What is Normal in Bilingual Language Development?
Bilingualism does not cause or worsen speech delays.
If you are raising a child with two or more languages, please give yourself credit for immense effort you are making to give the beautiful gift of bilingualism to your child. Please do not stop!
It can be incredibly confusing to figure out if your child’s speech development is exactly where it needs to be or if they are experiencing a true delay. When you are feeling anxious, it is easy to wonder if you should drop one language and stick only to English. However, scientific research shows that Bilingualism does not cause or worsen speech delays.
Here are a few key factors to consider that I hope will give you a little insight into what is typical development:
Factors to Consider: Typical Development vs. Delay
Typical Bilingual Development
Going through a "silent period" when exposed to a brand-new language (listening more than talking for a few weeks or months).
Codeswitching: Mixing languages is normal. If a child says, "Look at the big perro!" they are not confused. They are simply using their entire available vocabulary to build a complete sentence.
Mixing grammar rules from both languages.
Signs of a Possible Speech or Language Delay
Does not respond to their name or simple gestures (like pointing) by 12 months.
Has fewer than 10-20 words/signs in any language by 18 months.
Does not use spontaneous two-word phrases by age two.
Struggles significantly to understand instructions in both home languages.
Is very difficult for close family members to understand by age three.
Keep Going—You Are an Amazing Parent!
Nurturing two or more languages takes time, patience, and lots of repetition, but the cognitive, social, and cultural benefits for your child are priceless.