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When should I
seek support from a
Speech-Language Pathologist?
When you
notice one or more of the following:
Intelligibility/clarity
of speech
·
Decreased
intelligibility/Frustration resulting from decreased intelligibility
·
Groping
oral movements (e.g. child may open their mouth to say something but no
sound
comes out)
·
Inconsistent
speech errors – when a word is pronounced multiple different ways
·
When your child
sounds different/less intelligible than his/her peers*
Vocabulary/ use
of language/
expression
·
Pointing
and gesturing used in place of verbal communication after 1 year of age
·
Echolalia
or repetition of phrases, for example when asked “do you want milk?”
the child
responds with “want milk?” or “do you want milk?” instead of “yes” or
“I want
milk”
·
Difficulty
retrieving words (“tip of tongue” phenomenon)
·
When your child
is using different/less verbal language than his/her
peers*
Understanding
of language e.g.
following directions
·
Reduced
attention compared to same age peers
·
Does
not follow directions
·
Inappropriate
responses to questions (e.g. When asked “what’s your name?” the child
responds
with “I’m 5” when peers your child’s age are responding appropriately
to such
questions)
·
Excessive
tangential/ off topic comments at home and in school
·
When your
child’s understanding of language appears different from
his/her peers*
Feeding skills
·
Limited
food choices
·
Coughing/choking
with foods
·
Inappropriate
weight gain
·
Decreased
tolerance of foods/objects touching hands and mouth
·
When your
child’s feeding is different from his/her peers*
Play
Skills/Social Skills/Pragmatics
·
Reduced
eye contact
·
Repetitive
behaviors (e.g. push cars back and forth)
·
Atypical
behaviors (e.g. flapping hands)
·
Decreased
socialization
·
Immature
play skills
·
Decreased
flexibility in routines compared to peers
·
When your
child’s play skills and how he/she relates to others appears
different from his/her peers*
* The most valid and reliable indicator of pediatric language
delays and
disorders is a comparison with same age peers in a child’s social
community. If you
notice a difference in
one or more of the above listed areas between your child and his/her
peers please
contact us at Progressive Speech Therapy so we can help. Developmental milestones
should be used as
general guidelines for when and how language is acquired. Research consistently shows early intervention is the best
way to
maximize your child’s progress.
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