Bilingual Myths vs Facts!

Progressive Pediatric Therapy • August 13, 2021

Written By: Emily Marshall, MA, CF-SLP

child sitting on her dad's chest as he lies on the ground

Some children with language delays grow up in bilingual homes and communities. Often, parents have concerns that learning two languages might impact their child’s language delay.

Here are some common myths:

Myth: If my child has a language delay, I should only speak to them in one language.

Fact: Research shows that children who have a language delay do not have any additional difficulties when compared to monolingual children with language delays.

Myth: Speaking to my child in two languages can cause a language delay.

Fact: While bilingual children can have language delays, bilingualism does not cause delays itself. In fact, bilingual children are able to learn language and develop as quickly as their monolingual peers.

A woman wearing a face shield is playing with a child who is blowing soap bubbles

What can I do to help my child meet their language milestones?

  • Speak in the language you are most comfortable with! When parents speak to their child in their home language, they are strengthening the link to their child’s family, culture, and parent-child connection.
  • Talk, talk, talk! Children learn by example. Talking during meals, playtime, and routines provides many different learning opportunities. 
  • Add one extra word! Help your child build on their sentences and phrases by adding one extra word to what they say. For example, if your child asks for “more”, you can add an extra word to model “more juice” or “more ball”. 

If you notice your child continues to have difficulty learning language, contact us to schedule an evaluation with one of our bilingual speech-language pathologists!

Sources:

Spanish Translation

Algunos niños con retrasos en el lenguaje crecen en hogares y comunidades bilingües. A menudo, a los padres les preocupa que el aprendizaje de dos idiomas pueda afectar el retraso del lenguaje de su hijo. A continuación, se muestran algunos mitos comunes:

Mito: si mi hijo tiene un retraso en el lenguaje, solo debería hablar con él en un idioma

Realidad: Las investigaciones muestran que los niños que tienen un retraso en el lenguaje no tienen dificultades adicionales en comparación con los niños monolingües con retrasos en el lenguaje.

Mito: Hablarle a mi hijo en dos idiomas puede causar un retraso en el idioma.

Realidad: Si bien los niños bilingües pueden tener retrasos en el lenguaje, el bilingüismo no causa retrasos en sí mismo. De hecho, los niños bilingües pueden aprender el lenguaje y desarrollarse tan rápido como sus compañeros monolingües.

¿Qué puedo hacer para ayudar a mi hijo a alcanzar los hitos del lenguaje?

  • ¡Habla en el idioma con el que te sientas más cómodo! Cuando los padres le hablan a su hijo en su idioma materno, están fortaleciendo el vínculo con la familia, la cultura y la conexión entre padres e hijos de su hijo.
  • ¡Hablar hablar hablar! Los niños aprenden con el ejemplo. Hablar durante las comidas, el tiempo de juego y las rutinas brinda muchas oportunidades de aprendizaje diferentes.
  • ¡Agrega una palabra más! Ayude a su hijo a desarrollar sus oraciones y frases agregando una palabra adicional a lo que dice. Por ejemplo, si su hijo pide “más”, puede agregar una palabra adicional para representar “más jugo” o “más pelota”.

Si nota que su hijo sigue teniendo dificultades para aprender el idioma, programe una evaluación con su patólogo del habla y el lenguaje bilingüe local.

The post Bilingual Myths vs Facts! appeared first on PPT4Kids.

By Aimee Brueck • November 3, 2026
A 2026 randomized controlled trial finds virtual reality added to occupational therapy produced large gains in fine motor precision, balance, and visual perception in children with ADHD. Progressive Pediatric Therapy explains what it means for Palm Beach County families. Schedule an evaluation today.
Does Your Child's Toe Walking Really Need Surgery? What a 2025 Gait Analysis Study Found
By Aimee Brueck • October 27, 2026
A 2025 study of 47 children with idiopathic toe walking found that adding gait analysis moved about one in three from planned orthopedic treatment to conservative care. Progressive Pediatric Therapy explains what it means for families in Palm Beach County.
By Aimee Brueck • October 17, 2026
A 2026 randomized controlled trial found boys with dyspraxia (DCD) learned a throwing skill better when the target looked smaller. What the research means for parents and pediatric therapists.
By Aimee Brueck • October 16, 2026
A 2026 systematic review finds no consistent subtypes of dyspraxia (DCD). It's better understood as a spectrum of severity. Here's what that means for your child's therapy.
By Aimee Brueck • September 15, 2026
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies finds ARFID has a distinct clinical profile from anorexia and bulimia in children and teens. Progressive Pediatric Therapy explains what it means for feeding therapy in Palm Beach County. Schedule an evaluation today.
By Aimee Brueck • September 14, 2026
Is your child toe walking? Learn the causes of toe walking in children, how pediatric PT and OT help, and when to seek an evaluation. Progressive Pediatric Therapy provides individualized toe walking therapy in Palm Beach County, evaluating the whole child. Schedule an evaluation in Palm Beach County today.
By Aimee Brueck • September 8, 2026
A 2026 study found children with autism or sensory processing disorder were far more likely to return to toe walking after surgery than idiopathic toe walkers. Progressive Pediatric Therapy explains what that means for families in Palm Beach County and why identifying the sensory piece matters before treatment.
By Aimee Brueck • September 4, 2026
Does treadmill training help children with cerebral palsy walk better? South Florida families trust Progressive Pediatric Therapy for expert pediatric physical therapy in South Florida. Our licensed therapists break down a 2025 randomized trial. Schedule an evaluation today.
By Aimee Brueck • September 2, 2026
A 2025 peer-reviewed commentary examines the evidence behind Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) and the NLA protocol. Progressive Pediatric Therapy breaks down the concerns, the common ground, and what it means for families in Palm Beach County.
August 28, 2026
Does balance training help children with developmental delays? South Florida families choose Progressive Pediatric Therapy for expert pediatric physical therapy in South Florida. Our licensed therapists explain a new 2026 meta-analysis of 22 trials. Schedule an evaluation today.