The development of language begins early in life from the time infants first hear the spoken word. Eventually, children begin to mimic sounds and words they have heard until they grasp the meanings behind words. Typically, at around the age of 4 months, babies begin to discriminate speech sounds. From there, their language skills should progressively improve.
These days, many parents use child language milestones to determine whether or not their child is on track. These milestones also help Sydney child language specialists, pediatricians, and other health professionals to determine if a child needs extra assistance in moving forward with the development of language.
About your children’s language skills
You can find developmental milestones online (e.g. Speech Pathology Australia website or entwellbeing childhood development) or from your paediatrician. Milestones can be used as a general guideline for determining your child’s progress. If you find that your child has not mastered the majority of the language skills that are appropriate for their age, a Sydney practitioner who specializes in child language development will be able to provide professional diagnostic tests to determine whether underlying health issues are causing the problem.
Hearing loss and other medical conditions can cause speech delays. Depending on the cause, your paediatrician may advise you to talk with a hearing specialist, a speech language pathologist, or other health professional so that an effective treatment plan can be developed.
Many children who fall behind with their language skills are able to get back on track with a variety of exercises designed to enhance developmental skills. A speech-language pathologist will provide you with other helpful tips for getting your child back on track.
If you have questions or concerns about children’s speech and language skills contact your local doctor, who will arrange for you to see a speech pathologist. We‘ll provide you with a straightforward, efficient and very effective treatment plan targeted to your concerns.