Surely you have all heard the statement that girls mature faster than boys. We're not sure how true that is, but the statement "Boys will be boys" is also problematic.

Research has shown that speech and language delay (developmental dysphasia) is more common in boys than in girls. This has been associated with the increased testosterone levels, which contribute to slower language development in boys. However, not all boys experience a speech and language development delay, and it is important to know that the delay can be temporary and alleviated with early intervention and speech therapy.

Researchers have found that male infants with high levels of testosterone in the blood are two to three times more prone to speech delay than female infants. The opposite effect was found in female infants: high blood testosterone levels were associated with a reduced risk of language delay. The researchers explain that this could be due to differences in the way women and men process testosterone. It may also be that testosterone affects other areas of development, which affect language development.

Another reason for speech and language development delay is that boys tend to engage in non-communicative play such as constructive play or playing with vehicles. So, given that toddlers are more interested in tanks than talking, this means parents may not notice when they're left on their own, as boys won't necessarily complain. On the other hand, there are girls, who are language lovers in their early age and masters of impression, exhibit imitative behaviors like copying speech sounds and facial expressions before boys. Research shows that girls have a greater sensitivity to the sound of human voices and actually seem to prefer them to other sounds. When you play an instrument you won't see the difference between newborn girls and boys, but when you talk, girls are more likely to listen more carefully to what you have to say.

The expert's advice is not to rely on the saying, "boys mature later than girls", but to seek help from a speech therapist in order to overcome the difficulties your boy has.