If your child has difficulty producing sounds, following commands, using their voice appropriately, or with any other aspect of verbal communication, it is important to find out if they would benefit from speech therapy. children’s speech therapy can help in various ways, from improving their cognition to helping them learn language skills. Have your child evaluated for a possible speech therapy consultation by exploring these signs that may indicate their need for speech therapy
1. Difficulty Using Language to Communicate
If your child cannot express themselves verbally, this can cause frustration for both you and the child. Children should start talking around 12 months old, but if they haven’t started by 18 months old, you should consider seeing a speech pathologist for a consultation. If your child is under three years of age, they should also use two-word phrases to communicate effectively with you. This is a good measure of language comprehension as well.
2. Delay in Expressive Language Development
If your child is not using language to communicate, you may seek professional intervention. An early evaluation is recommended for children who have a discrepancy between receptive and expressive language skills. It is also essential that your child express themselves verbally if they do not understand what you are saying. If a child cannot use words effectively, they may be labeled as having “a speech delay.” This label can be an indicator that your child may need speech therapy.
3. Difficulty Understanding Words and Phrases
If your child cannot process language effectively, they may not understand what you are saying. They may even repeat what you say back to you. This can be an indicator that your child needs a consulting speech pathologist. It is very important that children are exposed to many different sounds and words to develop their receptive skills fully. If their language development is delayed, it is essential that they have a comprehensive evaluation by a speech pathologist to determine whether or not they would benefit from speech therapy in children.
4. Having Difficulty with Expressive Language Tasks
If your child cannot use expressive language effectively, this could indicate that they need speech therapy. Examples of expressive language tasks include making different sounds, producing longer phrases, or completing short sentences. Children should be able to understand and use words in the correct context with comprehension. They must also respond appropriately to questions and perform simple tasks that involve verbal responses, such as identifying objects on a picture within the group or explaining what they did over the weekend.
5. Lack of Gesturing
If a child isn’t able to make different gestures, they may not be able to express themselves verbally either. This can be a sign that they will need children’s speech therapy. They should also be able to make gestures correctly and easily. If they can’t do so, you may want to have them evaluated for speech therapy. Their gestures may also be delayed, non-existent, or purposeless. They should also correctly identify different objects they see by gesturing to them.
6. Your Child Has a Stutter
When a child has a stutter, they may have difficulty producing sounds in their speech. They will also have difficulty speaking clearly and quickly. Children who stutter usually have delays in language skills and receptive and expressive abilities. They may communicate to their parents or caregivers effectively if they have an understanding caregiver. If a child has a stutter and is not able to communicate or interact with others, they must be evaluated for a potential speech therapy consultation.
7. Problems with Speech Articulation
Speech articulation is an essential part of verbal communication, and your child’s speech should be fluent. This means that they would pronounce their words clearly, quickly, and with ease. They should also be able to blend sounds and make words clearly. Their speech should not sound choppy, and the sounds they are producing should all sound the way they are supposed to sound. This is an indicator of good speech. Most speech is difficult for children to produce, and they may need early intervention to help correct their speech problems.
8. Issues Articulating Certain Sounds
If your child cannot produce certain sounds, they should be able to; this may be an indicator that they may need children’s speech therapy. They should be able to produce consonants and vowels and blends and r-controlled vowels. It is important that they are not having difficulty making these sounds. Your child’s speech should also sound natural and easy, not labored or choppy. If a child begins using the wrong sounds for certain words, this is another indication that they may require speech therapy.