• Thank you to Carol and Steve Bowman, the forum owners, for our new upgrade!

Childs Speech Development

G

goplacidly

New Member
Newish to the forum, and just wondered if anyone had thought wether a child with delayed speech or speech difficulties could have the problem because in a past life he/she spoke a different language and therefore has to learn from scratch, while one born into the same language would have an easier transition?
 
Welcome Goplacidly! Interesting thought! Yes it certainly sounds plausible. What do others think?


Tman
 
goplacidly said:
...he/she spoke a different language and therefore has to learn from scratch, while one born into the same language would have an easier transition?
Click to expand...
Such a question is valid and enormously ripe with possible explanations including the ones that you have mentioned. As far as past life explanations are concerned, one may also include such possibilities as past life emotional abuse, trauma, and even temperament.


My own language ability was horribly delayed until I was at least four, and I remained inarticulate until I was in my twenties. Yet, I cannot associate any past life explanation for this condition. In fact, any evidence of past life memory seems to be literate King's English. Unfortunately it only managed to assert itself much later.


In the case of my two sons who seem to have followed my own present life experiences leads me to suspect that there may be a genetic component. However, I also tend to believe that genetic influences may also be past-life related, or at least conditions chosen before our incarnation which somehow suited our present mission.
 
My oldest son has a developmental disability, autism. I do not think that his condition is in any way related to a past life, but a condition of either genetics or something toxic in the environment. Speech delays in children could be caused by any number of factors, including a non nurturing environment. The only way that I could consider that present delays in a child could be related to past life is when there was a very traumatic experience in the past life, something so horrible that it has affected the present. But in the case of delays, there are too many factors that can be traced to the current condition and brain development. Actually when speech is delayed in a child it is critical to get professional help asap. There are many community resources in every part of the country where one can get help and direction, as in the case of language delays, an early assessment is critical. My son was diagnosed at a VMRC ( Valley Mountain Regional Center ) This agency deals in the early intervention into childhood developmental delays. I think that there are similar agencies throughout the country. We have been recieving services through VMRC for many years now. Schools will also do assessments and observations by psychologists that will hopefully lead to an appropriate placement for the child. Goplacidly, if you actually know of a child with delayed language, I would encourage you to seek help for that child as soon as you can, as in many situations of language delay, early intervention is the best treatment. If you need advice, let me know, I have much experience in this area.
 
Dear Ghost of Gumby, Im so sory to hear of your sons Autism, I in no way meant to imply that a parent/caregiver would put a speech problem down to a PL and not loook for assesment and help with the matter.


I have 2 children, the first very fluent and advanced in speech, the 2nd was a little delayed and had difficulties with pronunciation (and had the help of a speech therapist).


This was just a thought I had while at work at the Day Care, where so many children are at different levels of advancement in all areas and wondered if there may be a connection.


Peace.
 
Ghost of Gumby- Sorry to hear about your son, but I'm glad he's in good hands.


My niece is autistic, but she has a curious twist. English was lost on her, but she would respond to Spanish. Early on she could only grasp simple one or two word phrases, but it was enough for interaction to a limited degree. At first I thought it was because the people taking care of her (mom and dad lost custody, long story) spoke Spanish to each other, but during a visit there to fix a piano I saw that they spoke English around the kids. Any Spanish would have been simply overheard in passing. Yet when I was there she was sitting on the floor with one of the couple's older sons staring at a glass longingly. He asked if she wanted water. She picked up the glass and said plain as day "agua". He tried to get her to associate 'agua' with 'water', but she never said 'water. She would hug her glass and say 'agua' when she was thirsty.


It was interesting. The son got her the water and at my suggestion tried some longer phrases in Spanish to see if she got it, but though she responded a little better to Spanish, it was still limited to short phrases and wasn't 100% of the time.


She's an adult now but still living in a residential care facility. She speaks English now, but still only short phrases. She's independent enough to help out at the facility and get some pay for it, but she'll probably need care for the rest of her life.
 
That is interesting Shiftkitty regarding your niece, I have had a lot of experience working with autistic children, my own son and in a number of programs where I have been involved. Sometimes the autistic child will do things that totally amazes you. My son, for instance, has the ability to memorize geographic locations like a photo. When we went to Anaheim to visit Disneyland, we took a bus from the train station down Harbor Blvd. On our return trip up Harbor, he told us every landmark before we got to it, like he'd say, "park", and and then we'd pass a city park, then he'd say Carl's Jr, then the next establishment we'd pass was indeed a Carl's Jr. He did this the entire trip, and we were all so amazed at his ability to memorize our route, and every establishment and landmark! This ability way exceeds any "normal" persons ability by leaps and bounds. Many autistic children do display a very superior intellegence in one certain area like this. I have heard from recent research that autistic children may have been born with "too many" brain cells! As a result, they can become advanced in one specific area, but the can't assimilate mundane algorithms as we do in school, like math or language.


Goplacidly, I hope that I did not come on too strong when I responded to your post. Whenever I hear about a childhood delay in language, my own experiences with my son immediatly come to the fore - front. My son did not speak until he was 6, and the language delay caused us much concern and alarm. It is just so important for parents to get the best help and treatment for their children as soon as they can, as early intervention really works! I wish the best for you and your family.
 
I doubt speech delays have anything to do with Past Lives. The doctors could never figure out why I mumbled and talked so softly and concluded that it was because I was partially deaf due to severe allergies. However, recently I have discovered that my personality is a nearly textbook case of Asperger's Syndrome. Among the major symptoms are delays in speech and motor control along side high IQ so I suppose I'll never know for sure.

Ghost of Gumby said:
When we went to Anaheim to visit Disneyland, we took a bus from the train station down Harbor Blvd. On our return trip up Harbor, he told us every landmark before we got to it, like he'd say, "park", and and then we'd pass a city park, then he'd say Carl's Jr, then the next establishment we'd pass was indeed a Carl's Jr. He did this the entire trip, and we were all so amazed at his ability to memorize our route, and every establishment and landmark!
Click to expand...
I've only recently found out that it's an unusual trait. I have the ability to remember where literally everything is when I'm on a trip and know where almost every gas station, traffic light, grocery store and fast food place is in our province and what time they are open. When visiting a new city I don't even need to bring a map anymore. I personally think that is a blessing, not a disease! My brother once called me from 3000km away and asked for directions in a city I've never been to before! If that's not bizarre enough I can remember almost every street name but for some reason find it impossible to remember numbered streets. There's something wrong with this world when having those types of abilities can be called a "disability".
 
My husband is dyslexic and when he was a kid they kept putting him in the slow class. Perception problems and other speed bumps, IMO, should not automatically be considered a sign of intellectual capabilities. He started skipping school because of it, but he didn't go hang out and cause trouble. No, he went to where the truant officers would never think to look, the local library! There he read books about dyslexia and learned tricks to help him overcome it. He started catching up on math and science. When he went back to school and proved he could overcome it, they still said he had a learning disability and tried to put him back in the slow class. He fought them all the way (no help from mom who was disinterested at best), and when he went into Jr High they retested him since it was a new district and stuck him in the normal classes, where he excelled in class.


I had a book (now on loan to my sister-in-law) called "Minds That Work Differently", and it looks at the various ways people have taken to work around things like dyslexia, autism (I had read that Thomas Jefferson might have been midly autistic), addiction, and other such conditions. If you haven't read it, see if you can pick it up.
 
"Minds That Work Differently"


I cannot find a book with this title anywhere online. Would you double-check the title name? I am interested in reading the book.


Thanks.
 
There are many issues that can be traced to past life connections and autism. My son is also autistic and he has not had a life on Earth for the longest time. And the last life he had on earth he was mentally handicapped. I am in no way comparing autism and intellectual disability but I often wonder because my son is intelligent (and many people with autism are extremely intelligent) he is delayed in other areas because of his past life where he was not functional at all and in this life he is learning to be in the method that is right for him? I don't know. Oh and for the record, don't feel sorry for parents who have autistic kids, that is insulting. Our kids can do very well in the end with the right help and support. It is harder work but never feel sorry for a parent who has children with any kind of disability.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I am wondering did your autistic child tell you about his memory of a past life? The reason I ask is that my autistic son has not been verbal enough to be able to relate such information, but it would be wonderful if he were able to do so.


I am keenly aware of the challenges of raising any child with a developmental disability. It is not an easy road. It does not bother me when someone offers sympathy, it is only an offer of condolence. I really don't regard that as being offensive, but that is just me. It is part of one's humanity to offer sympathy.
 
goplacidly said:
Newish to the forum, and just wondered if anyone had thought wether a child with delayed speech or speech difficulties could have the problem because in a past life he/she spoke a different language and therefore has to learn from scratch, while one born into the same language would have an easier transition?
Click to expand...
If I may share my view on this as a linguistics student.


First I must point out that delayed speech does not necesarilly need to lead to any speech difficulties - in other words, delayed speech is not always a problem. Some infants that are late talkers do catch up eventually and will be indifferent from others at age 7 or 8.


"a child with delayed speech or speech difficulties could have the problem because in a past life he/she spoke a different language and therefore has to learn from scratch"


- I think we would need to specify this a bit more. I think we can all agree that generally, children with a serious delayed speech, are in the minority and I think if what you stated would be true we would see a lot more delayed speakers (as it seems unlikely that souls would return to areas with the exact same language every single time). Although, Newton argues in his book that souls are generally quite attached to geographical locations and tend to pick the same areas over many lives. So what I would suggest that if something like you stated would be true, it would have to be literally over different language trees rather than individual languages. Like for example Germanic languages (English, German, Dutch, Swedish, etc.) versus Semitic languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, Aramaic).


Did that makes sense? Like the languages would have to be significantly different to have such a strong effect I think - this is just my view/opinion anyway ^^
 
Yes, Sawol, that did make sense. I believe you made some really interesting points there. Thanks for posting!:thumbsup:
 
I seriously doubt that language delays can be attributed to having spoken a different language in a former life, as the indivudual would be able to learn the new language as rapidly as he/she did the former language. If I spoke German in my past life, why would I have trouble transitioning to English when I was born in an English speaking country? We are born with an ability to learn and assimilate language rapidly. Of course we all learn at a different pace. Delays in language aquisition are most certainly always related to inhibited motor development. These are intellegent children, but they are not able to express themselves within the prescribed norms established by our society.


Some people are able to learn many languages easily, but I believe that this has more to do with gifted memory rather than experiences in a past life. I think that some people feel drawn to a language if they spoke it in their PL, and they probably will be able to learn that language more easily.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top