Some common risk factors that make a child prone to language delay/disorder:
(1) hearing loss or frequent ear infections – not being able to hear clearly means he/she can’t pick up sounds or words.
(2) family history – someone in the family tree has some form of developmental delay or condition. This can include autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, dyslexia, stuttering, late talking, etc.
(3) premature birth – children born prematurely are more prone to delays in cognitive and language development.
(4) child has another area of delay – e.g. the child is also showing some delays in motor, social, cognitive domains. (If this is the case, the child may need to get evaluated by a paediatrician, speech therapist or other specialist.)
(5) neglect and/or abuse – extreme maltreatment especially in young children has been shown to affect language skill development among other things.
Sometimes, none of the factors listed above are present, but a child may still be language delayed.