Language development delays often occur and worsen quickly, and parents can often sense a delay before it’s even fully present in their child. Call it intuition, but it often helps the delay get diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. So, parents who fear that their children might be developing a delay will want to get their child to a specialist as soon as possible.
But when’s the right time for this? You don’t want to go too early while your child is still working out how to use their tongue, but you also don’t want to wait for the delay to worsen. Keep reading to find out when the best time to take your child to your local speech pathologist is.
When to Consult a Child Speech Therapist
It’s never too early or too late to start speech therapy, so don’t worry if you think your child is too old to rectify their speech delays. However, the earlier you begin treatment, the quicker your child will be able to gain confidence and improve their social skills. As soon as you think you’re noticing a speech delay in your child, there’s no harm in consulting a speech therapist to assess the situation and make sure there’s nothing to be concerned about.
During your consultation, the speech pathologist will get to know your child and be able to determine how they best communicate, noting their strengths and where they might need support. This will take the guesswork out of your child’s speech development, so there’s less chance of beginning treatment late.
Is There a Best Age for Speech Therapy?
The best age for children to begin speech therapy will be different for every child, as most professionals believe you should get your child seen as soon as you notice a delay. Children who begin talking early but with an impediment may need to start treatment earlier than children who fall behind on speaking altogether.
It’s common for children to be referred to a speech and language therapist around the age of 18 months if they’re not speaking by then. However, it’s possible to get them started at a younger age. Children who are born with a disability may be seen earlier.
Likewise, it’s possible that you won’t notice a speech delay in your child until they start preschool or school. Don’t worry – it’s never too late to begin speech therapy.
Do You Need a Speech Therapist?
The thought of taking your child to a speech therapist can be quite daunting for parents, but it’s important to note that the therapy will help your child throughout their entire life. There’s nothing to be ashamed of for you or your child, and therapy can improve their confidence tenfold. So, for parents wondering whether you really need to contact a speech therapist or not, let us put your mind at ease.
Speech Therapists Work with Both of You
One of the main things a speech therapist will help you with is parent coaching, which is where you take what you’ve learned from the session and continue it at home. The more you carry on the lesson at home, the quicker you’ll see progress from your little one!
Including you in the process should also make you feel more confident about the entire process, and it can even offer a wonderful bonding experience for you and your child.
Waiting and Seeing is Counterproductive
Some doctors advise parents to wait and see whether their children’s speech delay will go away on its own. While it’s true that some speech delays work themselves out with age, waiting and seeing can set your child back if they still need therapy after this time. Most speech therapists won’t recommend the wait-and-see method, because most children will benefit most from getting their speech delays treated as young as possible.
Unfortunately, there is no way of learning whether your child’s speech will catch up on its own or not, so putting therapy off can just push treatment back and even worsen the condition. Speech therapy often takes time, so being proactive can often help in the long run. When in doubt, we always recommend consulting a professional.
