Concerns? When should you consult?

You've adopted positive communications attitudes with your child, but you're still worried about his or her language development. What can you do?

Wednesday October 26, 2011

Concerns? When should you consult?

By Stéphanie Laurin, Director of Psychosocial Services and Amélie Michaud, Speech Therapist at Careplus


You can phone the CLSC in your region to request the services of a speech therapist. Most centres offer information sessions for parents (given by speech therapists) and language assessment and guidance and counselling services.

It's also possible to contact someone in the private network, by visiting the Web site of the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec, which includes a list of its members who work in the private sector. However, there are generally waiting lists, which may be a few weeks, a few months and sometimes even a few years long.

But don't be discouraged, and remember that communication can also be stimulated at home, at the day care centre and in the school setting.

Warning signs that might lead you to want to consult a speech therapist 

Age

Warning signs

1 year old

  • He or she doesn't look at the person speaking to them.
  • He or she doesn't try to get the attention of others by crying.
  • He or she is a silent baby: he or she doesn't babble.
  • He or she doesn't react to someone saying their name.
  • He or she doesn't react to noises and other people's voices.

2 years old

  • He or she doesn't understand simple routines (beddie-bye, meals).
  • He or she doesn't understand “take”, “give”, “show”.
  • He or she can only name a few objects, even if they are poorly enunciated.
  • He or she doesn't put two words together (e.g.: “daddy gone”, “want juice”).
  • He or she expresses themselves only by pointing.
  • He or she doesn't control their saliva.

3 years old

  • He or she doesn't make sentences.
  • He or she repeats instead of answering questions.
  • He or she only pronounces the vowels in words.
  • He or she isn't interested in other people.
  • He or she doesn't understand instructions related to their routine.
  • He or she can't make themselves understood when speaking to their next of kin.

4 years old

  • He or she can't make themselves understood when they speak to people with whom they are less familiar.
  • He or she cannot engage in a small conversation.
  • He or she wanders all over the place (jumps from one subject to the next without warning or reason) or answers with nonsense.
  • He or she doesn't ask questions.
  • He or she doesn't understand notions of space (e.g.: in front of, behind, below, above, between).
  • He or she is missing words in their sentences (e.g.: “Me eat apple”).

5 years old

  • He or she responds to questions "way off topic".
  • He or she wanders all over the place (jumps from one subject to the next without warning or reason) or talks on and on non-stop.
  • He or she transforms sounds as “s, z, f, v”.
  • He or she cannot explain what happened at daycare.
  • When constructing longer sentences, he or she makes even more mistakes.
  • He or she doesn't understand explanations given when part of a group.

Information drawn from the CLSC Arthur-Buies Guide for Parents




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