Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

Bacoor City Campus
SHIV, Molino VI, City of Bacoor
(046) 476-5029
cvsubacoor@cvsu.edu.ph

Name: LAGRANA, MA. ANGELICA A. Date: 03-25-2024

Section & Course: BS PSYCHOLOGY 3-2 Instructor: MS. BENNET ESPAÑOLA

The ability to convey and understand language is necessary for verbal communication.
Speech and language disorders include problems with lip movements and vocalization, as well
as impairments in the ability to produce and understand words. A child is said to have a
developmental delay if they do not reach developmental milestones by the expected age.
Language evaluates a child's understanding, whereas speech pertains to the sounds they
make. It is possible to gauge a child's IQ and general growth by looking at their speech and
language development. As a result, a kid may be diagnosed with speech delay if their speech is
illegible or full of errors.

In the case study of Aki, the oldest son who is usually ignored by his mother while taking
care of his smaller brother, is a three-year-old child who struggles to talk. Owing to his mother's
frequent absence, he enjoys amusing himself by playing with the phone she gave him.
Moreover, it is mentioned that Angkoy, Aki's male cousin, also experiences speech difficulties.
Therefore, I will hereafter assert that the natural factors influencing Aki and Angkoy's speech
were the cause of their speech delays. This is so that, if the children were given enough
exposure to social language, the majority of children can pick up their native tongue without any
special help or interference. A child’s ability to hear, see, understand, remember, and
communicate with others is typically reversed when they develop their speech and language.
Furthermore, it is true that both nature—which includes biological and genetic factors—and
nurture—which includes environmental factors—can affect speech delay. On the other hand,
given that speech and language are the primary means of vocal communication in humans and
have played a significant evolutionary role in our species' evolution, it is important to recognize
that, even though nurture factors do play a part in speech delay, natural factors play a critical
role. Furthermore, children develop their language according to a typical pattern, though genetic
factors may cause variations. In addition, there are times that a child's development of speech
and language abilities just happens at a slower rate, and this can also be influenced by
genetics.

1
 Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
Bacoor City Campus
SHIV, Molino VI, City of Bacoor
(046) 476-5029
cvsubacoor@cvsu.edu.ph

The first thing to take into consideration when it comes to speech delays as a natural factor
is the genetic predisposition, as stated by Rosenbaum and Simon (2016). This further supports
the natural factors as a major cause of Aki's speech delay. Studies indicate that language
development is significantly influenced by genetic factors. Speech delays are more common in
kids whose families have a history of speech and language impairments. For instance, the
development of speech can also be impacted by certain genetic disorders, such as Down
syndrome or particular chromosomal abnormalities. Sunderajan and Kanhere (2019) also
mention that neurological factors may contribute to children's speech delays. The reason for this
is that speech delay may be influenced by variations in brain structure and function. As an
example, certain kids might not develop speech and language abilities at a typical rate due to
neurological diseases or developmental disorders like cerebral palsy or autism spectrum
disorder. Certain inherited traits in children can also cause delays in speech. That said, there is
a chance that parents will pass on certain characteristics pertaining to speech and language
skills. In addition, variations in genes linked to language processing, can impact a child's speech
development. Moreover, according to Aldharman et al. (2023), Children's speech delays can
also be brought on by biological causes. The brain, nerves, muscles, and sensory organs are all
involved in intricate biological processes that are necessary for speech and language
development. Speech delays can be caused by any irregularities or delays in these biological
processes. In addition, there are a number of risk factors for speech and language impairments
in children, for instance, it can be due to their male gender, low birth weight, early birth, and
family history. Because it can cause hearing loss and interfere with speech and language
development, otitis media, also known as middle ear infections, is another risk factor.

A child's development can be influenced by a range of biological and genetic factors,

including genetics, which means that speech delays can actually be more often caused by
nature than nurture. The biological makeup of the child determines these natural factors, which
are not impacted by external factors like exposure to social language or interaction with parents.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that environmental factors like parental interaction and exposure
to social language play a part in speech development, but there is also evidence to suggest that
natural factors such as genetic predisposition, neurological factors, biological causes, and even
inherited traits had an impact on speech delays significantly. Therefore, comprehending these
inherent variables is pivotal to accurately detect and manage speech impairments in childrens,
since it facilitates focused interventions that target the fundamental biological processes that
give rise to speech difficulties.

2
 Republic of the Philippines
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
Bacoor City Campus
SHIV, Molino VI, City of Bacoor
(046) 476-5029
cvsubacoor@cvsu.edu.ph

REFERENCES:

● Aldaharman, S. S., Almuzaini, A. S., & Alzahrani, L. D. (2023, November 9). Prevalence
and risk factors of speech delay in children less than seven years old in Saudi Arabia.
The Cureus Journal of Medical Science: Peer-Reviewed, Open Access.
https://www.cureus.com/articles/196622-prevalence-and-risk-factors-of-speech-delay-in-
children-less-than-seven-years-old-in-saudi-arabia#!/

● Kanhere, Sujata, V., & Sunderajan. (2019, May). Speech and language delay in children:
Prevalence and risk... : Journal of family medicine and primary care. LWW.
https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_162_19

● Rosenbaum, S., & Simon, P. (2016). Speech and Language disorders in children:
Implications for the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income
Program. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27123507/