Knowing what is or what is not normal in a child's speech development relieves concern.
Speech development varies from one child to another, but there is a general pattern of speech emergence that children typically demonstrate. As a parent, you may be concerned that your children may not be progressing with their verbal skills as they should be. There are several free reference tools you can use to get a general idea of your child's current ability level.
Developmental Checklists
Use a checklist of typical developmental milestones to help determine whether your child needs formal speech intervention services. The National Institute of Health Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders offers checklists for speech development at various stages from birth to five years of age. These checklists are accessible on its website.
Speech and Hearing
If your child is delayed in speech development, it could be caused by a hearing deficiency. Use a developmental checklist for hearing and understanding along with the general speech checklist to assist in identifying the root cause of your child's delay. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website provides guidelines for speech and hearing for the first through fifth years of life.
School-Based Screening
As a parent of a school age child, there are several free resources available to address concerns about your child's speech development. Screening tools are used by teachers as a first step in identifying possible speech delays. If delays are suspected, you may be required to contact your child's pediatrician for a medical follow-up. A school-based Speech Language Pathologist, or SLP, will perform a speech evaluation and provide therapy interventions for your school-aged child. These services are funded by the school district, so there is no additional cost to you.
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