We all know that children develop at their own rate, some are quicker, while some are a little slower. There is nothing wrong with either, but if you notice an issue, it should be addressed as soon as possible for the best outcome.
Here are a few signs that indicate your child may benefit from seeing a speech therapist.
Does your child have problems articulating certain sounds?
An essential part of a child’s development is articulation. Really listen to your child speak, are they producing clear sounds? Or are they having issues with some of the sounds? Do they use a limited number sounds? Do they omit any consonants or vowels?
Good articulation is very important in life, it is easier to correct it when they are young, then waiting to see if they grow out of it.
Does your child understand simple statements?
When a simple question is asked of your child, such as “bring me the cup”, do they understand? This is referring to a child who is over 2 years old. At this age they should be able to understand over 300 words.
Comprehension is very important in child development and a speech therapies can help.
Is your child quiet is social situations?
All children have times when they are shy, but if they are constantly having trouble expressing themselves or are always quiet at social gatherings, there may be an issue that needs to be addressed.
Social behavior is also a big part of development, pay attention to how your child acts in social situations.
Is your child meeting their communication milestones?
For instance if your child is between the ages of 4 and 5, the American Speech Language Hearing Association list some developmental milestones they should be able to do.
Produces grammatically correct sentences. Sentences are longer and more complex
Includes main characters, settings, and words like and to connect information and ideas to tell stories.
Uses at least one irregular plural form, like feet or men.
Understands and uses location words, like behind, beside, and between
Uses more words for time—like yesterday and tomorrow—correctly.
Follows simple directions and rules to play games.
Locates the front of a book and its title.
Recognizes and names 10 or more letters and can usually write their own name.
Imitates reading and writing from left to right.
Produces most consonants correctly, and speech is understandable in conversation.
If you suspect your child is not meeting their developmental milestones, feel free to contact Orlando’s First Words Speech Therapy. A licensed speech therapist will asses your child and any questions you may have.
