Helping your child with speech and language intervention
Maybe you have a 2-year-old that isn’t talking or maybe you have a 2-year-old that never stops talking…but you can’t understand a word he says. It’s difficult to know what constitutes normal language development and what defines a delay in language development. Children develop differently. Some talk early, some talk late and some have trouble forming the right sounds to make words.
Kathy Hammer-Hodkinson, MS SLP, a speech and language pathologist at Pomerene Hospital, said reading and talking to your child is a key factor in speech development.
“To create a language learning environment, parents need to talk and read to their children constantly,” she said. “Also, children should be 80 percent intelligible to strangers at the age of 3.”
The manner in which parents speak to their young children is important, too, because it helps the child actually learn the language and the sounds within various words.
“We recommend the use of “Motherese” speech,” Hodkinson said. “Motherese is a technique in which you speak slowly while using smaller sentences and frequent repetition. This will help the child learn speech.”
Slowing things down for your child is helpful because it’s much easier for the brain to process new information at a slower pace than when it is rapidly presented. For example, think of how it felt when learning a foreign language in school and how difficult it was to understand running speech. If you have ever attempted to learn a new language then you realize the slower you hear the pronunciation, the easier it is to comprehend the word.
Many children learn vocabulary and new words from being read to. There are many benefits to reading aloud to a child, but language and speech benefits top the list. In fact, a recent study conducted at a Rhode Island hospital compared two groups of 8-month-old children – one group was read to often as babies while the other was not. The results were amazing. The group that was read to had their “receptive” vocabularies (number of words they understand) increase 40 percent since babyhood, while the non-reading group increased by only 16 percent. Reading to your child from an early age is the best way to help him or her develop speech and language skills.
“Also, when reading to your child we recommend the use of frequent intonations to keep them interested,” Hodkinson added. “This makes reading more fun and keeps their attention.”
Hodkinson said that children should be evaluated around 3 years of age if a speech problem is suspected and, depending on the severity of the problem, therapy should begin at that same age.
“It’s best to get a child to speak intelligibly before they start school for both social and academic success,” she said. “Depending on the severity of the problem, most children should be seen for articulation therapy starting at 3 years of age.”
If your child is having problems with language and speech, Hodkinson suggested some other tips.
“Remember, all children benefit from being spoken to and having everything in their environment identified,” she shared. “It’s also important to listen to your own speech. Do you leave off end sounds when you talk? Do you talk too fast? Your child will learn by example so pay attention to the way you are speaking to your child.”
Speech therapy is not cheap, but some insurance companies will cover these types of services. Hodkinson recommends parents contact their insurance companies beforehand so they will be aware of the exact coverage they have.
Many school districts offer speech intervention when children begin kindergarten if it is needed. The school speech pathologist normally sees children within the course of their regular school day and there is normally no charge for this service. Waiting until a child is 5 years old to address a speech problem puts them at a disadvantage and may cause them to fall behind the expected benchmark. Addressing speech issues before school is the ideal situation when possible.
Even once a child learns to read on their own it is still extremely beneficial for speech, language and vocabulary development if parents continue to read aloud to their child on a daily basis. Reading a simple bedtime story each night can make a huge difference in your child’s academic development. So start early and make reading a major part of their life.
Kathy Hammer-Hodkinson, MS SLP, a speech and language pathologist at Pomerene Hospital, said reading and talking to your child is a key factor in speech development.
“To create a language learning environment, parents need to talk and read to their children constantly,” she said. “Also, children should be 80 percent intelligible to strangers at the age of 3.”
The manner in which parents speak to their young children is important, too, because it helps the child actually learn the language and the sounds within various words.
“We recommend the use of “Motherese” speech,” Hodkinson said. “Motherese is a technique in which you speak slowly while using smaller sentences and frequent repetition. This will help the child learn speech.”
Slowing things down for your child is helpful because it’s much easier for the brain to process new information at a slower pace than when it is rapidly presented. For example, think of how it felt when learning a foreign language in school and how difficult it was to understand running speech. If you have ever attempted to learn a new language then you realize the slower you hear the pronunciation, the easier it is to comprehend the word.
Many children learn vocabulary and new words from being read to. There are many benefits to reading aloud to a child, but language and speech benefits top the list. In fact, a recent study conducted at a Rhode Island hospital compared two groups of 8-month-old children – one group was read to often as babies while the other was not. The results were amazing. The group that was read to had their “receptive” vocabularies (number of words they understand) increase 40 percent since babyhood, while the non-reading group increased by only 16 percent. Reading to your child from an early age is the best way to help him or her develop speech and language skills.
“Also, when reading to your child we recommend the use of frequent intonations to keep them interested,” Hodkinson added. “This makes reading more fun and keeps their attention.”
Hodkinson said that children should be evaluated around 3 years of age if a speech problem is suspected and, depending on the severity of the problem, therapy should begin at that same age.
“It’s best to get a child to speak intelligibly before they start school for both social and academic success,” she said. “Depending on the severity of the problem, most children should be seen for articulation therapy starting at 3 years of age.”
If your child is having problems with language and speech, Hodkinson suggested some other tips.
“Remember, all children benefit from being spoken to and having everything in their environment identified,” she shared. “It’s also important to listen to your own speech. Do you leave off end sounds when you talk? Do you talk too fast? Your child will learn by example so pay attention to the way you are speaking to your child.”
Speech therapy is not cheap, but some insurance companies will cover these types of services. Hodkinson recommends parents contact their insurance companies beforehand so they will be aware of the exact coverage they have.
Many school districts offer speech intervention when children begin kindergarten if it is needed. The school speech pathologist normally sees children within the course of their regular school day and there is normally no charge for this service. Waiting until a child is 5 years old to address a speech problem puts them at a disadvantage and may cause them to fall behind the expected benchmark. Addressing speech issues before school is the ideal situation when possible.
Even once a child learns to read on their own it is still extremely beneficial for speech, language and vocabulary development if parents continue to read aloud to their child on a daily basis. Reading a simple bedtime story each night can make a huge difference in your child’s academic development. So start early and make reading a major part of their life.
Published: August 23, 2011
