How to Diagnose a Child's Speech Delay
Speech delays refer to a developmental delay in speech or a lack of verbal communication. In order to be considered a significant developmental delay, the child must be 25 percent or more behind his peers. The best approach to speech delays is immediate evaluation and treatment, as even children who are just slow to talk benefit from speech therapy.
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Instructions
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Talk to the child's pediatrician. While the pediatrician's support is not necessary to get an appointment with Early Intervention, he can refer the child to other doctors to rule out other medical problems behind the speech delay.
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Rule out other problems. There are several medical conditions that speech delays are common with. Mental retardation, brain injury, autism, stroke, sensory processing disorders, motor planning issues and physical deformities are a few of a long list of disorders that usually lead to speech delay.
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Test the child's hearing. Schedule an appointment with an audiologist to make sure that hearing loss is not the reason for the speech problems. If there is hearing loss, that will have to be treated before beginning speech therapy.
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Schedule an appointment with Early Intervention. Early Intervention is a program designed to identify and treat developmental delay in many areas, including speech, for children under three years old. This service is free, and they can be reached through the local Department of Human Services office.
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Get an appointment with a Speech Language Therapist (SLT). The therapist assesses the child through parent interviews and direct interaction with the child. After the assessment, the therapist then compares the child with standard age-appropriate guidelines, and determines whether there is a speech delay.
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