In the early stages, children learn how to babble, crawl, speak, and walk. From time-to-time toddlers do not develop some skills, which is expected. These occurrences are usually completely normal and can be fixed with speech therapy. Some signs a child needs speech therapy can present differently in each child. Some children have difficulties pronouncing certain letters or words. Therefore, parents usually opt for speech therapy for their toddler. However, some babies take even more time to utter their first words. Speech therapy can help children who are nonverbal and even children who have difficulty pronouncing words correctly. 

First, be sure your child has passed his/her hearing test. Many children who experience any type of communication difficulties are referred to speech therapists. The goal of the speech therapist is to help the child fix potential speech disorders before they develop any further. Speech therapists are trained professionals that help children and adults with different speech related issues. Speech can help with lisps and stuttering. But they also help in numerous other ways such as:  

  • Speech disorders, including articulation and motor speech disorders
  • Fluency disorders such as stuttering
  • Voice disorders
  • Cognitive-communicative disorders such as social-communication skills or reasoning
  • Some children have difficulty swallowing their food. Which might cause deeper issues that can also affect speech. 

It is important to know that not all children develop the same way. Some children progressive more, while others need for time to develop. It is very important to treat the difficulties in a timely matter. A few signs a child needs speech therapy:

  • Your child is stuttering 
  • Your child only says a small number of words
  • Your child has issues articulating certain sounds
  • Your child doesn’t understand simple statements 
  • Your child is quiet in social situations

Your child should say their first word by age 1, and they should know about 20 words by 18 months. It is important that you monitor your child’s behavior if you would like to discover and treat potential speech disorders. At the same don’t worry, Speech therapy can be a great help!

Article Written By Maria Kakosimidi, M.S., Ph.D.
Maria Kakosimidi, M.S., Ph.D. is a Clinical Program Supervisor for our center-based location. Dr. Kakosimidi has been working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis for the past 6 years. She started off as a Behavior Therapist for 4 years and then got promoted to Clinical Program Supervisor once she earned her master’s degree in ABA. Dr. Kakosimidi earned her bachelors and master’s degrees in ABA from Purdue University. She recently earned her second master’s in psychology along with a PhD. Her experience ranges from working in home and center settings. She has worked with individuals from 3-21 years of age. Dr. Kakosimidi is very passionate about her line of work. Dr. Kakosimidi is on her path to become a BCBA and Clinical Psychologist. Her passion comes from within, and is very excited to grow in the field of ABA and psychology. 

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