Is your child a “late talker”?

Most children have a few words at 12 months of age and a rapidly growing vocabulary. At 18 – 24 months they begin to put two words together. These early words are not pronounced perfectly, but they are consistent in meaning. Toddlers who are late to speak or not yet speaking need an evaluation.

Does your child get frustrated or give up when trying to communicate with family or friends?

Typical children are understood most of the time by family and friends by age 3. They are easily understood by age 4. At age 5 they have their speech and grammar is clear, with one or two sound errors, such a ‘f’ for ‘th’ or ‘th’ for ‘s’ or a distorted ‘r’ sound. Grammar errors such as “brung” for “brought” are common.

Every child deserves to be heard and to understand others. Each little personality is unique. When dealing with skill deficits, some children will develop significant negative behaviors due to frustration. Some will become quieter and seem “shy.” Some children just keep trying with a smile! Get an evaluation and consider therapy.

Does your toddler stutter?

Some toddlers go through a period of stuttering as their speech and language rapidly develop. Parents can be alarmed at the sudden onset and severity of the stuttering. Most children grow out of this quickly, but if a pattern develops or you have concerns, consult a therapist. Changes in the language environment are helpful and therapy may be warrented.

Contact me!