When to seek help
It can be hard as a parent to know whether your child needs help with their speech or not.
All children do develop at different rates however there is a typical range and pattern for this development. At each age there are some key skills you should be seeing in your child.
If you or someone close to your child (relative, teacher, doctor) is worried about your child’s speech or reading then a Speech Pathologist is the best person to talk to about this. They have years of education and training in how to fix a whole range of speech issues including late talkers, unclear speech, stuttering, social problems, dyslexia and learning difficulties.
Got questions you want answered? We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about your child’s speech or reading. Simply call us or book a free 15min phone consultation with one of our Speech Pathologists.
Some of the reasons your child may need help from a Speech Pathologist are if they:
Show no interest in pointing or showing you things
Don’t use at least a handful single words by 18 months of age
Don’t combine 2 words together by 2 ½ years of age e.g. go car, bye Mummy, more apple
Have difficulty following instructions or answering questions
Get frustrated at not being able to talk properly
Are difficult to understand at 3 years of age
Repeat phrases, words or sounds, seems to get stuck before talking or stretch words out
Are in Kindergarten and have trouble remembering sounds and sounding out simple words e.g. dog, up, bat
Are below class expectations in reading or spelling
Still not sure whether to be worried?
We always recommend you trust your gut.
If you feel there may be something wrong then get in touch with a paediatric Speech Pathologist. It’s better to get in early and nip the problem in the bud than wait it out. If left, the problem will likely become bigger and harder to fix.
Is your gut making telling you there may be something wrong with your child’s speech? Then book a free 15min phone consultation with one of our Speech Pathologists today and get clear advice on the best way forward to help your child’s communicate, connect and succeed.
Talk Play Grow is a registered provider for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).