Speech Delay in Bilingual Children: Myths and Facts

Is bilingual speech delay real or a myth? Learn how language develops in children learning two languages, which signs to watch for and when to see a specialist.

Your child has turned two, but still has few words. Your neighbour's child is putting sentences together, while yours mostly gets their point across by pointing. The nursery teacher says, "It would be better if you only spoke the local language at home"; the grandmother in Turkey says, "His father was a late talker too, don't worry"; and online there are dozens of articles that contradict one another. The question on the minds of many Turkish families living abroad is the same: does learning two languages delay speech? The subject of speech delay in bilingual children is full of widespread misbeliefs that can lead both to unnecessary worry and to problems being overlooked. In this article we look at the known myths and facts, the signs to watch for and when you should see a specialist. An important note: this article is for information only; if you have concerns about your child's language development, they must be assessed by a speech and language therapist or a paediatrician.

How Does Language Develop in a Bilingual Child?

A bilingual child is a child who regularly hears and uses two languages in daily life. Some children grow up with two languages from birth; for example, the mother speaks Turkish and the father speaks the language of the country where they live. Others first learn Turkish at home and move on to the second language with nursery or school. In both cases the child's brain learns the two language systems together.

Language development in bilingual children generally passes through similar stages to that of monolingual children: babbling, first words, word combinations and sentences. However, some differences can be seen:

• Words are spread across the two languages. A child may know some words only in Turkish and others only in the other language. For example, they may know the word "kaşık" (spoon) in Turkish at home, but words to do with the playground in the language they learned at nursery. For this reason, a vocabulary counted in a single language may not reflect the child's total vocabulary.
• One language may be more dominant. The language the child is exposed to most usually develops faster. This balance can change with age and environment.
• Mixing languages is natural. Sentences like "Anne, I want su" ("Mum, I want water") show not that the child cannot tell the two languages apart, but that they are using all the resources they have.

These differences are part of normal development. Bilingualism itself does not cause a language disorder.

Still, the real difficulty for families is telling normal variation apart from a genuine delay. It is not easy for parents to answer the question, "Is what my child is going through bilingual speech delay, or something that needs to be addressed separately?" on their own. So treat the myths and signs below as a guide, and leave the final assessment to specialists who see your child directly.

Speech Delay in Bilingual Children: Common Myths

Myth 1: "Learning two languages delays speech."

This is the most common belief. The generally accepted view in the field of language development is that bilingualism on its own does not cause a language disorder or a lasting delay. Bilingual children generally reach the basic milestones of language development at similar times to their monolingual peers. The number of words in each language may look slightly lower than in a monolingual child, but the picture is different when the two languages are assessed together. Explaining a seriously delayed speech away simply as "because he's bilingual" can mean that a real problem is overlooked.

Myth 2: "If you drop one language, the other will speed up."

Some families, worried about their child's delayed speech, decide to drop Turkish at home. However, the language in which parents speak most comfortably and most richly is often their mother tongue. When parents switch to a language they do not fully master themselves, the quality of the language interaction with the child may drop. The child may also lose the chance to communicate with family members in Turkey and to preserve their cultural identity. Before making any decision about language, be sure to consult a speech and language therapist.

Myth 3: "If they mix languages, they're confused."

Mixing languages is a natural feature of bilingual development. Bilingual adults also switch languages often. This does not mean there is a problem in the child's language systems.

Myth 4: "Boys are late talkers anyway, just wait."

There are of course individual differences between children. However, the "let's wait, they'll talk eventually" approach can make you miss the time when early support could have helped. If you are worried, asking for an assessment instead of waiting is generally the safer course.

Myth 5: "It will sort itself out once they start nursery."

Nursery increases the child's exposure to the second language and supports the development of many children. But if there is a genuine language or speech problem, simply starting nursery may not resolve it.

Bilingualism is not a problem but a richness; yet bilingualism should not be used as an excuse to explain away a real problem either.

Is It a Real Problem? Signs to Watch For in Bilingual Speech Delay

The signs below may call for an assessment regardless of which language or languages the child is learning. What matters is to look at the child's total ability across the two languages:

• In infancy, not responding to sounds, not turning to their name or not babbling.
• Marked difficulty making eye contact, pointing or sharing interest with others.
• Using very few words in both languages compared with peers.
• Not starting to combine words at the expected ages.
• Losing words they used before, or regression in skills.
• Difficulty understanding simple instructions in both languages.
• Speech that even the family finds very hard to understand for the child's age.
• Marked struggle, getting stuck or anger when trying to speak.
• Striking differences in play skills, social interaction or behaviour.

Developmental milestones progress a little differently in every child, and this list is not a diagnostic tool. However, if you observe one or several of these signs, it is important for your child to be assessed by a speech and language therapist and a paediatrician. Because hearing problems can also be one of the causes of speech delay, the paediatrician may recommend a hearing assessment.

Why Should the Assessment Be Done in Both Languages?

Assessing a bilingual child in only one language can be misleading. For example, a child who uses few words in the nursery language may have a much richer vocabulary in Turkish. This is why it is important to give the specialist carrying out the assessment detailed information about your child's Turkish skills. Preparing a list of the words your child uses in Turkish at home, taking short video recordings and noting how much of each language they hear in daily life can help the assessment. If needed, you can request an interpreter or look for a specialist experienced with bilingual children.

Families' Feelings and the Cultural Context

Worry about speech delay is also emotionally demanding for parents. Feelings of guilt such as "Did I harm my child by speaking Turkish?" are common. Yet a parent speaking in their mother tongue is the natural way of offering a child love, trust and a rich language environment.

Comments from family members in Turkey can either increase or, on the contrary, reduce the worry. Remarks like "In our day we didn't bother with things like this" or "Nothing will happen to the child" are well meant, but they are no substitute for a professional assessment. On the other hand, some families may hesitate to ask for an assessment for fear that their child will be seen as "different" or stigmatised. An early assessment is not a label but a step towards understanding the child's needs.

In mixed marriages where the partners speak different languages, tension can arise over which language matters. Both parents' languages are valuable for the child. Making decisions on this together and on the basis of information reduces conflict in the family. For general information on raising bilingual children, you can read our article on bilingual children.

Concrete Steps to Support Language Development at Home

Speak Richly in Your Own Language

Talk to your child in the language you are most comfortable with, using plenty of varied words. Describe what you are doing: "Now we're washing the apple, then we're cutting it." This kind of narration lets the child hear language in a natural context.

Read Books and Sing Songs

Turkish picture books, nursery rhymes, lullabies and children's songs support language development. While reading, point at the pictures, ask questions and give the child the chance to answer.

Expand on What the Child Says

When your child says "Ball", expand the sentence by saying, "Yes, a red ball. Shall we throw the ball?" Instead of correcting mistakes, repeat the correct form naturally.

Limit Screen Time

Screens are no substitute for live human interaction. What is most valuable for language development is talking face to face with the child, playing and spending time together.

Plan the Language Environment

Talk as a family about which language will be spoken, when and by whom. Some families adopt a "each parent speaks their own language" approach, others "Turkish at home, the local language outside". Consistency is important, but rather than rigid rules, it is more realistic to set up an arrangement that suits your family and that you can sustain. For detailed suggestions, you can look at our article on speaking Turkish with your child.

Create Social Opportunities in Turkish

Meetings with other Turkish-speaking families, Turkish play groups or regular video calls with relatives in Turkey allow the child to experience Turkish as a real means of communication.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

If you have any concern about your child's language development, it is recommended that you ask for an assessment rather than wait. In particular:

• If you observe one or several of the signs listed above,
• If your child is losing skills they had gained earlier,
• If the nursery or school teacher has raised a concern about language development,
• If your child often has angry outbursts or withdraws because they cannot communicate,

as a first step, speak to your paediatrician in the country where you live and ask for a speech and language therapist's assessment. These specialists are the right address for assessing language development and planning therapy if needed. If considered necessary, additional assessments such as a hearing test, a developmental assessment or child psychiatry may also be requested. In many countries this process starts through the family doctor or paediatrician; it is recommended that you find out about the health system and insurance terms in the country where you live.

Psychological support can complement this process: it can help with parents coping with feelings of worry and guilt, and with working on emotional difficulties or outbursts linked to the child's difficulty communicating. It is not, however, a substitute for a speech and language assessment.

How Does Online Therapy in Your Mother Tongue Work?

For parents who are worried about speech delay, support in the mother tongue can be especially useful in coping with the emotional load. Talking about your own worries, language disagreements with your partner or comments from family in Turkey with someone who speaks Turkish and understands the cultural context can help you make calmer and more considered decisions. For general information aimed at families living abroad, you can look at our page for Turks living abroad.

In online sessions in the mother tongue, the following topics are generally worked on:

• Parental anxiety and guilt: Thoughts such as "Did I do something wrong?" are addressed with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques.
• Communicating with the local system: Preparation is done on what information to share and what questions to ask when communicating with the paediatrician, the speech and language therapist and the nursery.
• Home support plan: Daily interaction routines suited to the family and in line with the speech and language therapist's recommendations are planned.
• The child's emotional needs: Parent counselling is provided for emotional difficulties linked to the communication difficulty, such as anger, frustration and withdrawal.

This work does not replace speech and language therapy; it should be thought of as support that accompanies it. For online sessions, a quiet setting, a secure internet connection and scheduling that takes account of the time difference are recommended. Payments can be made online; pricing in TL and payment by international card are possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there such a thing as bilingual speech delay?

Bilingualism on its own does not cause a language disorder. The number of words a bilingual child knows in each language may look slightly different from monolingual peers, but their total language skills are generally similar. If there is a marked delay, it should not be explained away by bilingualism and should be assessed by a specialist.

If there is a speech delay, should we drop Turkish?

Before making this decision on your own, consult a speech and language therapist. In many cases it is recommended that parents keep communicating in the language they are most comfortable with. Every child's situation is different.

Which specialist should I see?

As a first step, it is recommended that you see a paediatrician in the country where you live and a speech and language therapist. If considered necessary, a hearing test and a developmental assessment can be done. A psychologist can accompany the process in terms of parent counselling and emotional support.

Is it a problem that my child mixes languages?

No, mixing languages is a natural part of bilingual development. The child uses the most suitable word that comes to mind at that moment. Over time they learn to adjust better which language to speak with which person.

• #bilingual child
• #speech delay
• #language development
• #children abroad

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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