Language Developmental Disorder by Dr. Michael Elterman Language development milestones in children can be varied.

Word and sentence formation can occur at different times for individual children. The process of language and communication development in children is aided by parents, who alter their speaking style as the infant grows (the speech style used during the childs infancy is known as motherese, or baby talk). Various stages of speech and word building are expected as your baby grows, from babbling through to multiple-word sentences. Sometimes, however, this complex process is interrupted, hindered or severely delayed. Children with impaired language development score significantly lower than standardized expectations of communication and expression for their developmental age. They may use a very limited vocabulary, have difficulty learning new words, limit their speech to simplified grammatical structures, or not speak at all. This may occur suddenly or gradually, sometimes after a period of relatively normal development. Language developmental disorder may accompany other behavioral problems. The delay can be acquired, associated with a medical or neurological condition such as head trauma, or developed with no neurological cause. If the difficulties are hindering progress in school or affecting social communication, the language developmental delay should be assessed by a professional. Speech-language pathologists, educators, therapists and psychologists all have experience with language developmental disorder. About the author: Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Michael Elterman practices psychology in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Elterman has over 25 years of experience in psychology and currently runs his own practice.