Encourage your child to talk – a guide for late talkers
My brother in law was a late talker. He spent the first three years of his life in near-absolute silence and according to his parents he was a very shy child too – but now, at 27, he’s grown up to be one of the confident and talkative adults I know!
According to a journal published by Pediatrics, his case isn’t an isolated one. Researchers in Australia followed more than 1,400 toddlers into their teens and found that although late talkers had more psychological problems like shyness or sadness than their on-target peers, by age 5 those differences disappeared.
Experts suggest that a “wait-and-see” approach might be appropriate for late talking toddlers, although it’s still unclear at what age a language delay should be treated in order to prevent learning problems later on.
While parents should feel comforted by this study, late verbal skills might also be a flag for autism – so it’s advisable to have it checked out.
Did you have a late talker? Did you get them help, or did they catch up on their own? Share with us below.
Source: MSNBC
