Parents walk into my office with so many questions and often, many preconceived ideas about the cause of their child's speech and language difficulties. Here are a few of the questions that I frequently hear and my answers:
1. Is my child just stubborn?
No! You child may well be stubborn and head strong but this has not contributed in any way to his/her speech and language difficulties. Late talking or speech that is unclear has nothing at all to do with your child's temperament or personality. Your child may 'appear' to be stubborn if you attempt to force him/her to say words or to correct sounds in words but this just means that you need to learn a new approach to helping your child so that your child enjoys your help and responds well. This is what a Speech Pathologist can help you with.
2. Perhaps my child is lazy?
Aaah! This would have to be the most common question or comment that I hear from parents, other health professionals and preschool teachers and it almost makes me scream every time! Children with speech and language difficulties are not lazy. Just because a child can imitate/copy a word after you does not mean that this word will then pop effortlessly and accurately into conversation. When a child imitates, they do not have to think very much about the content or meaning of their message. In conversation, the complexity of our language increases and we focus much more on what we are saying rather than how we are saying it. It takes lots of practice with imitation before new words and sounds are stored in your child's own mind. Only then will your child be able to recall words on his / her own and use these in conversation effortlessly.
3. Is my child a late talker because his big sister does everything for him?
Once again, another myth that needs to be dispelled. Younger children have the advantage of sibling playmates who constantly stimulate their language development. Having older siblings does not make children more likely to be late talkers. In fact, the opposite can be true.
4. I have heard that Einstein didn't talk until he was 3. Does this mean that my child will be fine?
Well, okay...the Einstein comment may be true but let's look at the more common scenario for late talkers. Late talkers at 2 often do catch up by 3 but we don't know who will and who won't catch up without an extra little nudge in the correct direction. The gap between late talkers who do not catch up and their peers tends to widen as children get older. Once children start school, this can translate into social and academic difficulties (particularly with reading and spelling) so it is always best to err on the side of caution and see a Speech Pathologist for late talkers who are 2 years old.
5. Have I caused this because I went back to work too early after my child was born?
It never helps the situation if parents are blaming themselves and feel guilt about their child's speech and language delay. The truth is, the causes of communication difficulties vary greatly. Genetics, illnesses, hearing and ear health all play a part as does environment. In most cases, we will never know what caused a child to have difficulties with speech and language. Antoerh way to look at this is that we are all different and have various strengths and weaknesses. Some of us are artistic and good with our hands whilst others have have good language skills. Speech Pathology can help your child to develop his/her weaker area of development so that this does not impede their success in any area of life.
Remember, if you have any concerns about your child's speech and/or language development, call your local Speech Pathologist for a chat or become familiar with the developmental milestones at various stages for communication development at Learn2Communicate !
Karen Trengove - Speech Pathologist
info@learn2communicate.com.au
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