If you notice that your child isn't meeting communication milestones, it's best to seek a speech and language assessment to determine if speech therapy is warranted. ASHA.org has a great write-up of these milestones and when they should be reached.

Determining if your child may need speech therapy or an evaluation involves observing their communication skills at various developmental stages. Here are some signs to look for, depending on your child’s age:

Infants and Toddlers (0–2 years)

• Limited Babbling or Coos: By 6 months, babies usually begin babbling (e.g., "ba-ba" or "da-da"). If this is absent, it may indicate a delay.

• Not Saying First Words by 12–18 Months: Most children say their first words around 12 months. If your child isn’t saying words by 18 months, consider an evaluation.

• Limited Imitation of Sounds: If your child doesn't imitate sounds or simple words by 18 months, this could be a red flag.

• Not Pointing or Gesturing: Around 12 months, babies typically start pointing at objects and using gestures to communicate. Lack of gestures could suggest developmental concerns.

Preschoolers (3–5 years)

• Difficulty Understanding or Following Directions: If your child has trouble understanding simple instructions (e.g., “come here,” “sit down”) by age 3, they might need help.

• Limited Vocabulary: By age 3, children should be using around 200-1,000 words. If your child is not using words or combining them into sentences by age 3–4, it may be worth exploring an evaluation.

• Speech is Hard to Understand: By age 3, most children are understandable to familiar adults. If your child is hard to understand, especially by 4 years old, speech therapy could help.

• Difficulty with Pronunciation: If your child consistently leaves out sounds or mispronounces words in a way that is not typical for their age, a speech assessment may be necessary.

School-Age Children (6 years and older)

• Challenges with Reading and Writing: Difficulties in phonological awareness, rhyming, or connecting letters to sounds might indicate a need for speech-language therapy, particularly in relation to reading difficulties.

• Speech Sounds: If your child continues to make errors in sounds (e.g., "wabbit" for "rabbit") after age 6, they may benefit from speech therapy.

• Stuttering: If your child shows signs of stuttering (repetition of sounds, long pauses, or blocking), it's essential to get an evaluation, especially if it persists.

• Social Communication Problems: Difficulty with conversational skills, understanding jokes or figurative language, or making eye contact could signal a communication disorder that needs attention.

Signs Across All Ages

• Delayed Milestones: If your child is not meeting typical speech and language milestones, consider seeking an evaluation.

• Frustration or Withdrawal: If your child is becoming frustrated because others can't understand them or they can't express themselves well, this could signal a speech or language issue.

• Regression: If your child had developed language skills but then seems to lose them, it’s important to investigate further.

What to Do Next:

1. Talk to Your Pediatrician: Share your concerns with your child's doctor. They may recommend a referral to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for an evaluation.

2. Request an Evaluation: A formal evaluation with a licensed speech-language pathologist can help identify whether your child has a speech or language disorder and guide next steps for therapy if needed.

3. Monitor Progress: Keep an eye on your child’s progress and continue to encourage communication through activities like reading, playing, and talking with them.

If you notice any of the signs above or feel concerned about your child’s speech or language development, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and seek an evaluation. Early intervention is key in supporting language development!

Early Intervention (0-3 years old)

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a public program for children under the age of three who are either suspected of having or at risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Potentially eligible children must be referred to the county program to receive EIP services. EIP is funded by New York State and county governments. All EIP services are provided at no cost to parents or caregivers. Contact your county for information regarding the Early Intervention Program: https://www.health.ny.gov/community/infants_children/early_intervention/county_eip.htm

Preschool/CPSE services (3-5 years old)

The New York State Education Department (SED), Office of Special Education oversees a statewide preschool special education program with school districts, municipalities, approved providers and parents. Evaluations and specially planned individual or group instructional services or programs are provided to eligible children who have a disability that affects their learning. Funding for these special education programs and services is provided by municipalities and the State. To request a free evaluation, contact your local school district's Committee on Special Education (CSE) office.

Private Pay

For children who do not qualify, or are on a waitlist to receive services, for Early Intervention services, Preschool Services, or School Aged services, we offer private speech therapy sessions in our office. Services are paid for out of pocket but we are able to provide parents with a superbill that they may submit to their own health insurance company for reimbursement. Although we do not accept insurance at this time, speech therapy is a medical service. You can use your HSA/FSA account for payment. We can run your HSA/FSA card as we would a credit card. If you require proof, or a receipt to justify services, a Super Bill will be provided.

Our office is located at 6 Main Street, Wyoming NY 14591 in the quaint little village of Wyoming. Known as the gaslight village and home to the AppleUmpkin Fall Arts and Crafts Festival, our office boasts historic charm and private, child friendly therapy rooms. We always include parents in our sessions because research shows that collaboration is the key to success. We have contracts with multiple counties and are able to offer both in-home and community services as well as in office and teletherapy services at this time.

• Fluency & Voice Disorders

• Swallowing Disorders

• Early Intervention

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Cognitive Speech Disorders

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech

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