Article author: Alexandra Zinchenko – speech therapist, corrective pedagogue. Founder of the A. Zinchenko Corrective and Speech Therapy Center in Kyiv. Co-founder of the Public Organization “Association of Speech Therapists of Ukraine.”
– Wait until the kid is 3 years old! He will talk! A child’s father is a late talker, and the child will talk later!
– Sounds familiar?
– But is it really necessary to wait?
– No! You should not wait. If you see that the child’s development does not meet age standards, you should not wait, and it is better to immediately contact a specialist. This could be a speech therapist, defectologist or neuropsychologist. According to the nature of developmental delays.
It is generally accepted that a consultation with a specialist should be held after 3 years. But in fact, there is no need to wait. Every age has its own sensitive periods, i.e. the period of development of certain skills. And it is very important to monitor the physical and mental development of the child from birth.
Of the main stages, you should monitor how the child reacts to his relatives, whether humming and babbling appears in accordance with age norms. Because these are the key processes in the child’s speech development. When and how the child started crawling and walking. Whether the child is interested in toys.
From birth it is necessary to communicate with the child. Use different emotions when interacting. On walks, tell and show everything around you. Your clear articulation of words and simple, short sentences will only benefit your baby’s development. After all, this is how a child will better perceive addressed speech.
Also do not forget the sensory systems: tactile, proprioceptive, olfactory, auditory, gustatory, tactile, visual. It is important for a child to be able to receive various tactile sensations. To play with sand, earth, sometimes dig in a puddle, find various bugs, worms and the like. Listen to birdsong, street sounds and classical music. This all has a positive effect on the development of speech and mental processes of the child.
All the skills and abilities a child should get from the environment with the help of adults.
It is very important not to hinder the child in gaining new experiences. If you do notice any peculiarities in your child’s development, it is best to consult with a specialist to determine the child’s current level of development.
Early diagnosis makes it possible to identify weaknesses in a child’s development and compensate for them by the age of 3.
What is checked during early diagnostics:
✔️ communication level;
✔️ understanding of spoken language;
✔️ examination of sensory systems;
✔️ active and passive vocabulary;
✔️ examination of articulatory motor skills;
✔️ phonemic processes;
✔️ examination of the grammatical side;
✔️ coherent speech;
✔️ fine motor skills.
Based on the results of the diagnostics, the specialists will give recommendations on how to improve the child’s development at home. And what developmental points you should pay attention to.
