As a parent, we watch our children develop so quickly, from crawling to walking, exploring toys, discovering new foods, socializing with other children, as well as speech and language skills.
Communication milestones are a huge part of a child’s development. They acquire expressive language (using language) and receptive language (understanding language). While each child develops at their own rate, when a child is struggling to meet these milestones in communication, it is time to talk to a speech therapist.
Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
It is a question many parents ask themselves and in turn our therapist at First Words Speech Therapy. But if a parent has a concern, here are a few common indicators that a child may need support from a speech therapist.
You notice your child’s speech or language regressing
If you notice your child seems to be “losing” some previously displayed skills. For instance, they were producing many words and then regressed to just saying a few. While a child’s development may involve short lived language regression, especially during busy times (a change in their daily routine), it shouldn’t last very long.
It is often difficult to understand your child
While children acquire language and speech sounds at different ages, it is important they meet their communication milestones.
Phonemes or individual sounds that make up speech, depend on the precise ability to move the articulators, tongue, jaw, lips, and palate. The intelligibility of speech directly depends on the ability to correctly articulate. If a child is having articulation issues, it can prevent you or others from understanding them.
It is the job of a speech language therapist to help a child overcome these difficulties and articulate sounds needed for speech intelligibility.
Check back with us next week for more indicators your child may need speech therapy. Until then, if you have any concerns about your child’s communication, contact First Words Speech Therapy.
