It’s thrilling to watch a baby learn to communicate, whether it’s sounds or grunts or first words. Many parents will remember their child’s first word forever.

Babies progress with their communication at different rates. Let’s not forget that they’re born with a very effective means of getting our attention. Crying!

Until 24 months, it can be difficult to assess if a toddler has a communication delay or is just taking their time learning first words!

Babies or toddlers with cerebral palsy will often be slower learning to talk. This is because speech requires coordination of our muscles in our face, mouth and vocal cords.

Cerebral palsy can interfere with a baby’s ability to tell their muscles what to do and so speech becomes more challenging. You may also observe grimacing or drooling or difficulties with eating and drinking. There are many children with cerebral palsy who experience speech delay and eventually learn to talk effectively.

CP may also cause cognitive and learning issues that delay or inhibit a baby’s ability to learn language. Keep in mind that missing communication benchmarks does not necessarily mean cognitive delay. It’s very possible that a baby is progressing well in terms of understanding language but has a delay with the muscle coordination task of speech.

It may be a hard thing to think about, but some children with cerebral palsy don’t learn speech. This is sometimes called being ‘non-verbal’. These children usually learn to communicate through an alternative communication device. At the age of two, it is too early to say whether a child with cerebral palsy will be verbal or non-verbal.

We do know from research studies that from ages 0-2, the human brain is brilliantly equipped to respond to therapy and early interventions. The practitioners in this area are usually called speech therapists or speech pathologists.

There are a range of therapies available, including:

Early communication intervention, which involves engaging your baby’s preverbal skills through play.

A speech and language assessment, which can identify delays and implement a customised therapeutic plan to help your toddler grow and thrive when it comes to communication.

Interventions may also promote cognitive development and minimise the potential development of behavioural difficulties as your baby or toddler gets older.

If you’re concerned about your baby’s development, please talk to your GP, child and family health nurse, or paediatrician.

In this section you will find more information related to communication and relevant therapies and interventions.