What do preschool language difficulties look like?

Given that many late talking toddlers do catch up to their same-aged peers,  a 'wait and see' is often recommended by educators and health professionals. Parents are often giving conflicting information about milestones and when they should be concerned, and are left feeling confused.



As a parent, you know your child best. If you are concerned about your child's development, it is best to seek advice from a Speech-Language Therapist.

My child is learning more than one language. Should I be speaking only one language because of their language difficulties?

When a bilingual preschool aged child shows difficulties in their language development, one of the first questions that comes to mind for both parents and educators is around their use of more than one language.

Unfortunately the information parents receive regarding bilingual language development can often be conflicting or incorrect. For parents to make informed decisions about their child's language development, it is important that they are aware of the most current research into bilingualism and language development.

The shortest answer to this question is no - you do not need to speak only one language to your child if they are displaying difficulties developing their language skills.

For an excellent summary of the latest research into supporting the language development of bilingual children please click here:

Supporting preschoolers with language difficulties

Given that many late talking toddlers to catch up to their same-aged peers,  a 'wait and see' is often recommended by educators and health professionals. 

Sources:

https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Preschool-Language-Disorders/