Speech therapy in bilingual homes
Growing up with two languages does not cause speech delay. We count words in every language the house uses, and we coach in the one the child hears most.
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team — our Speech & Language Therapist, psychology and ABA staff. This page is awaiting its clinical review.
How we count
An Urdu word and an English word are two words. Mixing in one sentence is typical. Dropping a home language to “help speech” usually costs the child a language and does not buy clarity. Bilingualism and delay, mixing in one sentence, bilingual home.
What we do in the room
Sessions in Urdu or English, matched to home. Relatives who only speak one language are not a problem to fix. Roman Urdu guides if that is how you message us.
What to do this week
Keep both languages. Comment more than you quiz. Guide: bilingualism does not cause delay, bilingual home, Roman Urdu. Late talkers: late talkers.
Keep both languages this week
Comment in the language they hear most. Count paani and water. Mixing in one sentence is typical in Multan homes. The school wanting “only English at home” is a conversation we can put in a letter; dropping Urdu does not treat delay. Roman Urdu guides, mixing Urdu and English.
Late talking still needs a hearing check if it has never been done. Hearing and speech. Coaching in the home language: speech coaching. Assessment counts across languages: assessment.
The idea behind the work (in the books)
Count every language in the house. Mixing is not the problem. Dropping one language will not fix delay.
ASHA / bilingual development
Growing up with two languages does not cause speech delay. Assessing only in English makes a typical Multan child look delayed.
Hanen — in the home language
Coach in the language they hear most. Paani and water are both words.
What the research tells us
This isn’t just our opinion — it’s grounded in published research. Here are a few findings from trusted, independent sources:
The Cochrane parent-mediated and speech-therapy reviews do not show that dropping a home language treats delay. We count words across Urdu, Saraiki, Punjabi and English.
— Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — Law, Garrett and Nye (2003), CD004110. View source
Take a worksheet home
Print one sheet. Fill it in this week. Bring it to the consultation — a consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
First-words picture cards
Cut-out cards for late talkers. Name, wait, celebrate any try.
Home practice log
One skill, a few minutes, one line of what happened. Bring it next time.
Book a consultation
Contact owner Muhammad Salman Afzal first. No referral needed. A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes.
Bilingual homes — questions parents ask
Should we pick one language?
No, unless a specialist who has actually assessed your child has a specific reason. We almost never ask a family to drop a home language.
They understand Urdu and answer in English.
That is common. We still count both. The plan follows what they need to say, not a purity test.
School is English-only.
Home can stay Urdu. We will not fight the school’s language; we will not erase yours either.
How do we start?
A consultation is Rs 1,500 and lasts up to 50 minutes. Message in whichever language is easier.
The school wants only English at home.
The home language is not the enemy of school English. Dropping it does not treat delay. We will say that to the school if you want it in writing.
Ask about bilingual homes
A short, friendly conversation is the best first step. Call, text or WhatsApp us — we’ll listen and guide you, with no pressure.
MPS Road, Block A Model Town, Multan (near Bloomfield Hall School, Street No. 2) · Mon–Fri, 2 PM – 6 PM