Blog

Did you know that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month? Opportunities are created every May to raise awareness about communication disorders. For May 2015 The American Speech-Language and Hearing association has chosen the theme “Early Intervention Counts”. Early Intervention can play a critical part in a child’s development for their entire life. There are many signs to look for to determine if your child should be evaluated for speech and language early intervention. Below are some common signs of a speech/language impairment.

 Signs of a Speech/Language Impairment:

• Child does not babble, and/or makes few sounds (4-6 months)
• Child does not smile, make eye contact, or interact with others (birth and older)
• By 12-months old the child does not use gestures such as pointing, or waving bye-bye
• Child does not produce his/her first word (10-12 months)
• Child does not produce short phrases or sentences (2-3 years old)
• Words are not easily understood (18 months and older)
• Child has trouble playing and engaging with other children (2-3 years old)
• Child cannot say early developing speech sounds such as “p, b, m, h, and w” correctly (1-2 years old)

If you suspect that your child has a speech or language impairment than you should seek the help of a speech-language pathologist to determine if services are warranted.