Will Speaking Two Languages Delay My Toddler’s Speech?
Families in Leander, Cedar Park, and surrounding North Austin communities often ask whether speaking their native language at home could delay their child’s speech development. Many parents are told. sometimes even by professionals, to stop using their mother tongue. The truth? Research and clinical experience say otherwise.
Does Speaking Your Native Language Cause Speech Delay?
The answer is a big, fat resounding NO! The advantages of learning multiple languages have been proven time after time. I sincerely hoped the days of telling bilingual parents who have children with developmental disabilities or speech and language delays to stop using their native language with their child would be over. I am afraid it’s not. This widespread misconception can have severe repercussions for a child.
Over the years, I have been contacted by many families who have been informed by their pediatricians that their child’s language development is adversely affected by their use of their mother tongue at home. The doctor strongly advised them to immediately start speaking only English at home. Dropping your native language is not beneficial for developing language skills. I repeat, dropping your native language is not beneficial for developing language skills!
I find it extremely upsetting so many children of first-generation immigrants never acquire their mother tongue due to widespread misinformation. Countless times I have heard medical professionals, educators, parents, and even speech therapists tell a parent whose child seems to behind developmentally or who has language and/or speech problems that they should just speak to their child in English to help them catch up. These recommendations are made without any basis, without considering current research.
Why Maintaining the Home Language Supports Development
SECOND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT: A strong foundation in the home language facilitates the learning of a second language.
CONNECTION TO CULTURE: Speaking in the home language allows your child to access and understand their family’s customs, stories, and values, which helps your child develop a positive self-image.
FAMILIAL BONDING: Speaking in the home language strengthens emotional connections between family members and allows for communication between generations.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Research suggests that being bilingual, particularly when maintaining the home language, can positively impact attention, problem solving, memory, and critical thinking skills.
LINGUISTIC FLEXIBILITY: Maintaining the home language offers a strong basis for being able to acquire additional languages, making it easier to become proficient in multiple languages.
What Happens If Families Stop Using Their Home Language?
CULTURAL IDENTITY LOSS: Not speaking the home language regularly can result in loss of significant facets of cultural heritage, which can cause an individual to become disconnected from their roots.
COMMUNICATION LIMITATIONS: Not speaking the home language can result in individuals experiencing difficulty trying to communicate effectively with family members who primarily speak the home language.
REDUCED EDUCATIONAL/VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Not being proficient in the home language could lead to poor academic performance and limit employment opportunities.
NOW LET’S USE OUR IMAGINATION
What if English was your native language and you were transferred to another country for work. Let’s say Portuguese is spoken in this country and the language of academic instruction where your child is enrolled for school is also Portuguese. You might learn some basic sentences in Portuguese. However, your vocabulary is limited, and your verb conjugations are incorrect.
One day you take your child to the doctor and express concerns about their language development. The doctor strongly suggests that you are doing your child a disservice by speaking to them in English. The doctor advises you to immediately speak Portuguese with them at all times. You want to do what you believe is best for your child. Therefore, you commit to speaking only Portuguese. Remember, your vocabulary is limited, and your verb conjugations are incorrect. Are you providing your child with an ideal language model? Absolutely not! Do you feel your child would do better with you speaking poor Portuguese or excellent English? Yes, excellent English. There you have it. You should speak to your child in the language that you are most proficient in, in order to provide the best language models.
Language Difference vs Language Disorder
In my work with bilingual toddlers in Leander and Cedar Park, many families share this same big concern which is whether their child’s communication challenges are related to learning multiple languages or if there may be an actual speech or language delay present.
This is where understanding the difference between a language difference and a language disorder becomes essential.
A language difference occurs when a child’s communication patterns reflect the influence of learning more than one language. This is a normal, expected part of bilingual development.
You may notice things like:
Mixing words from both languages in one sentence
Using grammar structures from one language while speaking another
Having stronger skills in one language than the other
Periods where one language seems more dominant
These patterns are typical and do not indicate a disorder.
A language disorder, on the other hand, impacts a child’s ability to understand or use language across all languages they are exposed to.
Red flags for a true delay may include:
Limited vocabulary in both languages
Difficulty understanding simple directions
Not combining words by expected ages
Reduced social communication skills
Frustration when trying to express needs
In these cases, the challenge is not bilingualism, it’s underlying language development.
This is why bilingual speech evaluations look at a child’s total language system, not just English skills alone.
A child should never be misidentified as delayed simply because they are learning more than one language.
Understanding early toddler speech delay signs can help families decide when to seek support.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AS A PARENT WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT MY CHILD’S SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND WAS ADVISED TO STOP USING MY NATIVE LANGUAGE?
Find a speech therapist who specializes in dual language development. They will be able to assess your child to determine if there is a language difference versus a language disorder or delay which might require treatment. If you have concerns about your child’s communication across languages, a comprehensive speech evaluation can help determine whether a delay is present.
How Speech Therapy Supports Bilingual Children
In speech therapy sessions with bilingual toddlers in Leander & Cedar Park, we evaluate skills across both languages to determine whether a child is experiencing a language difference or a true delay. Therapy focuses on strengthening total language development rather than eliminating one language. If you’re wondering whether to monitor or act, you can read more about the “wait and see” approach here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does speaking two languages cause speech delay?
No. Research shows bilingual exposure does not cause speech delays.
Is it better to speak only English to my child?
No. Children benefit most when caregivers speak the language they are most fluent in.
Should I stop speaking my native language to my child?
No. Parents should speak the language they are most fluent in.
Will my child get confused learning two languages?
Children are capable of learning multiple languages simultaneously.
How do speech therapists evaluate bilingual children?
Evaluations assess skills across both languages to differentiate delay vs difference.
Families in Leander, Cedar Park, and North Austin can contact Speechie Auntie to schedule a bilingual speech and language evaluation or consultation.
Written by Sonia Chowdhury Lopez, M.S., CCC-SLP
Owner and Speech-Language Pathologist at Speechie Auntie
