speech delay vs language delay

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wuts
the
difference

I think a speech delay is where a child's speech develops in the normal way, but slower than other children (a 'late-bloomer'), whilst a language delay/disorder is where a child's speech develops abnormally, resulting in difficulty communicating.

For example, I didn't speak for longer than is normal (and apparently didn't cry as a baby), but when I did my speech was very fluent, and I picked up native and foreign languages more proficiently than other children. My brother always teases me because I can speak many languages, but I hardly speak to anyone at all, even in English.

So, I had a speech delay. I sometimes wonder if I don't have a language disorder too though, albeit a beneficial one, because I clearly learn languages differently to other people. I see patterns in them and attach strong visual imagery to words. I often dream in other languages (my mother also claims I often spoke a Russian-sounding language in my sleep as a child ). Interesting topic.

I definitely had a speech delay. I didn't speak until I was 5 1/2.

There is the possibility that I did not have a language delay; I was told that I understood everything that was said to me.

It's possible that I had some sort of language delay, in that I just didn't know what to say--until I actually started speaking.

Later in childhood, it was evident that I had a delay in speaking appropriately---I asked inappropriate questions at the wrong times, I spoke only about things I was interested in, not taking into account other people's desires, and I had trouble "taking turns" in conversation. I probably had what is termed a "pragmatic language delay."

I don't believe I had a primary language delay, though--only a speech delay.

Within six months after I started speaking at age 5 1/2, I spoke like a "normal" 6 year old.

Speech is about pronunciation of letters and sounds of the letters and articulation and language is about putting together words and sentences to make sense and understanding what is being said to you and what you are reading. I had all of this as a kid. Delayed I mean.