Here at Orland’s First Words Speech Therapy, we are often asked how a parent can tell if their child is a late talker or do they have a speech delay or disorder? As a parent we can’t help but worry about our children.

“Parents should take children for a speech evaluation any time they’re concerned,” says Diane Paul, PhD, Director of Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

You may be compelled to just “wait and see”, hoping your child will outgrow their speech delay. Unfortunately, this approach can cause serious challenges down the road.

“We know parents want the best for their children. However, they may hear messages that encourage a ‘wait and see’ approach by suggesting a child may grow out of a communication issue. Unfortunately, this often is not the case. Delaying treatment means children may miss a critical developmental window where they acquire a majority of their foundational speech and language skills, which occurs between birth and 3 years of age, ” said Elise Davis-McFarland, PhD, CCC-SLP, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 2018 President.

Children develop at different rates, but if you’re concerned about your child not meeting their speech or language milestone, it’s important to get it check out, early intervention makes all the difference.

At First Words Speech Therapy, we are dedicated to meeting your child’s speech and language disorder with personalized care.

“Hearing and listening to language is the primary way young children learn. The skills achieved during this time lay the groundwork for later success with reading and writing, academics, social interactions, and career options and advancement—making early intervention for any speech/language or hearing problem, preferably well before age 3, so important.”

When it comes to a the development of a child’s speech and language, experts don’t recommend the “wait and see” approach.

“What we know is that the sooner the issues are addressed by a professional, the better chance the child has of getting on that normal developmental progression,” said Elise Davis-McFarland, president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child, we encourage you to contact Orlando’s First Words Therapy. We take a holistic approach to speech-language-therapy to help your child communicate more effectively.