Stating that a healthy 1-year-old child should be able to say at least one word in a meaningful way, experts emphasize that if there is a speech disorder or delay at this stage, a physician should be consulted without delay. Before the age of 6, since the brain development of the child is quite flexible, experts point out that weaknesses in speech can be corrected very quickly with small touches and underline that jealousy about the newborn sibling can cause late speech. Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten made very important evaluations regarding language and speech disorders in children.
FIRST WORDS BEGIN TO APPEAR AT THE AGE OF 1
Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten stated that from the moment they are born, the child's brain develops and matures like the body and that speech is one of the important steps in development. Sarı Gökten said, "Just as we expect a baby to be able to sit without support at an average of 7-8 months of age and walk at the age of 1 year, language and speech in a normal and healthy child must go through certain stages. After the age of 1, there is an increase in the child's verbal output and intensive learning of language with the effect of the many directions he/she received in that first age. When problems start to be seen at these stages, we talk about speech and language disorders."
MOTHERS RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM BY COMPARING
Stating that mothers who usually come to them have noticed the speech problem in their children when they compare them with their peers, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said, "Unfortunately, the problem of not being able to meet at a common point within the family is a situation we see very often. Especially attentive mothers can recognize developmental delays or weaknesses in their children very well, but unfortunately fathers or other relatives delay the process a bit. Delay in the process creates a handicap for both us and the child in terms of intervention. In cases where parents have question marks in their minds, there is no harm in taking the child for an examination," he said.
INTERVENTION BEFORE 6 YEARS OF AGE IS IMPORTANT
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten continued her words as follows "However, the longer we delay, the more we lose. Before the age of 6, since the brain development of the child is quite flexible, weaknesses in speech can be corrected very quickly with small touches. But as time passes, we lose this chance. Even in children with autism, we often hear relatives who consider themselves more knowledgeable than experts and doctors. Children with speech impairment or delay may be accompanied by autism spectrum disorder. Although the child does not make eye contact and constantly turns around, even in such a clear picture, they say "no, it will pass, it is not a problem" and they are content with his physical posture and can delay the process very much."
NEW SIBLING MAY CAUSE DELAYED SPEECH
Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten, Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said, "Mental conditions such as jealousy about the newborn sibling and thinking that he/she will no longer be taken care of are one of the reasons we often encounter. However, unrest in the family can have a great impact on the mental and developmental characteristics of children. In cases of speech delay, parents should be especially informed about the following issues; both speech delay and attention deficit can be a sign of hyperactivity. They can be children with hyperactivity, impatient, with high energy, and this should not be overlooked in order for the child to benefit better from the therapy. At the same time, compared to other children, children who have problems with speech may be more likely to have learning difficulties in school."
AUDITORY IMPAIRMENT MAY GO UNNOTICED FOR YEARS
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten also talked about the auditory problems experienced by children. Emphasizing that families may not notice this problem for years, Sarı Gökten said; "Families may not notice the lack or absence of hearing for a long time, and that lost time is really important. As the years pass without the child receiving any auditory stimulation, the problem grows and it becomes much more difficult to treat it, and such an important problem should not be overlooked. Therefore, along with speech, the child's interest in the people around him/her, his/her peers, whether he/she has repetitive movements, whether he/she makes eye contact, whether he/she immediately turns and reacts when called is very important. If there is a problem with these, they should consult a specialist without delay."
SPEECH DISORDERS CAN BE TREATED
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten talked about the causes of speech delay and disorders as well as the methods they apply in their treatment. Sarı Gökten said, "When the family comes to us with the complaint of speech delay, we perform a detailed screening of the child as well as speech because children go through some developmental stages and speech is one of these developmental stages. We need to examine the child's social skills, motor and self-care skills and cognitive structure. In some children, we need to consider a neurological examination. There are some mild symptoms that suggest that there are neurological problems. When we notice neurological problems in the examination, we request the pediatric neurology department to participate in the process."
WE REQUEST EEG IN NEUROLOGIC CONDITION
Stating that they plan and implement a very detailed and careful treatment process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten continued her words as follows; "This evaluation starts with a detailed history from the family and clinical examination of the child. We build the observation on details such as the relationship we establish with the child, the observation of his/her relationship with his/her parents, how he/she speaks, whether he/she can have a mutual conversation. Within that evaluation process, we apply tests that evaluate all the retardation and weaknesses that we think exist in the child. If we suspect a neurological problem, we definitely ask for an electroencephalography (EEG). Apart from that, we ask for developmental tests, tests to determine the level of mental intelligence, as well as the examination and evaluation of the speech and language therapist. A total evaluation of all of them, such as what kind of therapy the child needs, the therapists' evaluations, their recommendations to the family, is very important for our treatment process."
IF MEDICATION IS GIVEN, THERE IS A PSYCHIATRIC REASON
Stating that in child psychiatry, they do not apply drug treatment in every situation, Sarı Gökten said, "The situation in the child is very important. For example, if we only diagnose a child with a developmental speech delay, if there is a family history of delayed speech and the child seems to be developing, if he is behind his peers, we examine his developmental skills. If we do not see any problems in social and motor skills and non-verbal communication areas, in such a case, we only apply speech therapy, daycare support, and treatment by talking about what parents should and should not do. If we give medication to a child with a speech disorder, we can definitely say that there is a psychiatric condition with it."
