You Need
The following information was supplied by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
The first five years of a child's life are crucial for language
development
Language involves thought processes, grammar, meaning, memory
and words
Parents, relatives and friends play an important part in
encouraging language development
How to help
Delayed language in children can be:
a) Developmental delay - not achieved at the expected time
or
b)
Acquired delay - through injury or illness
Either of these may result in:
• difficulty in understanding speech
• difficulty in thinking of words
• difficulty in putting words together into sentences
• difficulty with grammar
• difficulty in saying sounds and /or words
• reading and writing difficulties
Do
• encourage your child to get their message across in whatever way they
can, such as by pointing, using gestures, as well as with speech
• encourage your child to talk about everyday things
• ask for a hearing test if you are concerned about your child's
understanding
• get your child's full attention when talking to them, and give
yours
• show interest in what your child says
• contact a registered speech and language therapist if you are worried
about your child's language development
Don't
• correct the child's pronunciation. It is more important for a child
to learn words and start forming sentences than to pronounce everything
correctly
• show obvious concern about a child's communication; children can
sense anxiety
Support organisations:
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Afasic
British Dyslexia Association
Dyspraxia Trust
Other articles supplied by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Disorders
of Fluency in Children (Stammering)
Speech
Sound Difficulties
Voice Problems in
Children
What is the Royal College
of Speech and Language Therapists?