1. Statistics shows that every fourth child has speech problems. How really it so? 5 or 10 years ago this problem was not so was widespread.
Statistical data from different countries in relation to speech disorders in children can substantially differ. However specialists which have a direct contact with such children, speech therapists, psychologists, child’s psychiatrists, child’s neurologists, rehabilitologists and other mark appearance of more expressed and frequent rejections of speech development in paediatrics.
Early child’s autism, secondary autism, hyperactivity with the syndrome of attention deficit, genetic diseases of metabolism, which result in the delay of speech development, stammer, slight forms of oligophrenia, ICP, Dawn’s syndrome and other can be unfavorable conditions in social and educational prognosis of speech disorders.
It is considered that a negative dynamics of disorders in speech development is more expressed in children from the technologically developed countries, but it is observed in other countries.
- If every year the amount of such children will increase, then what may happen in 5-10-20-100 years with the Ukrainian children? What is necessary to be done in order to change the situation?
The prognosis really may be pessimistic. Today on streets, TV, radios, magazines, newspapers, the numerous advertising strikes the eyes about formation of public organizations, associations, days of certain illness, programs, services, etc., which have for budget money to decide problems of increase of amount of sick children with speech disorders.
Months, years pass, and the problem is not settled and in course of time they forget it. But not everything so badly in the health protection. Always in Kyiv it is possible to find talented physicians and teachers which together work above the decision of the ” partially forgotten” problem, they achieve positive results and ready to share their valuable experience and high-efficiency methods of intensive developing treatment for children with speech disorders under control of modern equipment.
- Why do children lately begin to talk, causes?
There are many different causes. As a rule it is an aggregate of factors which are laid on genetic inclination, for example cerebral angioarchitechtonis, metabolism, and also on external harmful ecological (pesticides, heavy metals, electromagnetic radiation) penetrations in the organism of future mother. Also social-cultural and ethnographic factors as well. To our opinion all listed was before and there were not serious changes in statistics on this pointed issue. Most specialists especially distinguish from the category of causes the powerful aggressive stream of external information on child’s brain. In fact the child’s brain is immature, both structurally and functionally. In such state a child could not analyse the excessive volume of information, as consciously, semiconsciously or unconsciously.
Comparing to any stream that motion goes to one side, and no reverse stream. There is a question, where is the stream of information, which entered in the brain? It is “sucked” by neurons not only intended for perception but also for an answer, id est to synthesize it. The functional mechanisms of speech are ousted, as answers for external stimuli.
- What signs can parents understand that their child has speech disorders and what should they pay attention on?
It is taciturnity, unsociability, crossness, excessive motion activity, rapid fatigueability, ignoring games with other children, echolalia, frequent reiterations the same, avoidance of contact with relatives.
- What age can a child be silent, and then begin to speak?
To our opinion, it costs to give up erroneous presentation that a child will begin to speak in course of time. Therefore at first signs of speech disorders in your child you should visit child’s neurologist or child’s psychiatrist. In the case of ignoring or indifferent attitude toward your problem from their side, come to the specialized private medical centers or clinics with the highly skilled, responsible medical and pedagogical personnel, which masters the effective methods to treat the disorders.
- What should the parents do to help the child begin to speak?
To find a team of experts.
- What in adult life may speech development in childhood influence on?
On domestic, social and professional adaptation.
- Is there such problem in other countries? Possibly somewhere is the worst situation, where exactly?
I rather would talk not about countries, but about families. A family that don’t have such problem considers as 1/10 of 100%. And a family with a child which has defects of speech development considers 100%.
Igor Babii
Chief Doctor
Clinic of Healthy Vessels