This story originally appeared in Playtimes magazine, May 2016.
Some children pick up language skills quicker than others, but when should you be concerned about a child’s limited speech? Rebecca Simpson talks to a speech therapist to find out.
Speech and language are very powerful elements of communication. First words are coveted by parents, and cute conversations with our little people can be the highlight of our days. So, what happens when our kids’ speech and language skills aren’t developing in a typical way? We spoke to speech and language therapist, Melinda Sturges from the child development team at Southside Family Health Centre, Central Health Partners, for some advice.
What’s ‘normal’?
According to Melinda, what is “normal” varies widely. She says, “Speech and language development is more variable than physical development, there’s a wider range of ‘normal’ than with physical skills. There’s a wider window of when most children will start to speak. We do have rules of thumb, of course. By three, most typical children can speak in short sentences, and have a good vocabulary and simple grammar for describing what’s happening in their environment. Most children can be understood reasonably well by the time they’re three.”
Interestingly, boys tend to be at higher risk for speech and language challenges and their progression is more variable. Girls seem to have a neater pathway in this particular area of child development. Dads will delight in knowing they’re right – science tells us women are natural talkers!
When it comes to speech problems, Melinda says, “Parents shouldn’t assume just because there is something wrong with early speech and language development their child has a serious disorder. That isn’t the case. Many, many children show a delay in their overall pattern of speech and language.”
Parents with concerns about speech – or those working through some identified delays – are not alone. Melinda says, “Of all developmental disorders, speech and language are the most common; especially in pre- schoolers.”
When it comes to speech and language, there are three common issues that present in young children. These are:
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Rebecca Simpson. Writer and editor. 