Language Development

http://www.adders.org/info105.htm

This is the basic sequence in which language develops in a child. It was taken from a website about ADD. This website is showing the regular development of language and how it differs in children with ADD/ADHD. This is only one of the many disabilities that will affect a child's language development. Parents may use this guide to see if their child's language development is normal and if not, they may want to consider early intervention of speech therapy.

Through my experience working at a daycare for almost 3 years I have seen children who have had speech impediments. It is fascinating to see how much quicker a child's language improves when he/she has therapy at a very young age vs. if they wait until the child is 4 or 5 years old. When a two-year-old's language is not developing properly, speech therapy is not as intense and is more effective. I have seen children who had been incomprehensible become easily understood in very short periods of time, if it is taken care of early enough. This is because at this stage of development the brain is most capable of learning language and this ability slowly fades away as the child grows older. This is the reason why it is very difficult for a person to relearn to speak after a stroke or brain injury.