3-5 years

Can a speech pace that is too fast or too slow be a bad sign?

Speech Therapist Tips 3-5
There are speech pathologies such as:
  • Bradyalia (prolonged speech)
  • Tachylalia (speedy speech)
You need to check if your child has specific symptoms, and if so, consult a specialist.

If you notice the following signs in your child:
  • Unnaturally slow speech pace, both aloud and internally
  • Increased pauses between words and sounds within words, stretching of vowels
  • Monotonous, expressionless voice, nasal voice quality
  • Impairments in general and fine motor skills and facial expressions
  • Sluggishness, clumsiness, difficulties in coordination and concentration
These may be signs of bradyalia, and you should consult a specialist.

If you observe the following signs:
  • Unnaturally fast speech pace: about 20-30 sounds per second
  • Disruptions in speech, breathing, and voice
  • Stammering, repetitions, rearrangements of sounds and syllables, "swallowing" words
  • Writing difficulties: substituting letters with graphically similar ones
  • Motor, behavioral, and nervous system disorders
  • Memory and attention problems
These signs may indicate tachylalia, so a specialist consultation (neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist) is required.
Specialist Contact:
Yulia Machus
Speech Therapist
@julia_machus