When there’s a disorder, it means that development is somehow atypical. Most of the time (unless a professional is misusing terminology) a “delay” implies that there’s a reasonable expectation that a child can “catch up.” Intervention, whether it’s more informal at home with parents who are committed to implementing new strategies, or whether it’s more formal with enrolling a child in therapy services, certainly helps increase the likelihood of improvement. Skills are coming in as expected, but it’s just slower than when other children acquire the milestones. Let’s also clarify the difference between the terms “delay” and “disorder.” A delay means there’s just a problem with the rate of development. ![]() It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact diagnosis during the first visit or two (or 10!) with a toddler, but there are many common communication difficulties in this age group. Many professionals err on the side of caution and label all children they evaluate as “delayed,” when in fact they aren’t yet sure what the exact problem is. Sometimes we don’t know exactly why a child isn’t talking yet at two or three. ![]() When I evaluate a child, after confirming parents’ suspicions that there is a definitive problem, the next question is usually some version of, “Why?” ![]() As a pediatric speech-language pathologist specializing in early intervention, I work with children between birth and three years of age. There are between three and six million children in the United States with speech or language disorders. Why Can’t My Child Talk… Common Types of Communication Delays
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |