aetiology

Last reviewed 01/2018

Possible causes of speech delays include:

• mental retardation
• deafness
• cerebral palsy
• social deprivation can cause significant speech delays
• maturation delay (developmental language delay) (2)
• expressive language disorder (developmental expressive aphasia) (2)
• prematurity(1)
• elective mutism
• infantile autism
• degenerative central nervous system disease
• receptive aphasia(2)
• bilingualism (2)

Reference:

• (1) Speech and language delays and disorders. University of Michigan Health System 2007.
• (2) Leung AKC et al. Evaluation and Management of the Child with Speech Delay. American Family Physician 1999; 59 (11)