Albert was certainly a late and reluctant talker, but not nearly as late as he recalled. He clearly hoarded his words, doling them out at rare intervals to a favored few: the child equivalent of an introspective adult who shuns small talk.
He didn't speak full sentences until he was 5 years old. Einstein's speech delay clearly wasn't an impediment to his intellectual prowess and awe-inspiring accomplishments. Thomas Sowell, an American economist, coined the concept of Einstein Syndrome.
“Einstein syndrome” is observed in children who experience delayed speech or language capabilities, while simultaneously demonstrating gifted abilities in other areas of development.
Einstein famously didn't start talking until he was 3 years old. Other famous late talkers include mathematical genius Ramanujan, a nobel prize winner (Gary Becker), a US talk show host (G. Gordon Liddy) and even Mussolini.
The syndrome is named after mathematical and physicist genius Albert Einstein, who was a relatively late talker himself. Einstein's parents were so worried about his lag in speech that they consulted a doctor. Einstein's teachers reportedly said that he would not amount to anything due to his defiant behavior.
Some late talkers will start to catch up to their peers by the age of three, but some may continue to have difficulty with spoken language. There are many different causes of late talking, and it is often hard to pinpoint the exact cause.
Late talkers typically appear to have good understanding of what is said to them, engage in appropriate, but often quiet play, and interact well with others using gestures.
In this 2012 study, researchers found that two-thirds of the elementary-aged kids with ADHD had a speech or language delay at 18 months. That number is significantly higher than kids without ADHD!
Albert Einstein. Albert Einstein did not talk until he was three years old. Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany.
Factors contributing to speech development in a child can range from the immediate environment around them and their personality (some children are shy) to their gender, as boys are usually late talkers when compared to girls. Hence in most of the cases speech delay isn't associated with low intelligence.
According to research, babies who experience language development earlier than average grow up to have higher IQ levels. This is mostly noticeable during adulthood. That being said, language delay is also the most common developmental delay experienced by children under the age of 3.
Children who present as late talkers tend to catch up to their peers by the ages of 3-5 years old, but could be at risk for developing later language or literacy difficulties, or even mental health needs.
A speech delay is an early indicator of ASD in young children, but it is NOT the only signifier. Every child is unique. It is often said “If you've met one individual with autism, you've met one individual with autism.” The opposite is often said for late talkers.
Some possible reasons can be hearing loss, neurological disorders, intellectual disability, lack of stimulation, cognitive delay, and speech and language development. If a 4-year-old is not speaking or has delayed speech development, it can be bothersome for both the parents and the child.
These happen when there's a problem in the areas of the brain responsible for speech. This makes it hard to coordinate the lips, tongue, and jaw to make speech sounds. These kids also might have other oral-motor problems, such as feeding problems. Hearing problems also can affect speech.
Talk to your child's health care provider if you can understand only a few or none of your 2-year-old's words. A delay using words or talking can be an early sign of other issues. Your toddler's provider can refer you to health professionals who test children for these issues.
Communication and ADHD
Even without specific delays, because of distractibility and related ADHD symptoms, they are more likely to get off-topic when speaking. They also frequently struggle to find the right words and put thoughts together quickly and linearly in conversation.
Symptoms. The primary features of ADHD include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood.
Some children with expressive language delay "catch up" during the preschool years ("late bloomers"), whereas others have persistent delay (see 'Natural history' below). Early evaluation can help to correctly identify late-talking children who will benefit from intervention and/or additional evaluation.
It is when there is consistent regression, setbacks in engagement, or disconnection in understanding verbal language that there is reason to suspect a speech delay. Around the age of 1.5 to 2 years, it is recommended that a diagnosis of delays and disorders is made and intervention is begun.
To sum-up, although speech delay can come hand-in-hand with autism spectrum disorder, it is not always the case. A speech delay by itself does not mean a child has autism and, by working with experts and doing the right research, you can ensure your child gets the best support.
According to The Hanen Centre, “a late-talker is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has good understanding of language, typically developing play skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for his or her age.”
Researchers have yet to agree upon an explanation for this specific delay. They have determined, though, that Late Talkers are more likely to have a family history of early language delay, to be male, and to have been born at less than 85% of their optimal birth weight or at less than 37 weeks gestation [1].