Why language delays happen?
Brain-injured children may use gesture to signal they need help in developing language, claims a new study. Brain injury, pre- or perinatal brain lesions, mainly occurs as a result of stroke, with risk factors involving both mothers and babies. Children with early brain lesions that affect one side of the brain often take longer to reach early language milestones; these delays normalize for many but persist for some. The new research has found that children’s gesturing at 18 months can identify those children who will have these later language delays.