The 5 Signs That Your Child May Need Speech Therapy
Speech sound development is one of many areas that speech pathologists provide support for.
A child’s speech sound development is a dynamic, ongoing process. Many stages build upon each other until a child is 5 years of age, when we expect them to have an adult-like level of clarity.
The five signs that your child may need support for their speech sound development:
- They are frustrated when you can’t understand what they are saying
Frustration is a key reason that prompts many parents to take action. While some level of frustration is to be expected, generally as a child progresses through their toddler years, ongoing frustration in relation to speech clarity may be a cause for concern. This tells us that there is a difference between your child’s ideas and their ability to easily and accurately share them with you.
- Your child is relying on gestures to support their clarity
Gesture is a critical part of language development that you should observe during your baby’s first 12 months. Many children who present to a speech pathologist have started to independently problem solve their speech clarity difficulties – they are using gesture to express their needs, long after the time that gesture would typically be observed. They may take you by the hand to exactly show you the word that couldn’t be understood or they may even act out something that they can’t immediately show you (as a clinician I have vivid memories of children flapping their arms to express a chicken or pretending to dive into a pool to relay an exciting family holiday). While the use of gestures talks positively to a child’s problem-solving abilities, and their keen understanding of what they are trying to express, we never want children to become reliant on gesture to communicate. The use of gesture can be another key sign that tells parents that it is time to take action.
- Many people struggle to understand your child
Children who have speech clarity difficulties are often only understood by their parents. As speech clarity development is a hierarchical process we expect increasing amounts of clarity as children grow. We expect a 2-year-old to be understood by unfamiliar listeners 50% of the time, 3-year-olds 75% of the time and 4-year-olds 90% of the time. They key take away, is that these percentages are based upon unfamiliar listeners. We need to ensure that our children’s clarity is clear and functional to be understood by whomever they may be speaking with.
- Your child’s clarity difficulties are impacting on their play with peers
Unfortunately, children aren’t always the best communication partners. As adults, if we can hear that a child has a speech clarity difficulty we will instantly give our complete attention, we will be actively problem solving as they attempt to say words and we may even help and offer suggestions for words that they are trying to say. Children, as listening partners, may not be as forgiving. We often hear in the clinic that children with speech clarity difficulties can be left out of play with peers, as other children can find them too tricky to understand. In these instances, children with speech clarity difficulties may opt to play with younger children who are using less speech and language in their play.
- Your child is nearing prep and the majority of their speech sounds haven’t yet developed
It is critical that children enter into prep with age-appropriate speech clarity abilities for their literacy development. As children enter into prep at 4.5 years, the only sounds that they should have difficulty producing are /r/ and /th/ sounds. As speech production and literacy abilities access the same sound system, children who are falling behind in their clarity may be at risk for academic challenges. Undertaking speech therapy well before a child’s prep year is the best way to minimise impacts. We often tell parents that it is never too early to start. Given that speech skills continue to build on top of each other, speech pathologists will often work with children from 16 months of age.
Early intervention is always the best option. A complete, comprehensive assessment with a speech pathologist such as Speech Clinic, can help to put any concerns that you may have to rest.
As speech sound development is critical for many academic areas and for social development, ensuring that your child enters into prep with age-appropriate speech clarity is one way to maximise their educational success.
Article written by Lorraine Salvi in conjunction with the Speech Clinic
