You have to watch out for any signs of your baby's speech delay and talk to your pediatrician if you think there is some kind of problem. A speech delay can occur for various reasons, but the sooner a speech problem is diagnosed in babies, more time you will have to correct it.
So you can help your child reach his full potential before school age. After consulting with your pediatrician, here are some things you can do to help with your child's speech delay.
Hearing test
Up to 3 in 1.000 newborns have hearing loss, which can cause delayed speech development. Most states require a hearing exam in the hospital immediately after birth.Take your baby for a comprehensive hearing exam within 3 months if he or she fails the initial hearing exam
See a speech-language pathologist
This professional can diagnose and treat specific speech disorders, language or voice that delays speech. Treatment may include giving parents advice and games to improve speech problems in babies and improve the child's language skills.
Consider developmental screening
Up to 17% of children in the US have a developmental or behavioral disability, such as autism spectrum disorder or cognitive disability. Ask your baby's doctor about detecting these developmental problems, which can cause speech delays.
What is the first step for babies to learn to speak? Encourage your baby's first words with her frequent cooing, babbling, talking, and singing. Keep responding positively and showing attention. When it comes to baby talk, that's the best building block.