Signs Your Child Might Need Speech & Language Therapy
All children progress at different paces, so sometimes it’s natural for parents to overlook or ignore issues their toddler is having with speech. But communication disorders are prevalent and early intervention is key in treatment. Parents should take their child for a Speech-Language evaluation at a qualified and licensed therapy centre or medial facility if they’re concerned.
Speech-Language Therapy (SLT) helps promote receptive and expressive communication and the oral motor skills to speak and swallow. SLT may include using speech, pictures, gestures, and electronic devises.
Knowing what is and isn’t normal when it comes to Speech-Language development is extremely important, so we’ve broken down five important red flags to look out for. Here, some signs your child might need speech therapy.
1 – Your child doesn’t interact socially. If your baby isn’t smiling or interacting with others from infancy to 3 months of age, it could be a red flag for a speech or language disorder. Other early social interaction signs to look out for:
- Your infant doesn’t babble (between 4 and 7 months).
- Your baby makes only a few sounds or gestures, like pointing (between 7 and 12 months).
- Your infant doesn’t seem to understand what you or others are saying (between 7 months and 2 years old).
2 – Your toddler makes only a few sounds, words, or gestures (12 to 18 months). Most kids are starting to say a few single words between a year and 18 months. Between 1½ and 2, they’re typically putting words together. If your child isn’t saying anything, or has an extremely limited repertoire of words, he or she may have a speech disorder.
3 – You (and others) can’t understand what your child is saying (18 months to 2 years). It isn’t uncommon for moms and dads to be the only people who understand what their toddler is saying, but between 18 months and 2 years, parents shouldn’t have too much difficulty deciphering what their child is saying. Speech should be clear to a familiar listener at this point.
4 – Your Child Hasn’t Started to Combine 2 or More Words Together By the Age of 2. Usually, children begin combining two or more words together to make “sentences” at about 18 months: “My ball.” “Come Mama.” If between the ages of 1½ and 3, children aren’t pairing two or more words with one another, parents may want to consult an expert.
5 – Your Child Struggles to Make Sounds or Say Words (2½ to 4 years). Some sounds are harder to pronounce than others. For instance, a “K” or a “G” sound doesn’t roll off the tongue for an 18-month-old (or even some 2-year olds). Easier sounds, like ‘P,’ ‘B,’ and ‘M,’ shouldn’t be a problem for children after the age of 2. If your 2½ year old is still having trouble with “easier” sounds, or your 3 to 4 year old is having trouble with “harder” sounds, consider it a red flag.
6 – Not following simple directions and understanding prepositions such as under, on, or over. For instance, he doesn’t turn around when you say, “Your ball is right behind you”.
7 – Struggling using pronouns, saying, “Him not here”
8 – Confusing gender, saying, “He hit me” when he’s talking about his sister.
If you think your child may need the help of a speech-language therapist, talk to your child’s paediatrician or teacher. Chances are that your child’s nursery or school will refer you to an early intervention program or to an outreach therapy provider that could provide a child screening or parent consultation. Your doctor should than refer you to a private paediatric speech-language therapist for an evaluation.
If you have any concerns about your Child’s speech development or like more information, please contact us on Tel: 04-2776769 or email: info@sensationstation.ae
For more information about our Speech-Language Therapy services, please click here: https://sensationstation.ae/speech-language-therapy-slt/
