Plenty of families across the Memphis area are raising children in two languages — and many of those parents share the same quiet worry: is hearing two languages going to confuse my child, or hold their speech back? It's a great question, and the answer is genuinely reassuring. Bilingualism is a gift, not a delay. Here's what's typical in bilingual language development, and how to tell the difference between normal bilingual learning and a difficulty worth checking out.
Does being bilingual cause a speech delay?
No. This is one of the most persistent myths in child development, and the research is clear: growing up with two languages does not cause a speech or language disorder, and it doesn't confuse children. Bilingual kids reach the major communication milestones on about the same timeline as children learning one language. If a bilingual child does have a true speech or language difficulty, the bilingualism didn't cause it — and the child would have had the same difficulty in one language alone.
What's typical in bilingual language development
Bilingual development has a few features that can look like “red flags” to a parent but are completely normal:
- Counting words across both languages. A bilingual child's vocabulary is spread across two languages, so each one alone may look smaller. What matters is the total across both — a child who says 25 words in Spanish and 25 in English has a 50-word vocabulary.
- A “silent period.” A child first immersed in a new language (say, starting daycare in English) may listen quietly for weeks or months before speaking it. They're absorbing, not falling behind.
- Mixing the two languages in one sentence. Sometimes called code-switching, this is a normal, even sophisticated part of bilingual development — a sign of flexibility, not confusion.
- One language being stronger than the other. It's normal for the language a child hears most to be ahead. Which one is “dominant” can shift over time as exposure changes.
Underneath all of this, the broad sequence of language development — babbling, first words, word combinations, sentences — follows the same general path no matter which languages a child is learning.
Every bilingual family is different — how much of each language a child hears, and when, varies a lot. These are general patterns, not a checklist, and they aren't a diagnosis.
Signs that may be worth an evaluation
Here's the single most useful principle for bilingual families: a true speech or language difficulty shows up in both languages — not just the newer or weaker one. A child who is right on track in their home language but quiet in English is usually just early in learning English. Signs that are worth a closer look include:
- Falling behind milestones in the home or first language — the one the child hears the most.
- A very limited vocabulary when you add both languages together.
- Not combining words by around age 2 (in either language, counted together).
- Being hard for family to understand in their strongest language past the age you'd expect.
- Losing words or skills they used to have, in any language.
- Frustration or avoidance when trying to communicate, regardless of language.
Wondering whether your bilingual child is on track? An evaluation that looks at both languages can give you a clear answer.
How we evaluate a bilingual child
A good evaluation considers all of a child's languages, not just English — because looking at only one language can make a perfectly typical bilingual child appear delayed, or miss a real difficulty in the home language. We gather information about how your child communicates in every language they use, often with your help as the expert on their home language. And we'll never recommend dropping your home language to “focus on English” — a strong first language is the foundation that a second language builds on.
Should we stop speaking our home language?
No — and this is worth saying clearly, because well-meaning advice to “just speak English” is common. Your home language is part of your child's identity, your family connection, and their language foundation. Keep using it. If your child does need speech therapy, best practice is to support them in both languages, not to trade one away.
Getting started
If you'd like a professional read on your bilingual child's development, there are two steps: fill out our new-client form to request an evaluation, and have your child's primary care provider send over a referral (faxed to 901-589-9001). Once we have both, our team will reach out to schedule.