As parents, we are given so much information about our children’s milestones. It can be a little overwhelming, and also frustrating when your child isn’t meeting one as expected. As a Speech Language Pathologist I hear this frustration from parents all of the time, and I’ve felt it personally while helping my son through his own speech delay. The most common thing parents wonder about speech delays is, can late talkers catch up? The answer is yes they can. However, there are some important caveats that we have to review! 

 

Can Late Talkers Catch Up?

 

 

Depending on the cause of your child’s speech delay, it can be possible for them to catch up on their own. BUT, there are also lots of risks to waiting to provide intervention. 

 

I remember when my son was diagnosed as a Late Talker in reaching his 18-month milestone for speech. I spent lots of time researching this idea of whether he could catch up on his own or not, and I learned that it is almost impossible to know which two-year-olds will “grow out” of being a late talker, and which will not. 

 

So unfortunately, it’s advised not to leave it to chance. This is because there are some additional concerns with Late Talkers and the immediate and long-term negative effects.   

 

Immediate Effects of Late Talking 

 

Children can exhibit negative behaviors as a result of late talking, such as things like hitting or biting. They feel frustration when other kids don’t understand them, and therefore tend to be less social. 

 

I noticed that as my son had more language, he interacted more with people he didn’t know. Perhaps, he didn’t have the words before. 

 

Long-Term Effects of Late Talking

 

The biggest long-term effect of late talking is difficulty with reading later. Based on research, Phonetic Awareness is very important for children and is the beginning of their reading skills. It’s important to start Phonetic Awareness as early as preschool. 

 

Phonetic Awareness Activities 

 

Phonetic Awareness is often taught in preschool, but really it happens through play and book reading. So this is also something you can work with your child on at home. In play, it is environmental sounds. I love the animal sound books for this. And reading books to your child is also a beneficial way to help with their Phonetic Awareness. 

 

How To Help Your Late Talker Catch Up

 

While yes, Late Talkers can catch up, intervention is typically advised. The right speech therapy can improve your child’s speech delay, regardless of the cause. 

 

As a Speech Language Pathologist for over 20 years, I have worked with over 1,000 children, many of whom experienced speech delays. I recently developed a Late Talker Evaluation to help you diagnose your child’s delay and create an improvement plan for them. 

 

It’s a great way to identify what the best intervention for your child is based on their specific needs. 

 

Check Out The Late Talker Evaluation

Have some questions first? Reach out to me! I’m happy to help you understand if this is the right option for your child.

 

 

I’m Guy Garcia. I have a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. I’ve treated over 1000 children with speech-language disorders.