delayed speech

American  

noun

Speech Pathology.

1. a speech disorder of children in which the levels of intelligibility, vocabulary, complexity of utterance, etc., are significantly below the levels considered standard for a particular age.

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Example Sentences

I was probably about 2 or 3 then, just trying to blab, because the early nurses I had when I was a kid had said that I had delayed speech or something called “selective mutism.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2025

"By implementing effective screening tools, we can make a big difference in giving children with delayed speech and language development the support they need," says researcher Anton Dahlberg.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024

As a toddler, he avoided eye contact, had delayed speech and fixated on specific toys — all typical traits of autism.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 20, 2022

Can cause difficulty walking and delayed speech development.

From New York Times • Jan. 1, 2022

More than 90% of teachers surveyed by Save the Children said children who start primary one with delayed speech and language skills can fall behind.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2016