Dr. Piyush Jain
Dr. Piyush Jain provides pediatric clinical guidance for developmental and neurodevelopmental concerns where appropriate.
Genesis Neurogen Blog
We Speak Hindi and English at Home and Our Child Is Talking Late - Is Bilingualism the Cause?
संक्षेप में: बहुत से माता-पिता सोचते हैं कि घर में हिंदी और अंग्रेज़ी दोनों भाषाएँ बोलने से बच्चे की बोली देर से शुरू होती है। असल में शोध बताते हैं कि दो भाषाएँ सीखना आमतौर पर भाषा में देरी का कारण नहीं बनता। अगर बच्चा दोनों भाषाओं में ही उम्र के हिसाब से कम बोल रहा है, तो स्पीच थेरेपिस्ट से जांच करवाना सही कदम है।
Short answer: Growing up hearing two or more languages does not, on its own, cause speech and language delay. Bilingual children may mix languages or reach some milestones slightly differently, but if a child is behind expected milestones in both languages combined, it is worth a speech and language evaluation rather than assuming bilingualism is the reason.
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The common worry: "Are we confusing our child?"
It is a very common concern among parents in multilingual homes - if a child hears Hindi from grandparents, English at school, and a mix of both from parents, could that be why they are not talking as much as other children their age? This is one of the most persistent myths in early language development, and it often leads families to drop one language, hoping it will help.
What the evidence actually points to
Learning two languages at the same time does not cause a language delay. Bilingual children sometimes have a smaller vocabulary in each individual language early on (though their combined vocabulary across both is often comparable to monolingual peers), and some mixing of languages in a single sentence is a normal part of bilingual development, not a sign of confusion. Families in Sundar Nagri and Nirankari Colony have shared this same worry with us, often after being told by relatives to "pick one language." The more useful question is not how many languages a child hears, but whether their overall communication - across all languages combined - matches expectations for their age.
When should a bilingual child be assessed?
It's worth getting a speech and language evaluation if a child is significantly behind milestones in every language they are exposed to, has limited use of gestures or words to communicate needs generally, or if there are other developmental concerns alongside the speech delay. A speech-language therapist can assess a child's overall communication skills rather than judging one language in isolation. Read more about our speech and language therapy services.
Book a speech and language evaluation for your child with our speech & language therapy team. Call 7481909090 or message us on WhatsApp to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should we stop speaking one language to help our child talk sooner?
Generally no. Removing a language a child is regularly exposed to does not speed up speech development and can reduce a genuine communication opportunity. It is better to keep both languages and get an assessment if there is a real concern.
Is it normal for bilingual children to mix languages in one sentence?
Yes, this is common and expected in bilingual development and is not, by itself, a sign of a problem.
How do you assess a bilingual child's speech?
An evaluation typically looks at the child's overall communication across all the languages they hear, not just one language in isolation.
What if my child understands both languages but talks very little in either?
That combination - good understanding, but limited spoken output in any language - is worth discussing with a speech-language therapist regardless of how many languages are spoken at home.
Book a consultation with Genesis Neurogen.
Meet the doctors
Useful context about the Genesis Neurogen doctors, so you can understand the wider clinical practice while reading this article.
Dr. Radha Jain
Dr. Radha Jain is the Senior Consultant Gynecologist & Obstetrician within the wider Genesis Neurogen clinical practice. Her women’s-health services are detailed on the main Genesis Neurogen Delhi website.
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