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Sound Advice for Parents:   Early Development of Language & Communication Skills   By Sonja Walker B.A.Dip.Ed

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Approximately 7 in every 100 Australian children will experience a speech or language delay. If not addressed early, these problems can impact on a child’s overall communication, academic and social development.

 

While individual children learn to speak at different stages, many parents wonder if their child is meeting developmental milestones and if their son or daughter’s speech and language is developing normally.

 

Paediatric Speech Pathologist, Kate Shanahan, is part of the children’s education and health team at Kids First Children’s Services. Kate reports that children’s understanding of communication develops from the moment they are born as they hear and watch their parents communicate with them.

 

Development Milstones

• Children’s communication begins when they cry, babble and laugh

 

Kate advised that although these milestones are a general guide only, parents are right to be concerned if their child starts to experience communication difficulties and are wise to take action if they are worried about their son or daughter’s early language development.

 

‘Ensuring that your child is hearing properly is an important first step when investigating the cause of a potential delay in language and speech sounds. Early assessment is very important and can affect the outcome of treatment.’

 

Development Concerns

Kate said that many parents are concerned by their child’s lisp or tendency to substitute sounds.

 

‘Some children may say ‘t’ for ‘k’ or ‘w’ for ‘r’ so that ‘tar’, ‘tey’, ‘wed’ and ‘wabbit’ replace ‘car’, ‘key’, ‘red’ and ‘rabbit’. Long term, this difficulty may impact on the child’s ability to identify sounds when they go to school and start learning to read and spell.’

 

Stuttering is also an issue for some kids and Kate specialises in treating children who present with difficulties trying to speak smoothly.

 

“The research indicates that about five percent of children begin to stutter between the ages of three and four. This tends to occur when their vocabulary begins to grow and they start to use short sentences.’

 

Kate advised that a large proportion of children who stutter will stop without needing any treatment, although the professional monitoring of a child’s stutter in the early stages is recommended.

 

For the remaining children who will need treatment, Kate recommends early intervention.

 

‘Long term, stuttering can lead to difficulties with peer relationships, bullying and anxiety. The research also suggests that it can be harder to successfully treat stuttering if it is left until later in a child’s life.’

 

If a child can overcome difficulties with their language, speech sounds and stuttering before they start school, it is more likely that they will experience social, emotional and academic success.

 

According to Kate, the help a child receives through early intervention pays dividends for their future. It not only helps a child to develop speech and language, but it can also give parents new skills so that they can encourage their child to learn to communicate confidently and clearly.

 

‘Parents are their child’s best teachers,’ she said. ‘An informed parent who uses the right strategies to help their child can make a huge difference to that child’s progress.’

 

Kate advised that parents who are concerned about their child’s language and speech acquisition or stuttering should always seek professional advice by consulting their Paediatrician, GP or visiting a Speech Pathologist.

 

• Talk often to your children using new and different words.
• Use simple sentences so they can understand all of what you are saying.
• Be patient. Sometimes children take time to process what has been said. Wait for their response before you continue with your side of the dialogue.
• Use play time, bath time and family meal times to teach your kids how to participate in conversations where everyone gets a turn to speak and listen.
• Read to your child.
• Sing to your child. The repetition inherent in most kids’ songs helps develop their vocabulary.
• Ask your child simple questions.
• Model good language. Children need to hear clear, correct speech in order to learn themselves.
• Don’t correct your child when they make a mistake. Simply repeat the word back correctly.