The early years of development are essential for laying a solid foundation for children to learn and grow. Giving children the best start means giving them the tools they need to succeed in the classroom, in the playground and at home. Sometimes children need a helping hand to access those tools, and a speech pathologist may be the person to open that door.
Impacts of Speech and Language
Speech and language are closely linked to behaviour, educational achievement, social interaction and self-esteem. Extra support can make a difference for children who have a communication disorder or delay.
- When a child isn’t easily understood by others, it becomes hard for them to make friends, participate in group activities, and ask questions. This can be frustrating for children, and can lead to isolation and poor self-esteem.
- A delay in understanding of language makes it harder for them the ‘keep up’ with other students. They may have difficulty understanding and following classroom instructions, academic content and social cues that would help them thrive.
- If a child has difficulty with their speech sounds, it can negatively impact their literacy skills. Learning to read and write requires a good understanding of how sounds work, and if a child is struggling to connect sounds to letters it can affect their literacy development, independence, and learning.
- A communication disorder can impact a child’s life through to adulthood. A disorder in preschool can impact their school readiness, and a child may find themselves struggling to keep up in kindergarten. This can affect their motivation to learn and be involved, meaning they miss out on valuable classroom and social opportunities.
How speech pathology helps children reach their learning potential.
If a child is struggling with their communication, they are at risk of falling behind in reaching vital developmental milestones. Being able to understand what is going on around them, being understood by the people who care about them, and being in a vibrant and encouraging learning environment are the tools they need to thrive, and a speech pathologist can help open that door for your child.
Speech pathologists help children develop their communication skills and give them the tools they need to achieve their learning potential. By working on those areas that they find challenging, a speech pathologist can help your child understand the world around them, be understood when they communicate, and improve their enjoyment and success at school.
