Language disorders: when the words don’t come

Talking late, mispronouncing, not understanding instructions or not being able to tell what happened. These are different difficulties, and each has its treatment.

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Speech and language disorders

What it is

Understanding Language disorders

Language disorders affect comprehension, expression or both: the child has a smaller vocabulary, builds simpler sentences than peers or struggles to follow a conversation. Speech disorders affect sound production (articulation), fluency (stuttering) or voice.

This isn’t just about pronunciation: language is the foundation of reading, writing, thinking and getting along with others. That’s why it’s best addressed early, before it becomes a learning or self-esteem problem.

Before you decide

Speech therapist in Tijuana

“They’ll talk eventually,” people say. Sometimes that’s true, and sometimes waiting loses precious time.

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Signs

Signs worth watching for

None on its own is a diagnosis. If you recognize several and they persist, book an assessment.

No words at 18 months
No two-word phrases at 2 years
Others can’t understand them at 3
Swaps or substitutes sounds after age 5
Can’t follow two-step instructions
Often repeats syllables or gets stuck when talking

How we help

A tailored plan

Our team of Human Communication and Special Education graduates assesses comprehension, expression, articulation, voice and fluency. Speech therapy works through play, stories and routines, and learning therapy helps when the difficulty already affects reading and writing.

Child neuropsychological evaluation

Before any therapy, you need to know what is going on. We do a complete assessment—with the family, the school and your…

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Speech and language therapy

Our speech-language therapists work on speech, language and learning difficulties so every child can express…

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Learning therapy

When reading, writing or math is much harder than expected, it isn’t laziness.

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The information on this page is for guidance and does not replace a professional assessment. Every child is different: diagnosis and plan are defined after an evaluation.

FAQ

Questions about Language disorders

Is it normal for my child to talk late?

Children vary, but some signs shouldn’t be ignored: no words at 18 months or no phrases at 2 years. An early assessment tells you whether to intervene.

Do screens delay language?

Language is learned by interacting with people. Lots of screen time reduces those opportunities, so we recommend limiting it and talking, reading and playing with your child.

Will stuttering go away on its own?

In some young children it’s temporary, but if it lasts more than six months, comes with tension or bothers your child, get an assessment.

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