When is it Appropriate to Contact a Speech-Language Pathologist?

Many parents are concerned with their child’s communication. For some parents, their child seems to talk a lot, but they can’t understand their child due to speech sound errors. For other parents, their child talks a lot, their speech sound production seems fine, but their child doesn’t use complete sentences or thoughts, words seems out of order in sentences, or their child just doesn’t seem to know or use correct vocabulary. Please see below on the difference between speech and language, what is typical and when a referral to one our speech-language pathologists at Child Language and Developmental Speech is warranted. Our team at Child Language and Developmental Speech looks forward to providing you with exceptional speech and language services!

Speech

Articulation: Refers to how speech sounds are made with the mouth (e.g. children must learn how to produce “l” sound in order to say “love” instead of “wove.

Phonological Speech Sound Processes: Refers to a consistent substitution or deletion of sounds/syllables (i.e. final sound deletion- bu for bus, moo for moon/velar fronting- tar for car, do for go, tiss for kiss).

Voice: Refers to the use of the vocal folds and breathing to produce sound.

Fluency: Refers to the rhythm of speech (stuttering can disrupt rhythm of speech).

Speech Sound Developmental Milestones:

Please click below to see typically developing speech sound acquisition by age.

http://www.talkingchild.com/speechchart.html

Language

Encompasses the following: a) how to make new words (i.e. love, lovely, unloved), b) how to put words together (i.e. Sue likes to go shopping vs. Sue go shop), and c) what words mean (i.e. turn can be something you take with a friend during a game or to go a direction when driving a car).

Please click to see typical language developmental milestones:

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/communicationdevelopment.htm

Lori
Carolina Speech Services
704-845-1605