Speech and language development: milestones, disorders and support
Early language development: from the first sounds to the first words
A child's language development begins in the womb. From as early as the 28th week of pregnancy, when the embryo's hearing organ is fully developed, it can perceive sounds, marking the beginning of language acquisition.
The first expression of a need is crying, which is supplemented by understanding the first words around the age of nine months. From the age of one, toddlers begin to better control their speech tools, which leads to the first clearly spoken words. An important milestone is recognising one's own name, which occurs around 14 months. Between 18 and 24 months, the active vocabulary develops to about 50 words, and children begin to form two-word sentences. At this stage, they already understand up to 300 words and grasp the meaning of sentences through individual keywords. By the age of three, children's linguistic abilities continue to expand. Sentences become longer and the beginning of grammar acquisition can be seen. However, pronunciation is often still inaccurate at this age.
During preschool years, a child's vocabulary increases rapidly – through a process known as ‘fast mapping’, they learn about 11 new words every day. The growing vocabulary forms the basis for the progressive acquisition of grammar and the refinement of pronunciation. By the age of five, a child already has an active vocabulary of about 2,000 to 3,000 words and a passive vocabulary of up to 14,000 words. They have now mastered the central structures and regularities of their mother tongue, which marks the end of this early phase of language development.
Language development is a process that leads from the first sounds to remarkable linguistic competence. However, if a child does not make the expected progress in acquiring the linguistic system by the age of five, this could indicate a language development disorder.
What is the difference between speech and language disorders and developmental speech disorders?
It is important to distinguish between speech and language developmental disorders because they affect different areas of language skills and have different courses and prognoses.
Language development disorders affect the ability to correctly apply the linguistic system of rules. Children with such disorders often have problems with grammar, such as sentence structure or word forms, as well as with limited vocabulary and difficulties in understanding language. These disorders are often a long-term problem. Up to 75% of affected children develop dyslexia in the course of their lives, which can lead to significant academic and later professional problems. Intelligence development can also be unfavourably influenced, and the risk of mental disorders is increased four- to fivefold in affected children.
Speech development disorders affect the correct production of sounds. Typical problems are faulty sound formation, omissions or substitutions of sounds, as well as difficulties in speech flow. In contrast to language development disorders, articulation disorders are usually easy to treat and therefore have a more favourable prognosis. The severity of the symptoms has a significant influence on the prognosis. The more pronounced the disorders are, the less favourable the prognosis. Therefore, early detection and targeted therapy are crucial to minimise the long-term effects as much as possible.
How do speech and language development disorders arise?
Speech and language development disorders are caused by a combination of genetic, neurophysiological and environmental factors. Genetic influences are significant: speech development disorders often run in families and are associated with certain genes. Twin studies show a higher level of similarity in monozygotic (identical) twins than in dizygotic (fraternal) twins. In about half of all cases, a first-degree relative can be found with a speech development disorder or a reading and spelling disability. Neurophysiologically, abnormalities in brain regions such as the perisylvian cortex and the planum temporale, which are important for language processing, are often found in affected children. Environmental factors, such as insufficient linguistic support at home, can also have a negative impact on development, while positive support can alleviate the symptoms. Overall, a speech or language development disorder often arises from the interaction of various biological and environmental factors. This interplay makes diagnosis and treatment complex, but it also offers approaches for individual and targeted support measures.
Diagnostic approaches and challenges
Early diagnosis of speech and language development disorders is important to initiate targeted support measures in time and prevent long-term problems, such as reading and spelling difficulties. However, early diagnosis is often challenging due to the wide variations in individual language acquisition. Indicators of developmental disorders include, for example, a delay in learning first words or forming sentences. Various methods, such as parent surveys and standardised tests, help with detection. Precise diagnosis enables the planning of a tailor-made therapy to optimally support the child's linguistic development.
Prevention and intervention
Prevention: Early intervention to avoid problems
The aim should be to prevent or mitigate language development disorders from the outset. Language development in everyday life, especially in educational institutions such as kindergartens, plays an important role. This is not about specific speech therapy, but about general support for language acquisition in all children, for example by reading stories aloud, playing language games or singing together.
Intervention: speech training and speech therapy
If there is already a speech development disorder, targeted intervention in the form of speech therapy is necessary. The therapy often begins with treatment of the most severely affected linguistic levels, whether phonetics, semantics, syntax or pragmatics. Interval therapy is often used, in which phases of intensive therapy alternate with pauses for natural speech development. At the beginning of each therapy phase, the linguistic abilities that are already present and the developmental steps that are next in line are checked in order to achieve targeted progress.
Conclusion: early support and targeted measures are the key to success.
Language and speech development disorders are common and often genetically determined, although psychosocial factors can intensify the symptoms. If left untreated, particularly in the case of problems with speech comprehension, they can have serious long-term consequences. Early diagnosis and targeted intervention are therefore crucial. Preventive programmes and speech therapy have proven to be effective in optimally promoting linguistic development and minimising negative consequences.
Supportive technologies and products for speech development
Forbrain headset for speech and language development training
The Forbrain audio feedback headset is an innovative tool for promoting speech and language development in children and adolescents. It uses bone conduction to amplify the user's own voice and specifically train the brain to process linguistic stimuli faster and more effectively. This is particularly helpful for children who have difficulties with speech production or correct phonation.
By actively stimulating the auditory system, the Forbrain headset helps to improve speech perception and production, which promotes both linguistic abilities and cognitive development. It offers a valuable supplement to conventional speech therapy and makes it possible to work specifically on speech and listening skills – whether at home or in a therapeutic setting.
Soundsory – therapy headphones with multisensory stimulation for speech and language development training
Another supportive product is the Soundsory headset, which can provide valuable support for the speech and language development of children and adolescents through multisensory stimulation.
Children learn language not only by listening, but also by integrating different sensory impressions. Soundsory combines specially developed music with rhythmic movement exercises to stimulate the brain and promote sensory integration. The programme is particularly suitable for children with speech development disorders (e.g. limited vocabulary or problems understanding speech) and speech development disorders (e.g. incorrect phonation). The combination of sound and movement simultaneously activates the auditory and motor systems, which naturally supports the development of language skills. Soundsory offers a versatile and playful method of developing language and speaking skills. It complements traditional therapy approaches and enables children to improve their language development through holistic training.
For more information, please visit: MindTecStore Language Training
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Author: Maria Sophie Bieschke, last updated: 19.09.2024
