How To Tell If Your Child Needs Speech Therapy
If your child’s speech is difficult to understand, you may be wondering if they should see a speech therapist. Speech therapy can benefit many children, but it isn’t always necessary. Here are a few things you should look out for to determine whether or not speech therapy is needed for your child.
Sometimes what appears to be a speech problem is actually a different problem in disguise. For example, many children who struggle to speak are actually hard of hearing.
A screening from a professional audiologist can rule out this possibility.
Next, consider your child’s overall brain health. A child’s mental development has a major effect on their ability to speak clearly, and in many cases, promoting good brain health with a nutritious diet and limited screen time can lessen or eliminate speech problems.
Finally, the only way to learn how to speak is to practice. Children need frequent opportunities to socialize with peers and develop their speaking skills, and sometimes all it takes is a bit of social interaction to boost a child’s abilities.
If you’ve taken all of the steps above and your child is still struggling with speech, they may be able to benefit from speech therapy.
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