Unpacking delayed language development in babies
Jinagna Shah, a speech therapist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/health/2025-06-19-expert-unpacks-delayed-language-development-in-babies
Media Source: The Star (Kenya)
Date: 27 June 2025
Dr Jinagna Shah, a speech therapist at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), defines delayed language as a condition often seen in babies or toddlers three to three and a half years old who have not been able to utter their first words. Dr Jinagna says “a typically developing child should achieve their language milestones by…
Dr Jinagna Shah, a speech therapist at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), defines delayed language as a condition often seen in babies or toddlers three to three and a half years old who have not been able to utter their first words. Dr Jinagna says “a typically developing child should achieve their language milestones by around 12 to 18 months. Any point beyond this, right up to the age of three, three and a half, this gap in between is when we say that a child has delayed speech and language.” She adds, “Beyond 3.5 to four years, we know it is much more severe and that is when we would classify it as something called a developmental language disorder." She further says that there are many factors that contribute to whether a baby will become an adult who never speaks. These include medical conditions, for example, hearing impairment or neurological conditions like cerebral palsy or seizures.