May Is Better Hearing And Speech Month

May, Better Hearing and Speech Month, is a great time to take a close look at your child's communication skills. Forty-six million Americans, including eight to ten percent of our preschool children have difficulty communicating. Research has shown that children with speech and language problems are more at risk for developing reading problems, and may fall below their peers in academic achievement.

Parents of children who are slow to speak sometimes hesitate to seek professional advice. Instead, they justify their child's not talking by saying, "She understands everything we say," or, "He'll outgrow it, he's a boy." Because of the enormous variation in what is considered normal, children who are not quite on schedule may not necessarily be delayed, but, instead, may be following their own individual timetable for learning to talk.

However, parents should not rely on assumptions or the fact that some children talk late, but catch-up. It is very important that your child show continued progression from one stage to the next and that you are able to answer ALWAYS or SOMETIMES to the questions below. It is always wise to seek a professional evaluation if, at any age, you have questions about your child's development in any area, your child does not seem to be learning new words, and/or he suddenly stops talking.

A Speech and Language Pathologist is trained to evaluate and treat children and adults with speech and/or language problems. For children, he or she may administer tests that show how much language is understood (receptive language skills) and how much is spoken (expressive language skills). He or she may also listen to how a child speaks in different setting and determine why he may be slow to develop language. With this information in hand, he or she can then offer suggestions for stimulating language development or suggest a more formal treatment program.

For assistance in finding a Speech and Language Pathologist in your area, you may contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (800-638-8255 or 301-897-8662), or your local school district. If you have any questions or concerns, it is certainly not necessary, or wise, to wait until your child is in school, as your local school district or county health department is required to provide appropriate free services for children from birth to five years of age.

If your child is a late talker, taking him to a Speech and Language Pathologist may help you to achieve peace of mind when you learn that he is developing as he should, or get your child needed help early and possibly avoid future academic and behavioral problems. You can relax and have fun helping your child reach his highest potential.