Does this describe your child?
· 12-18 months old – hasn’t said their first word
· 18 months old – doesn’t have at least 10 words
· 24 months old – doesn’t have at least 50 words and uses 2 word phrases
If these statements describe your child and you feel like your child is “not talking yet” or “not talking as much as they should” here’s what you should do:
1) Contact a speech language pathologist for support. If your child is delayed in their early language milestones it is a good idea to start getting support right away. A speech language pathologist can assess your child, determine if therapy is needed and give you specific strategies to help your child. If you are looking for speech therapy in Calgary for your child, contact Rosy Speech and Language.
2) Ask your family doctor for a referral for hearing assessment. If your child is delayed in their language development, it is always a good idea to get their hearing checked. If your child has any hearing issues, temporary or permanent, this can be impacting their ability to hear the speech and language around them.
3) Try modelling one word at a time with your child. If your child is not using any words yet, it can be helpful to focus on modelling one word at a time. Simplifying our language can make it easier for children to attempt to copy the words we are saying. Choose a 15-minute time in your day where you can focus on your child and do this.
Most importantly, if your child is delayed in their language development, it’s not your fault! Taking these above steps is a great way to start supporting your child.
If you have questions about your child’s speech and language development, contact Rosy Speech and Language through our contact us page! We provide speech therapy in Calgary for children.
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