{"h1":"My child has a Speech and Language Delay — what should I do first?","faq":[{"a":"No — for many children it is not. With early, play-based speech and language therapy and a language-rich home, a great many children make strong progress and catch up. The earlier support begins, the better, because the young brain is primed to learn language.","q":"Is a Speech and Language Delay permanent?"},{"a":"Yes — a hearing check is one of the most important first steps. Even mild or temporary hearing issues, such as glue ear, can hold back a child's language. Confirming hearing is clear helps your therapist plan the right support.","q":"Should I get my child's hearing checked?"},{"a":"A great deal. You spend far more time with your child than any therapist does. Talking through daily routines, naming objects, reading together, pausing to let your child respond and reducing screen time all turn ordinary moments into powerful language practice.","q":"How much can I help at home?"},{"a":"As soon as possible after diagnosis. Early support takes advantage of how quickly the young brain learns language, so beginning promptly gives your child the best foundation to grow their communication.","q":"How soon should therapy start?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-speech-and-language-delay-what-should-i-do-first","title":"Speech and Language Delay — Your First Steps","entity":{"key":"speech-delay","kind":"condition","name":"Speech and Language Delay","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Adaptive","value":"adaptive"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Plan","value":"plan"},{"kind":"route","label":"Speech-Therapy","value":"speech-therapy"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Family Empowerment","value":"family_empowerment"}],"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-can-i-expect-as-my-child-with-speech-and-language-delay-grows-up","title":"What can I expect as my child with Speech and Language Delay grows up?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-is-speech-and-language-delay-diagnosed-in-a-child","title":"How Is Speech and Language Delay Diagnosed in a Child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-speech-and-language-delay-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Speech and Language Delay Affects Daily Life"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-early-intervention-help-a-child-with-speech-and-language-delay","title":"How early intervention helps a child with speech and language delay"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-treatment-and-therapy-options-for-speech-and-language-delay","title":"Treatment and Therapy Options for Speech and Language Delay"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-speech-and-language-therapy-help-a-child-with-speech-and-language-delay","title":"How speech and language therapy helps a child with speech and language delay"}],"summary":"After a Speech and Language Delay diagnosis, the first steps are to understand the type of delay, check hearing, begin early play-based speech and language therapy, and become an active everyday communication partner at home. Early support is highly effective. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","answer_md":"*A diagnosis is not a verdict — it is the moment your child's path to talking gets a clear, hopeful direction.*\n\n## In short\nTake a breath — a Speech and Language Delay is one of the most common and most responsive areas of early childhood development. Your first three steps are simple: **understand the diagnosis, begin speech and language therapy early, and become your child's everyday communication partner at home.** Children who start support early often make wonderful progress, because the young brain is built to learn language when given the right, playful practice.\n\n## What to do first\n- **Hear the full picture.** Ask the clinician *what kind* of delay this is — is it understanding language (receptive), using words and sentences (expressive), or both? Has hearing been checked? A simple hearing screen is an essential first step, because even mild glue ear can hold language back.\n- **Begin speech and language therapy.** This is the core support. A speech-language therapist works through play to build understanding, sounds, words and the back-and-forth of communication, at exactly your child's level.\n- **Turn your home into a language-rich place.** Narrate daily routines, name what your child looks at, pause and wait for them to respond, read together, and reduce screen time. You are with your child far more than any therapist — your everyday talk is powerful medicine.\n- **Keep a simple record.** Note new sounds, words and gestures. This helps you see progress and helps your therapist tune the plan.\n\n## When to act promptly\nDo seek a review sooner if your child loses words or skills they once had, does not respond to their name or sounds, shows no gestures like pointing or waving, or if you have any worry about hearing. Loss of previously learned skills always deserves prompt clinical attention.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nAbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. Our therapists build a precise [communication profile](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and shape a play-based plan through [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate), supported by guidance you can use every day at [home](/). Drawing on 25 million+ therapy sessions and 4.95 lakh+ families served, support is built around your child's strengths, never their gaps.\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (6A01, developmental speech or language disorders); CDC *Learn the Signs. Act Early.* developmental milestones; Indian Academy of Pediatrics and RBSK developmental screening guidance; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org).\n\n**Next step —** Ready to begin your child's communication journey with confidence? [Book a speech and language assessment with a Pinnacle clinician](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate).\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-speech-and-language-delay-what-should-i-do-first","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-speech-and-language-delay-what-should-i-do-first","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-was-just-diagnosed-with-speech-and-language-delay-what-should-i-do-first-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"Speech & Language Delay: What To Do First","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Narrate your day out loud — name what your child sees and touches, then pause and wait a few seconds, giving them space to respond with a sound, gesture or word.","published_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-speech-and-language-delay-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Speech and Language Delay Affects Daily Life","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-speech-and-language-delay-considered-a-disability","title":"Is Speech and Language Delay considered a disability?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-speech-and-language-delay-genetic-or-hereditary","title":"Is Speech and Language Delay Genetic or Hereditary?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-common-myths-about-speech-and-language-delay","title":"What are common myths about Speech and Language Delay?","reason":"Same 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Act Early."},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","meta_description":"Just got a Speech and Language Delay diagnosis? Understand the delay, check hearing, start early speech therapy and support communication at home — warm, c","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}