Speech and language development differs widely for children according to their age and abilities. This can often be a point of stress for parents who want to ensure their little ones are getting everything they need to start off on the right foot in school and in life.
It’s important to keep in mind that every child learns at a different pace, and that speech development can be complicated by factors such as hearing impairments, environment, whether they have siblings, and whether their household is bilingual. While being exposed to more than one language may give many children a boost in other areas, it can cause some confusion in very young children when learned simultaneously.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help your child with their speech and language development that will ease the stress for both of you. SpeechRight notes that speech therapy can be extremely beneficial in helping kids of all ages move forward and stay on track at school, and there are several components to these types of therapies that can be used at home as well.
Here are a few tips to assist in your child’s speech therapy.
Research local speech pathologists
One of the easiest ways to put your mind at ease is to research local speech pathologists who can provide the highest quality of service for your child. Look online to find out more about speech therapy in your area, and keep in mind that many therapists in this field earn their degrees at accredited online universities, which are becoming more popular these days as busy professionals go back to school on their own time. The more you can find out about a particular speech therapist, the less you’ll worry about your child’s ability to get what they need from the sessions.
Get familiar with different speech needs
Not only is every child different when it comes to how they learn, every speech disorder is varied a bit, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with your child’s specific needs. Some kids need help with their fluency, while others can’t express their thoughts the way they’d like to. There may be a speech therapist whose main focus is a particular disorder, so getting familiar with the types of speech disorders and how they’re treated can make the process a little easier.
Don’t underestimate the need for play
It’s important to remember that there are many tools used by speech therapists that you can also use at home. This will help your child stay consistent with their learning, which will hopefully make each session a little easier. For kids of just about all ages, playtime and music can be hugely beneficial when it comes to learning language and getting more comfortable with speech. “Talking” toys are popular for children who need a little help with their speech development, and music of all kinds helps to awaken different parts of the brain and stimulate speech, especially if your child can sing along.
Take a time-out
With our busy lives, many parents find that they go through an entire day without having a meaningful conversation with their child. This doesn’t make you a bad parent — just a busy one! Speech Buddies suggests looking for ways you can take a time-out each day to sit with your little one and have a conversation. This works best if you can sit eye-to-eye so he can focus on you and vice-versa.
Even if you only talk about his favorite video game or your plans for the weekend, slowing down for a few minutes and having that one-on-one time is essential for a child who needs a little boost in the speech and language department, and this will help prevent anxiety when he does the same thing with a speech pathologist.
Going along with that, a lot of parenting comes back to creating the right environment for your child, so do what you can to optimize your home for wellness and positivity. Children thrive best in an environment that’s brimming with encouragement instead of negativity and criticism. That’s easiest if you remember not to neglect your own self-care, too.
Speech and language development come at different levels for every child, and sometimes it can take a while to see results. Try to stay patient as you go through this process with your little one, as this can reduce stress for both of you. In time, you’ll see progress and so will your child.
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