Have you noticed your child developing a problem with their speech? If so, you may have heard that most children will “catch up” eventually and not worry about it. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. A wait-and-see approach may severely affect your child’s communication skills and cause them to fall behind their peers. As a parent, you need to be proactive with your child’s speech development and seek professional help when you notice them having difficulties.
What Exactly Is The Wait-And-See Approach?
The wait-and-see approach is the idea that a child will correct any speech disorders as they age. While most children can catch up with their peers eventually, those that don’t are at a higher risk of developing long-term communication disorders.
Some speech-language pathologists still use this method for a few months to determine if a child will need further help. However, recent studies prove that a wait-and-see approach is outdated. Late talkers are also likely to struggle with other development issues, such as social skills, behavioral regulation, reading comprehension, and other vital areas where language skills are essential.
Why You Should Intervene Early
The most critical period of language learning is from 0 to 3 years old, so you need to create a supportive environment and know what your child needs early on. The sooner you know what they need help with, the less likely they’ll develop any long-term language disorders that may be more difficult to address as they get older.
Speech disorders are often linked to other disabilities like autism. These disorders can harm a child’s development and social skills if they weren’t diagnosed early enough. After an initial evaluation, a speech therapist can give your child a proper diagnosis and show them how to express themselves effectively.
Get Your Child The Help They Need For Success
While you may have heard that your child will catch up with their peers, they may still develop other difficulties later in life. Language development is a crucial component of a child's development. For this reason, every parent needs to take a proactive approach to ensure their child has the support they need.
If your child is having trouble developing their communication skills, Tiegerman offers professional evaluations and other educational services to help them succeed. Please get in touch and contact our staff today if you have further questions about our curriculum.