Speech delay refers to a delay in the development or use of the mechanisms that produce speech. Speech, as distinct from language, refers to the actual process of making sounds, using such organs and structures as the lungs, vocal cords, mouth, tongue, teeth, etc. Language delay refers to a delay in the development or use of the knowledge of language. One might be looking for the academic discipline of communications. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The difference between language and speech can be understood by considering the relationship between a computer program and an output device like a printer. The software running on the computer (a word processing program, for example) is designed to allow a user to create content that is stored in the computer. In order to actually create a physical copy of the file, the computer requires another device: a printer. The printer takes the file and transforms it into a series of commands which control the movement of a print head, thereby making marks on paper.

This two-stage process is something like the distinction between language (computer program) and speech (printer). When we want to communicate something, the first stage is to encode the message into a set of words and sentence structures that convey our meaning. These processes are collectively what we refer to as language. In the second stage, language is translated into motor commands that control the articulators, thereby creating speech.

Because language and speech are two independent stages, they may be individually delayed. For example, a child may be delayed in speech (i.e., unable to produce intelligible speech sounds), but not delayed in language. In this case, the child would be attempting to produce an age-appropriate amount of language, but that language would be difficult or impossible to understand. Conversely, a child with a language delay typically has not yet had the opportunity to produce speech sounds, it is therefore likely to have a delay in speech as well.

See also

• Apraxia
• Bilingualism
• Cleft Palate
• Down Syndrome
• Linguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Speech therapy
• Utterance
• Vocalization

Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned (familiar) movements, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform the movements. ... The term bilingualism (from bi meaning two and lingua meaning language) can refer to rather different phenomena. ... Broadly conceived, linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and a linguist is someone who engages in this study. ... Psycholinguistics or linguistics of psychology is the study of the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, use, and understand language. ... R1 Speech therapy is the corrective or rehabilitative treatment of physical and/or cognitive deficits/disorders resulting in difficulty with verbal communication. ... An utterance is a complete unit of talk, bounded by silence. ... In animals, vocalization is a means of communication generated in many cases by their primitive versions of vocal chords. ...

External links

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Different Issues in Speech and Language Development.

• Parent resource of Speech and Language Development

• Talking with Toddlers: An on-line resource and community to support parents of children with expressive language delay

• KidsHealth:Delay in Speech and Language

• Early Identification of Speech-Language Delays and Disorders

• The Listen Up Web-Language Development