Speech Delay Evaluation — Anoki

Speech Delay Evaluation

Expert evaluation when words take longer to arrive

If your toddler isn't babbling, combining words, or speaking as clearly as peers, a professional speech evaluation can provide clarity. Dr. K. Sushma assesses speech milestones, rules out hearing or developmental factors, and guides you toward the right support.

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A pediatrician evaluating a child's speech and language development

Signs requiring prompt evaluation: If your child has no babbling or gestures (like pointing or waving) by 12 months, no single words by 16 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, or suffers a sudden loss of speech at any age, please book an evaluation promptly.

Every child's voice finds its rhythm

While some children are simply "late talkers" who catch up naturally, others need professional guidance to unlock their communication skills. Early evaluation removes the guesswork and gives you actionable strategies to help your child express themselves clearly.

Expressive & Receptive

Language Testing

Hearing Screen

Root-Cause Analysis

Therapy Referrals

Targeted Support

MBBS, DCH, DNB

Pediatric Qualifications

What we evaluate

Key components of a speech evaluation

Communication involves much more than just saying words. We look at the entire framework of how your child connects with the world.

Receptive Language

Evaluating how well your child understands spoken words, simple instructions, and questions directed at them.

Expressive Language

Checking vocabulary size, use of gestures, combining words, and how clearly they express their thoughts and needs.

Articulation & Clarity

Assessing how well they pronounce sounds and whether family members or strangers can understand their speech.

Social Communication

Observing non-verbal cues, eye contact, sharing enjoyment, and back-and-forth conversational gestures.

Hearing Screening

Checking for physical barriers to speech—such as fluid buildup from chronic ear infections—that may be dampening hearing.

Oral-Motor Skills

Evaluating the strength and coordination of the lips, tongue, and jaw used for producing speech sounds.

When to visit

Signs your child needs a speech evaluation

Milestones are benchmarks. Falling significantly behind them is a cue to seek professional guidance.

12 Months

No Gestures or Babbling

Not pointing, waving bye-bye, or making varied consonant sounds (like "ba-ba" or "da-da").

18 Months

Limited Vocabulary

Using fewer than 10-20 words consistently, or struggling to understand basic one-step verbal commands.

24 Months

No Word Combinations

Unable to put two words together spontaneously (e.g., "more milk" or "go out"), or relying solely on gestures to communicate.

What happens

Your child's evaluation, step by step

Developmental & speech history

We discuss your pregnancy, milestones, ear infection history, and your specific observations at home.

Play-based language observation

Dr. Sushma interacts with your child using toys and picture books to naturally test their receptive and expressive language skills.

Physical and hearing check

Inspecting the ears for fluid and checking oral-motor structures (like the palate and tongue tie) that affect speech.

Results and analysis

Clarifying whether your child is a late talker who will catch up or if there is an underlying speech or developmental delay.

Actionable roadmap

Providing everyday language-building strategies for parents, alongside referrals to certified speech-language therapists if required.

Before your visit

What to bring

Helping us understand their communication

Videos of communication at home

Children often freeze or stay quiet in a clinic. A short video of how they try to talk, gesture, or react to family members at home is invaluable.

A rough word list

Jot down all the words or approximations of words your child currently uses, even if only family members understand them.

Ear infection history

Make a note of how many ear infections your child has had, as chronic fluid in the ears can temporarily impair speech development.

Daycare or preschool feedback

Bring notes or feedback from teachers regarding how your child communicates with peers and teachers.

When speech delays involve neurological or developmental factors

Sometimes, speech delays are part of a broader developmental profile, such as Autism Spectrum traits or general cognitive delays. Anoki’s integrated model allows Dr. Sushma to seamlessly collaborate with our developmental and neurological specialists to ensure your child receives a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluation.

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Your Pediatrician

Dr. K. Sushma

MBBS, DCH, DNB Pediatrics · Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Sushma brings a gentle, observant approach to speech and language evaluations. She listens carefully to parental concerns, rules out hidden physical causes like hearing barriers, and empowers families with practical tools to encourage language growth.

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Common questions

Questions parents often ask

Is a speech delay normal for boys?

While boys statistically tend to speak slightly later than girls on average, a true significant speech delay should never be ignored simply because a child is a boy. An evaluation helps determine if they need support.

Does watching too much TV cause speech delays?

Excessive screen time—especially fast-paced background TV or scrolling on phones—is heavily linked to speech delays in toddlers because it replaces the back-and-forth social interaction human brains need to learn language.

Can multilingual homes cause speech delays?

Growing up in a multilingual household does not cause speech delays. While multilingual children might mix languages initially or have slightly smaller vocabularies per language early on, their total vocabulary is usually on target.

What is the difference between speech and language?

Speech is the physical production of sounds (articulation). Language is a much broader system of meaning—understanding words (receptive) and expressing ideas (expressive).

How early can speech therapy start?

Speech and language therapy can begin as early as 12 to 18 months if significant delays or red flags are identified. Early intervention during these formative years yields the best outcomes.

Help your child find their voice.

Book a speech delay evaluation with Dr. K. Sushma at our Pragathi Nagar clinic.

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