Do boys talk later than girls?
Have you ever wondered if boys talk later than girls?
You may be wondering, “Is that actually true or is it just something I hear people say?”
Our hope is that you’ll walk away with a better understanding of the slight differences in how boys and girls develop language, and what you can do to support your child’s language development, regardless of their gender.
Yes, boys may talk later than girls, but...
In short, the answer in that yes, boys do tend to talk a little bit later than girls. But, it isn’t as dramatic a difference as you might think!
Speech development varies a lot between children, and there are a lot of reasons for that. Their gender is one factor, and even though it’s a pretty reliable one, it’s not the whole picture.
What The Research Says
So yes, there is research to show that girls may reach certain language milestones earlier than boys do... BUT only by a few months!
The truth is that there is a range in which language milestones are typically met, and girls tend to be on the earlier end of that range. And even though boys tend to be a little bit behind girls in this area, it’s important to remember that we would still look for them to fall within the range of normal language development.
For example, the average two year old says hundreds of words, but the milestone is 50 words by age two. Remember, these don’t need to be pronounced perfectly. Parts of words, animals sounds, environmental sounds, and sign language all count!
What To Do About It
Although it’s important to know that while it’s typical for boys to demonstrate some skills a little bit later than girls do, as parents, you still want to keep a close eye on their development and reach out to your child’s pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist if you think they are not meeting communication milestones.
What we don't want to do is fall into the trap of saying, "oh it’s fine, because he’s a boy" to justify not him meeting these milestones.
You know your child best, and keeping an eye on their development is never a bad idea. That way if they do start to fall behind, we can get them back on track as soon as possible
When To Book a Speech and Language Assessment
Whenever language milestones are not being met, a speech and language assessment is recommended, because children who receive early intervention have the best outcomes.
Want To Know More About Milestones?
If you're curious about language milestones, we have a free checklist that you can download. Click here to snag yours!
Source:
Özçalskan, S., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2010). Sex differences in language first appear in gesture. Developmental Science, 13(5), 752-760.