forum Tips on writing speech and language delay

Started November 19, 2021 by @Rover3672

tune

For one of my character's I'm heavily considering having him previously had a speech delay when he was younger and before I make that decision I'd rather be more educated on the topic! I did a bit of research but I still have some questions that hopefully y'all can help me with.

-Can it carry over it adulthood and what would that look like?

-What are some reasonings a child could be delayed? I know autism is one of the reasons and same as hearing disabilities but as of know I'm not convinced this character having autism would work out so well, maybe the hearing but even then thats a big maybe

-What learning disabilities are linked to speech delay?

-What would you consider dos and don'ts for writing a character with speech delay?

If you have any comments or general things to note feel free to put them here too! I wanna make sure that if I decide this fits the character well instead of trying to force something onto him.

If you're still asking/interested:

Can it carry over it adulthood and what would that look like?

Yes, it can. It can look like an adult with a limited vocabulary. It can look like a moderate to severe stutter/stammer, or a person getting stuck on a sound. It can also look like a person having words 'on the tip of their tongue' on a regular basis, often the same word, but not being able to string them together well.

What are some reasonings a child could be delayed? I know autism is one of the reasons and same as hearing disabilities but as of know I'm not convinced this character having autism would work out so well, maybe the hearing but even then thats a big maybe

Trauma can delay speech. Lack of interaction/neglect can delay speech. An injury to the head, jaw, or mouth can lead to delays, since a child will naturally baby that area of the body.

-What learning disabilities are linked to speech delay?

This, as you mentioned, is a defining mark of the autism spectrum. Any LD that falls on the autism spectrum can have speech delay. Selective mutism can also be a result of a social anxiety disorder (which isn't an LD but is a disorder).

What would you consider dos and don'ts for writing a character with speech delay?

Don't write them stupid. Make sure we see that their stilted/stunted/delayed speech is a result of a disorder and not because you want us to think they're an idiot.
Also, don't make them sound like bad stereotypes of, say, Native Americans. "Me name Tonto. Me big friend." None of that. Don't use them as a joke or a punchline.
Do communicate through them as a real person with a difficulty. Let them get frustrated at it or show other emotions. Do give them other ways to communicate, such as signing or writing or gestures or symbols or Something, because in reality, they would have figured out a way.
Just some thoughts :)