As a parent, you watch your child’s progress intently, cheering each time your little one takes their first steps or feeds themselves for the first time! The first time they say “mama” or “dada” is celebrated with calls to family. However, concerns may arise if there seems to be a delay in that first word, or in responding to communication from family. If these little improvements are slow to show up, is that time to initiate speech therapy for your child?
First of all, it’s important to realize that every child develops at their own pace. A little one who begins to babble or coo happily later than another baby may simply be developing that skill a little slower. If the delay continues, then it is a smart idea to get a professional assessment done. Perhaps the right action is simply being a little more patient. On the other hand, if this assessment shows that a child needs extra support to build those speaking and communicating skills, then the earlier this support can be started, the better.
Why Earlier Intervention and Help Is the Best Idea
Every day that a child interacts with those around them, they are building habits. If they struggle to shape words with their mouth or if they have trouble understanding the communications of others, they may find ways to compensate. A child who has difficulty speaking may start to grunt or rely on pointing or throwing objects. A toddler who can’t make themselves understood may begin to have tantrums due to their frustration.
If their delay of skills is not remedied as soon as it is noticed, these bad habits may become fixed. Therapy that starts later, then, has more of an uphill climb. For that reason, professional intervention should start as soon as a problem is noticed.
What Parents Should Do if They Notice a Potential Problem
If a parent is concerned about their child’s progress, it’s easy to get a professional assessment from a pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP). This is a person who is thoroughly trained to diagnose and treat problems in speech, language and communication development among children.
An SLP can tell you if your child is doing fine and maybe just needs a little more verbal interaction at home to improve their skills. Or they can identify a delay in speaking or understanding language that can benefit from professional support. Therapy from an SLP can prevent problems in daycare, the school classroom or at home that result from the child’s frustration and upsets.
How Soon Can Speech Therapy Begin?
SLPs have remarkable skills that are effective even on babies as young as three to six months of age. In this age range, speech therapy is typically utilized to help babies diagnosed with developmental delays. With help, these little ones can improve their responses to familiar voices and faces. By the time a baby reaches one year of age, they should be using gestures, pointing, smiling and nodding. If these skills are slow to arrive, an SLP can help a child learn to interact in a happy, healthy and age-appropriate way with family and friends. By keeping a child growing and expanding in communication skills, both the child and the family can thrive.
Some speech difficulties may not be identified until a child starts daycare. The family may have adapted to the child’s learned communication habits and they may not realize the benefits possible from speech therapy. It may be the daycare teacher who notices a struggle that could respond to therapy. It’s never too early to provide support and help, and the earlier the better!
Where Can You Get Help for Your Child’s Language Skills?
If you are near Winder, Georgia (halfway between Atlanta and Athens), contact Let’s Communicate for an experienced evaluation of your child’s skills. The sooner your child improves their speech and language skills, the more enjoyable interactions between family members will be. Call Let’s Communicate pediatric therapy services at (678) 963-0694 to schedule an evaluation today.
