Kids Speech and Language Treatment

Did you know that kids don't develop their language skills at the same pace? If your child has any delayed speech development, you'll notice a few things. For instance, he will have trouble saying some sounds or words. As a result, he may feel frustrated because you have trouble understanding what he is trying to say. The great news is that there is a way to fix this problem before it gets worse. 

Speech and language therapy is a good medical solution for your child.  You can take him to a special kind of therapist called a speech therapist or a speech language pathologist. Nowadays, it's easy to find a Speech and Language Treatment clinic to cater to your child's needs. If you don't know much about speech therapy or language development, you're not alone. This is why it's a good idea for you to keep on reading to find out more information. 

Causes of Speech Development Problems in Kids

The fact is that oral-motor problems are the major cause of speech development problems for your child. Additionally, your child can have more than one factor that contributes to his language delay. For example, he can have an overbite that is paired with another issue. This is why it's essential for you to know the following common causes of speech development delays  

Hearing Impairment

If your child has any type of hearing impairment, he is likely to experience language impairment as well. The thing is, if he can't hear you when you communicate with him, he will likely struggle to effectively communicate with you. 

Psychosocial Issues

Let's say that your child experiences severe neglect. Not only will this lead to other major developmental challenges, but it can also cause crucial language development problems. This is why it's essential for you to ensure that you provide your child with the most appropriate environment. It should help him to thrive in every aspect of his life.

Autism

Since autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, it is characterized by vast differences in how your child communicates and handles social interactions. As a result, he is likely to display restrictions in certain behavioral patterns. However, this doesn't mean that if your child is autistic he will have language delays. Simply put, his condition will likely affect his language development. 

Intellectual Disabilities 

Did you know that various intellectual disabilities can lead to language delays in certain instances? If your child has dyslexia or any other learning disability, the chances of him having a speech impairment significantly increase. 

How to Identify Speech Development Problems in Kids 

Your child has different milestones according to his age. When it comes to his language development, there are telltale signs to look for if you're concerned about any potential problems. For example, when he gets frustrated when he tries to communicate with you. The following are some of the common signs that you should know in case your child has any speech impairment issues. 

• When he's not babbling by the time that he reaches 15 months.
• When he cannot talk by the time he reaches the age of 2. 
• Failure to speak in short sentences by the time he turns 3.
• Poor articulation, pronunciation, or following directions.
• When he struggles to use words in a sentence or if he leaves out most words out of his sentences. 

Common Risk Factors 

You'd be surprised to know that there are known risk factors to common speech and language problems. These can be summarized as follows. 

• If your child is male
• A child who was born prematurely 
• A child who had a low birth weight
• If you have any history of speech and language problems in your family tree
• If the parents have lower levels of education

Diagnosis and Treatment

An extensive medical diagnosis is essential before adequate speech and language therapy can be recommended. An evaluation is concluded in a Speech and Language Treatment clinic by a speech therapist who can advise on a suitable treatment program for him. Alternatively, if your child has an overbite, talking to one of our dentists at Baker pediatric dentistry can help you find any potential language delay issues. 

In summary, it's important for you to know how to identify any speech development problems that your child may have. Doing this early ensures that you find help as soon as possible. The last thing that you want is to delay finding a solution. You should schedule an appointment for his speech and language therapy as soon as you have any concerns.

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