy tale, an episode from life or a quatrain.
10. Curious - the child is interested in the names, actions, characteristics and properties of the objects and phenomena surrounding him.
11. Feels the melody, their rhythm.
12. Able to copy words and small sentences spoken by adults.
13. Possesses a leisurely speech without swallowing endings.
14. The child does not have excessive salivation.
15. Asks about unfamiliar subjects.

If you noted more than 5 minuses, we recommend that you consult a pediatrician as soon as possible. The longer the child lags behind peers in speech development, the more his mental and psychological development is delayed.

If there are less than 3 - 4 minuses, then you will not need a doctor, you can be calm, everything is in order with the development of the child’s speech.

Detailed norms for the development of speech from 0 to 3 years (speech therapist Tatyana Lanskaya)

The reasons for the "taciturnity" of a 2-3 year old child

All factors by which at the age of 3 the child does not possess the necessary speech skills can be divided into physiological and psychological.

Physiological include:

• Stuttering - A fairly frequent speech disorder, which usually manifests itself after a child is frightened by something. May occur due to unhealthy atmosphere in the family. To solve the problem, you need to contact a neurologist (details about stuttering and reasons);
• Genetic predisposition - in some cases, it takes place, but you should not justify the delay in speech by saying that "our dad started talking too late." If by the age of 3 the child does not have the necessary speech skills, you should consult a specialist;
• Hearing impairment - with this feature, all the difficulties come down to the fact that the baby does not perceive the surrounding speech well enough to reproduce it, and with deafness it completely distorts words / sounds;
• Alalia - A serious neurological disease that requires prompt medical correction. May cause partial impairment or complete speech dysfunction due to damage to parts of the brain;
• Dislalia - the difficulty of reproducing one or more sounds. Requires the help of a speech therapist. Corrected usually from 4 years.
• Dysarthria - This violation is the result of malfunctions in the central nervous system. The disease is characteristic of children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, which can only be delivered by a speech therapist after prolonged observation of the patient. The disease is characterized by limited mobility of the articulatory apparatus, blurred speech, problems with fine motor skills in the child;
• History of serious injuries and infectionsthat caused impaired brain function;
• Fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation) during pregnancy;
• Diseases of the mother during the period of gestation (infectious diseases, injuries);
• Difficult birth (rapid, with entwined umbilical cord), child injuries received during childbirth (perinatal encephalopathy, damage to the cervical vertebrae);
• Cerebral palsy - A serious disease of the central nervous system, which is characterized by damage to one or more parts of the brain. Delay in psycho-speech development is one of the main signs of the disease;
• Hydrocephalus - disorders of the development of the brain due to the accumulation of fluid in it;
• Cerebral ischemia - a disease characterized by a violation of the normal blood circulation of the brain;
• Epilepsy - a severe neurological disease, characterized by the appearance in the cerebral cortex of a special focus of excitement, causing convulsive activity and, as a result, seizures with loss of consciousness;
• Other congenital and acquired abnormalities of brain regions and central nervous system.

Psychological causes of delayed speech development:

• Individual feature. Each child is individual in its development, which often does not meet generally accepted standards. If other causes of speech delay cannot be detected, it is most likely that the baby will master the necessary skills, but a little later than his peers;
• Bilingualism and multilingualism. In a family where everyday communication is carried out in two or several languages, it is quite difficult for a child to master them simultaneously. Therefore, some delays in the development of speech in this case are the norm;
• No need for speech. The kid needs live communication to a greater extent than the adult. Speech needs to be developed - to read fairy tales and poems; retell small works; name surrounding objects, their properties, qualities and actions; ask baby questions. In a family where parents prefer to silently bury themselves in a smartphone or computer, the child does not feel the need for speech and does not speak;
• Stress. This includes child abuse and excessive custody and deprivation of independence. Children from asocial families have a delay in speech development in the first place;
• Severe mental trauma received at an early age. This can be, as it would seem, a little fright from a barking dog, and screams, and scandals of adults, parents taking drugs and alcohol, leaving the child for a long time alone, in the dark, without the help of adults.

[sc name = ”ads”]

Treatment for speech delay in a child 2 to 3 years old

So, if you determine that the development of your baby’s speech skills is below the stated standards, you need to contact a specialist. It is not possible to correct the situation independently, without possessing the necessary professional skills. Doubtful methods of unknown pseudo-specialists from the Internet will not help either.

It is important to understand that the delay in speech development directly affects the formation of a person’s mental abilities, so you need to contact a good doctor as quickly as possible. The sooner this is done, the lower the likelihood of complications in the further development of the baby. Putting the problem aside for later, you risk dooming the child to a lag in development, the complexity of schooling, and as a result, transfer to a correctional school.

Which doctor should I contact?

1. Pediatrician - First of all, it is worth visiting a pediatrician watching your child. He will conduct an examination of the baby and determine which narrow-profile specialist should be consulted.
2. Audiologist - A specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with hearing organs.
3. Otorhinolaryngologist or, in other words, ENT - a medical specialty aimed at the treatment and prevention of diseases of the ear - throat - nose - head - neck system. In case of problems with speech, the doctor will help to establish whether there is a connection with violations in the operation of the articulation apparatus. For example, a short sublingual bridle significantly complicates the pronunciation of many sounds in children. After examination and an audiogram, the doctor will draw conclusions and, possibly, will refer to another specialist.
4. Speech therapist - A specialist directly involved in the elimination of speech disorders in children and adults. He will conduct testing and determine - what is the level of development and directly the speech of the baby. Perhaps, to clarify the diagnosis, he will send you to a neuropsychiatrist.
5. Speech therapist - A doctor who works with speech problems in children.
6. Neurologist - determine whether the delay in the development of speech is associated with impaired functions of the brain or central nervous system. After a series of procedures, a qualified specialist will quickly determine if there are problems in his profile.
7. Child psychologist - A specialist providing psychological assistance to parents and children. If all other options have already "disappeared", and the reason has not been found, then they are sent to this specialist (or to a psychiatrist). It is possible that everything is much simpler than a panicked mother thinks.

Comprehensive diagnostics usually include examination and age testing (approx. - according to the Bailey scale, early speech development, Denver test), determination of facial motility, verification of understanding / reproduction of speech, as well as ECG and MRI, cardiogram, etc.

The main methods of treatment

• Microcurrent reflexology - approved for use by children from 6 months. Represents the effect of a weak electrical impulse on the neuroreflective zones and brain regions associated with the perception and formation of speech (there are a number of contraindications);
• Magnetotherapy - a similar technique in which exposure is carried out using low-frequency constant or pulsed magnetic fields;
• Medication - appointed by a neurologist or psychiatrist based on an individual treatment regimen. In most cases, they use nootropic drugs to power brain neurons and activate areas responsible for speech activity: lecithin, cochitum, neuromultivitis, cortexin, etc. These drugs have many contraindications and side effects, so treatment should be coordinated with a narrow specialist;
• Work with a speech therapist-defectologist - focused on the development of fine motor skills, the proper operation of the articulation apparatus and the development of thinking;
• Speech Therapy Massage - a very effective procedure, during which there is an impact on specific points of the earlobes of the ears and hands, cheeks and lips, as well as the child’s tongue, which helps to facilitate pronunciation. The most effective are considered massage techniques according to Dyakova, Krause and Prikhodko.

Alternative treatments

• Osteopathy - an unconventional method of influencing biologically active points on the child’s body, aimed at the regeneration of the functions of the central nervous system and the brain;
• Hippotherapy - a method of treatment using horseback riding and communicating with animals;
• Dolphin therapy - treatment with the help of ultrasonic vibrations reproduced by dolphins and beneficially affecting the human brain (swimming with dolphins);
• Music therapy - a psychotherapeutic method that uses music to solve psychological problems;
• Art therapy - a method of therapy using creative activity as a therapeutic agent;
• Work with a child psychologist - necessary in cases where the delay in speech development is due to an unfavorable situation in the family, psychological trauma of the child;
• Home Speech Development - A set of games, gymnastics and other activities focused on the progression of speech and performed at home.
• And, of course, the exercises that you will need to perform at home.

[sc name = ”rsa”]

Activities and games with the child at home

No matter how hard the narrow-profile specialists work with the baby, using the most effective methods, it is not worth pinning their hopes solely on the specialists and the lion's share of the work will fall on the shoulders of the parents. The most important role in eliminating the delay in the development of speech is played by regular daily classes with the child at home.

The development of fine motor skills

Pediatricians and neurologists have been repeating to parents about the critical importance of developing fine motor skills almost from the very birth of a child. Fine motor skills are really closely associated with the development of speech (the center of the brain responsible for motor skills borders on the center that is responsible for speech). The most effective exercises are games with sifting and pouring cereals, beads, searching for toys that "drowned" in the cereal, etc .; finger painting; braiding; finger theater; games with designers, modeling from plasticine or dough,

Chatting on pictures

Age books with large and vivid images are suitable.Or pasted around the house drawings of any size with the image of people, animals, vegetables and fruits, vehicles, toys, fairy-tale characters. Stimulate the child to speech by asking him questions of the format “Who is this?” or “What is this?”, “What is he doing?”, “What is he?” etc. We tell the child about each picture SLOWLY (children read lips). Every day, find a reason to discuss several pictures - tell a funny episode related to the picture, suggest a competition, who will find any animal in the picture faster, etc. Pictures need to be changed weekly.

Articulation gymnastics

Which child doesn’t like to get bogged down? Organize a competition for the best scary or funny face, check who further stretches his lips, reaches his tongue to his nose. Engage in a mirror or camera. Practice your smile; the wider it is, the easier it is to pronounce the letter “s”. The kid will be delighted, not even noticing that he completed a complex of articulation gymnastics. Today, a lot of guide books are offered on this subject - choose your own. Gymnastics for the muscles of the face is extremely important!

Reading

One of the most important aspects of the comprehensive and harmonious development of a baby of any age. With delays in the formation of speech skills, it is necessary to actively involve the baby in the reading process, ask to repeat small verses, make riddles, learn tongue twisters and nursery rhymes for the smallest. When reading a fairy tale, stop in order to ask the baby a few questions of the format “What is the main character’s name?”, “Is the bear good or evil?”, “Why did the bunny run away from the wolf?” etc. Try retelling small episodes of the piece or casting a mini-performance. Read as much as possible, more often and with expression. The kid should be an active participant in your tale or poem. When reading short verses, let your little one finish the sentence.

Dances and songs

Music is a great tool for developing areas of the brain responsible for speech. Listen to children's songs, learn and sing your favorites. Create ritual songs before bedtime, lunch, or for a walk. When going to bed, be sure to sing a lullaby to dolls, plush toys or toy cars. Be sure to dance with the child, using not only arms and legs, but also moving your fingers and making grimaces.

"Misunderstanding" gestures of the child

If your child speaks to you with gestures gently and unobtrusively, let the child understand that you do not understand his request gestures and ask you to voice your wishes in words.

Teach your kid to make faces

You can arrange competitions at home - for the best face. Let the baby stretch its lips, click its tongue, stretch its lips with a tube, etc. Excellent charge!

Tongue Charge

We smear the crumbs sponges with jam or chocolate (the area should be wide!), And the baby should lick this sweetness to perfect purity.

Speech therapy games

Their number and variations are limited only by your imagination. Imitate the voices of animals and birds, lay animal toys around the child and speak their “language”. An excellent exercise - mom makes a sound (“ku-ka-re-ku”, “ha-ha-ga”, “meow-meow”), and the baby guesses what kind of animal it is.

TOP 5 games from a speech therapist that will help your child speak and develop their speech

The best exercises for speech muscles - we do it with mom!

• Imitate the voices of animals! We arrange plush animals along the wall and get acquainted with each of them. An important requirement is only in their "language"!
• Learning to smile! The wider the smile, the more active the muscles of the face, and the easier it is to say the letter “s”.
• We take 4 musical toys, in turn, "turn on" each so that the child remembers the sounds. Then we hide the toys in the box and turn on one at a time - the baby must guess which instrument or toy sounded.
• Guess who! Mom makes a sound that the child knows (meow, woof-woof, zhzhzh, crow, etc.), and the baby must guess whose voice it was.
• Put your toys to sleep every night (Yes, and daytime sleep does not hurt the dolls either). Before going to bed, be sure to sing the dolls songs.

From a very young age, teach your son or daughter the correct pronunciation of sounds and words. Do not encourage babbling, parasitic words and speech errors, no matter how funny they seem to you. It is also necessary to monitor the purity of speech ourselves, try not to use diminutive suffixes without the need.

The development of speech is primarily the result of serious parental control and interaction with the child. Even a sufficiently strong inhibition of psycho-speech development is quite correctable at the age of 5-6 years, so try to address this issue as soon as possible. After 6 years, the cure rate is only 0.2%. If you start the process, and the child does not speak until 7 years old, then the chances of a full recovery are zero.

3 life hacks how to develop a child’s speech. We develop the child’s speech. Life hacks from speech therapist Olga Sakharovskaya

How to play to develop speech (speech therapist Tatyana Lanskaya)

If the child does not speak, then it is necessary not only to deal with him, but to play actively. In this video, I’ll talk about how to better organize a game with a child so that it brings as much as possible not only benefits, but also joy for both parents and the child. You will also learn why to play, what games it is better to play in order to develop speech, the rules of the game, how to make a speech game, and why it is difficult for adults to play with a child. The video will help those who want to play with their child, but do not know how best. And also to those parents who force themselves to play with their baby.