A baby’s first words “Mama” or “Dada” are very exciting for parents and family members to experience. As children grow, they may add words such as “granma” and “sista” to their vocabulary. However, if you notice your child still speaking like this by age five or six, you may want to check and see if your child has a speech impediment. It is estimated that 5% of children in the U.S. suffer from speech impediments.
South Coast Post Acute provides comprehensive speech therapy for people of all ages. We provide a high level of care to each of our patients and strive to get them on the right track for recovery. It can be hard for parents to tell if their child needs to enroll in speech therapy, that is why we’ve created this article. Read our blog post below to learn the signs that there is a problem.
Beginning Signs of a Speech Impediment
Listed below are a few signs parents or guardians should look out for when determining if their child suffers from a speech impediment:
- Check your child’s verbal development: By age three, children should be able to pronounce ‘t’, ‘d’, and ‘n’. Parents, family members, or guardians should be able to understand up to 75% of what the child is saying.
- Schedule an appointment with your pediatrician: If your child isn’t hitting verbal cues, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to take a hearing test. From there, depending on the situation, pediatricians may refer your child to a speech-language therapist.
- Practice at home: If you have received tips and guidance on what to practice to improve your child’s speech, practice at home to ensure your child is getting as much help as possible.
Speech Therapists and How They Can Help With Your Child’s Speech Impediment
Many times, when a child is struggling with hearing or speaking, a pediatrician will recommend they see a speech therapist. If you are unsure of what to be looking for to determine if this is what your child needs, look out for the following signs:
- Articulation disorders: These are troubles related to making sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to a point where listeners cannot understand what is being said.
- Fluency disorders: This includes issues such as stuttering and prolonging sounds and syllables.
- Resonance or voice disorders: This is when the pitch or volume of the voice distracts listeners from what is being said.
While some of these diagnoses are difficult to accept and digest, many of these disorders can be aided by a speech therapist. If needed, your speech therapist will work with your child on exercises that strengthen the muscles in the face, tongue, and throat.
SCPA Specializes in Speech Therapy
Diagnosing and rehabilitating a child with speech impediments isn’t easy, but there are plenty of resources and programs to help. At South Coast Post Acute our dedicated Licensed Speech Therapists drive programs that are designed to meet you or your child’s individual needs. Through customized treatment plans, we ensure the potential for maximum recovery in the shortest amount of time. Learn more about how South Coast Post Acute can help by contacting us today.