Childen's Hospital Boston  300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 355-6000
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My Child Has:
Speech Delay
Programs related to this topic
 Cerebral Palsy Program    Developmental Medicine Program  
 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program  
Children begin to develop speech only when they are able to hear sound. There are several causes for speech delay in children, including neurological causes, behavioral difficulties, and access to appropriate environmental stimuli. However, the most common cause of speech delay in children is the persistence of fluid behind the eardrum and associated hearing loss.

Fluid behind the eardrum resulting from chronic ear infections may cause a mild hearing loss, preventing children from hearing sound appropriately.

Any child with a diagnosis of speech delay, enrollment in Early Intervention, or family history of hearing loss should have an audiologic evaluation. Hearing can be evaluated at any age by our skilled team of audiologists.

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