Healthy child development is something every parent looks forward to. Milestones such as the first step or the first time the baby speaks are treasured. Due to the high anticipation for these milestones, delays and deviations become a source of anxiety for many families.
Keep in mind that development looks different for every child. However, some parents might want to seek professional help at the slightest deviation from what they perceive as the right development path. There is another group of parents who wait too long before they request for professional intervention. Unfortunately, deciding if communication defects are serious is not as easy as determining whether there is a need for kids physical therapy. This is because physical defects are usually obvious while communication disorder are more subtle.
The following are some symptoms you should look out for to determine whether your child has a communication problem.
Lateness in Reaching Language Milestones
There are certain milestones that, on average, a child is expected to meet by certain ages. If for example, a child is not able to walk by the time they are two years of age, you might want to visit a specialist who offers kids physical therapy. On the other hand, if your child is not able to pronounce ‘t,’ ‘d,’ and ‘n’ by the time they are three, it could be an indication that they have a speech problem.
A person who listens to the child regularly, such as a parent or a regular caregiver, should be able to understand at least half of what they are saying by age two. They should also be able to figure out three-quarters of the child’s speech by age three. By the time the child is five, people should be able to understand what the child is saying entirely. If they are unable to do so, you may need to take them for therapy.
Failure to Differentiate Age and Environment When Communicating
As children grow, they begin to understand the socially acceptable nuances in language. Thus, you find that a child has a way of speaking to their friends that is different from how they talk to adults. If your child speaks the same way to people of different ages, then they may have a neurological disorder that makes it impossible for them to note these social differentiations. The same inability to distinguish between acceptable speech is seen in children who speak the same way in the playground as they talk in the classroom. Social interactions therapy can help rectify this problem which would enable the child to have more meaningfully interactions both with their peers and adults.
Inability to Make and Understand Inferences
As a child grows, they should be able to understand inferences and implied language in speech. This ability usually develops between ages four and six. If after this age, they can only understand statements that are made explicitly, then they might have a communication problem.
If they tend to be overly literal and cannot detect sarcasm at around six years of age, they might have some social skills issues which can be addressed through therapy.
Inability to Understand and Give Non-Verbal Communication
Communication difficulties in children may be displayed by their failure to make or understand non-verbal communication, such as facial expression. If a child understands facial expressions, but they are unable to make them, it may be a physical problem for which the child needs kids physical therapy. If, however, the child combines inability to understand with failure to make physical expressions of communication, then they may have a problem that requires further intervention.
Contact Safe Sound Pediatric Today
Some people might consider communication therapy for their children less critical than kids physical therapy since there are no visible defects on the child. However, nothing could be further from the truth. To address these challenges, parents can take their children for treatments such as safe sound protocol and social skills therapy. These will help the child learn how to focus on human speech and derive both meaning and intent from it. When you’re ready, contact Safe Sound Pediatric Therapy today.
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