Identify the signs of Speech Disorders During Better Hearing and Speech Month
With 8-9% of young children suffering from speech disorders, May’s Better Hearing and Speech Month is the perfect time for parents to learn how to recognize the early signs of these disorders. One should not assume a child will “outgrow” speech or language difficulties. There is never harm in seeking an assessment.
New Beginnings Pediatric Speech Therapy Services in El Paso, Texas is encouraging parents to educate themselves through the Identify the Signs campaign, a national effort of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The campaign is designed to combat an overall lack of awareness about communication disorders-a major barrier to treatment for the more than 40 milliion total Americans who suffer.
While it is certainly never too late to seek help, treatment is most successful, less expensive, and takes the shortest amount of time when a parent or loved one is able to pick up on the earliest signs of these disorders. In children, parents should watch for the following signs of speech disorders:
1. Does not interact socially (infancy and older)
2. Does not follow or understand what you say (starting at 1 year)
3. Says only a few sounds or words or makes only a few gestures (18-2 years)
4. Says words that are not easily understood (18 months to 4 years)
5. Does not combine words (staring at 2 years)
6. Struggles to say sounds or words (3-4 years)
For more signs, treatment information, and other resources, visit Identifythesigns.org.
To schedule an assessment with New Beginnings, please call 915-855-0601.
