Frequent concerns:
Questions which apply to all areas of concern:
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Frequent concerns answers:
 My
2-year-old is not talking; should I be concerned?
By age 24 months, your child should be using 3-word sentences
(e.g., "Mommy go bye-bye; want cookie; Daddy see car.”).
He should have a speaking vocabulary of approximately 200-300 words,
and be using “ing” verbs, some plurals, and some contractions
(don’t, etc.).
For more detailed information on child speech and language development,
you may wish to look at: www.asha.org/public/speech/development/child_hear_talk.htm
My child is not talking as clearly as others
his age.
By age 24 months, his speech should be approximately 65% understandable;
not all the sounds need to be correct, but an unfamiliar listener should
be able to get the “gist” of what the child says. By age
30 months, you should be able to understand around 80% of what the child
says. By age 4 ½ to age 5, his speech should be very intelligible,
except for an occasional word.
For more detailed information on child speech development, you may
wish to look at:
www.asha.org/public/speech/development/child_hear_talk.htm
Should I be concerned about my preschooler’s
repetitions?
If our child is displaying any of the following symptoms,
contact a Speech-Language Pathologist for an evaluation.
- Repetition of initial sounds or syllables
- Interruption of airflow during speech
- Silent blocks when stuck on a word
- Prolongations of speech sounds in words
- Avoidance of eye contact during speech
For more detailed information on stuttering, go to: www.coloradostutteringtherapy.com
My child does not remember what I tell him.
Your child may have what is called an “auditory processing problem”
if he has difficulty following oral directions, gives inappropriate
or off-target responses to questions, or repeats a question before responding
to it. You may need to have your child evaluated by a Speech-Language
Pathologist to see if he might benefit from intervention in this area.
My child has trouble explaining things.
 This
can be a sign of a language problem. Does he use a limited variety of
words, have trouble “getting to the point”, rely on “scripted”
(memorized) sentences, or display difficulty with grammar or sentence
structure? These signs often are seen in children who need a Speech-Language
evaluation and treatment. It is important to get treatment for the oral
expression, as these problems will manifest themselves in written expression
in school and become a source of frustration for the child.
How can language therapy help my child’s
schoolwork?
Oral expressive problems will manifest themselves in written expression
in school and become a source of frustration for the child. Often schoolwork
is incorporated into therapy sessions to achieve the language goals
(i.e., vocabulary expansion, comprehension of written material, written
expression, organization for note-taking).
What is a tongue-thrust?
Tongue Thrust occurs when the person is placing his tongue between
the teeth or against the front teeth during swallowing. At rest, the
tongue is usually carried low and forward in the mouth. This tendency
is usually outgrown by most children around ages five to seven years.
Continued tongue thrust can create dental malocclusion and contribute
to articulation problems.
How will therapy for tongue-thrust benefit
my child?
- Normalized swallowing patterns
- Improved dental bite
- Healthier breathing patterns
- Elimination of open-mouth posture
- Less messy eating patterns
- Gets tongue away from teeth for speech sound production
How early should we pursue therapy for tongue
thrust?
Actual structured therapy usually commences around age six or seven.
However, there are things that can be done earlier than that to help
alleviate the seriousness of the tongue thrust (i.e., elimination of
digit sucking, investigation of nasal airway paths for nasal breathing).
It is best to consult the Speech-Language Pathologist about concerns
in this area by age five to 5 ½ .
My child does not seem to hear us.
Your child’s hearing should be tested by a certified audiologist.
If he is found to have a hearing loss, early intervention is highly
important. Families should seek information about amplification possibilities,
general education recommendations, and speech-language needs. Many of
these children have trouble with their speech because they have been
unable to hear sounds in words. Also, they often lag in vocabulary and
general expressive language skills. One-on-one speech-language therapy
can give them the boost they need to help catch up with their peers
by focusing on that child’s individual needs.
For more information on children with hearing loss, please go to:
www.coloradoagbell.org
www.shhh.org
Questions which apply to all areas of concern:
Is early intervention really important?
Research shows that early intervention is of paramount importance
in the management of speech-language delays, stuttering, and hearing
loss. Parents should not wait for the child to “outgrow the problem”
because they may miss the significant window of time when intervention
can prevent some problems from becoming permanent or more pronounced.
For language delays, early intervention has been shown to aid social
development, as well as result in better developed vocabulary and language-learning
in kindergarten.
How can I help my child at home?
Please take a look at the tips for
parents page.
How can I deal with my child’s frustration
regarding talking?
Be ready to praise efforts at verbalization, even though they may
fall short of perfection. Smile, nod, repeat what you DID understand,
and follow that with a clarification question (e.g., “You are
talking about the dog. What did he do?”). You may need to help
your child re-phrase what he is saying. Also, it is okay to say to your
child that you know it is hard to talk sometimes. Perhaps, try reflecting
verbally what the child might be feeling (e.g., “It makes you
mad when people don’t understand.”). For other ideas, you
may want to look at the Parent Tips
page.
What can a teacher do to help my child?
The answer to this question will vary with the particular problem
your child may be having. Please look at the educator
tips page.
My child is getting therapy at school; do
you work with school therapists?
Liz often sees children who are also getting therapy at school. She
carefully coordinates goals and treatment methods with school therapists
so everyone is “on the same page”.
How long will treatment take?
The answer to this question will vary, depending on the diagnosis,
the severity of the problem, and the quality of the follow-through on
home activities. Please consult with Liz about this concern for your
particular child.
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