Why Do Some Children Talk Late?

By Shubhi Kumar
28 May 2025, 13:00 IST

Children develop speech and language skills at their own pace, but some begin talking significantly later than their peers. While this can be a variation of normal development, it can also be linked to underlying conditions. Tap to read!

Hearing Impairment

If an individual's ears are passed on for having some hearing problems, words are not heard clearly. It, in turn, hinders them from learning and imitating spoken language.

Developmental Disorders

This is a speech delay caused by autism or an intellectual disability. This can equally cause developmental delays or social interactions.

Oral-Motor Difficulties

A child might have difficulties forming sounds due to coordination problems of the mouth muscles, but with strong comprehension abilities for the language.

Late Talker

There are those kids who talk late, just to be normal at three years of age, with everything else.

Neurological Problems

Brain injury or disorder, such as cerebral palsy. It can affect an area of the brain responsible for speech and thus delay or hinder verbal development.

Information credits

This information is sourced from Healthline. However, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional if your child is experiencing this issue.