How do you know when your child needs to see a speech pathologist and what do they do?
It is not uncommon for children to experience difficulties with speech during their growth and development. Over 350,000 children in Australia are currently experiences some form of difficulty with their speech, and over 570,000 school-age children have difficulty with language.
Using assessment tools, speech pathologists are able to diagnose each person’s specific problem and devise a treatment plan that best suits their needs.
The main areas of assistance are:
Speech – pronunciation
Language – understanding words and forming sentences
Stuttering
Literacy – reading and writing
Swallowing
Voice
Social skills
Listening and auditory processing
Speech pathologists are university trained Allied Health professionals who work with people across?their entire lifespan.
Most parents instinctively know if their child is having difficulties with speech or language. Some may notice their child is falling behind their peers in a playgroup or social setting. Liberty Speech Pathology has a checklist to help parents work out if their child needs to see a speech pathologist.
You or other people are having difficulty understanding your child
People think your child is younger then they are because of the way he speaks
Your child is being teased or showing frustration because o f the way he talks
Your child is using fewer words than other children his age
Your child stutters
Your child’s interactions or play seems unusual or inappropriate
Your child is struggling with reading or writing
There is a diagnosis that could affect speech or language such as hearing loss, auditory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder or developmental delay.
If in doubt speak with your local General Practitioner or health care provider.
References:
http://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/child/child-development/does-my-child-need-speech-therapy
http://www.flourishspeechpath.com.au/does-my-child-need-speech-therapy/
