All Entries Tagged With: "language delay"
“What can I do to help my toddler learn more words?”
Below is an excerpt from my book Teach Me To Talk: The Therapy Manual.
This is the first response I give to any mom who asks, “What can I do to help my toddler learn more words?”
Teach USABLE Words and Teach by DOING
“The brain learns best through exploration and interaction with real people!” ~ [...]
Can’t vs. Won’t
I RARELY, no make that never, think that a child doesn’t talk because he’s stubborn or lazy. I get so frustrated when parents tell me this, or worse, when I hear another therapist say this. If you, or gasp, a professional, is telling you this, please re-evaluate your situation.
The truth is when kids can talk, they do talk. It makes life so [...]
Signs of Autism in Toddlers
Nothing evokes fear in a parent like thinking their baby may have autism.
Many people assume, incorrectly of course, that because a child isn’t talking by age 2 or 3, he or she must be autistic.
Let me reassure you, there are many reasons for late talking or speech-language delays in toddlers, and autism is just one of them.
Late talking, when there’s [...]
“Red Flags” That Warrant a Referral for Early Intervention or Preschool Therapy Services
I get so many questions from parents who want to know if their child should be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist or other professional. On my October 23 show “Teach Me To Talk with Laura and Kate” we discussed “red flags” that we note in toddlers and preschoolers that warrant a referral to an early [...]
Listen LIVE on August 29 for “Teach Me To Talk with Laura and Kate”
I want to invite you to join us for my next show this Friday, August 29. You can listen LIVE using the link here EVERY Friday from 1-2 pm Eastern time.
During this week’s show we’ll finish discussing in detail strategies for parents to use at home to help late talking children begin to communicate. We’ll be discussing the technique of expansion [...]
Help! My Child Won’t Imitate Words …. Begin with Imitating Movements & Sounds in Play
Learning to imitate sounds and words is a critical skill in a child’s quest to become verbal. Many children who are apraxic, or who exhibit motor planning problems, have great difficulty learning to repeat words. Teaching a child to imitate words often begins with teaching him HOW to imitate. Sometimes it’s easier to start with movements of your body rather than with [...]
Facilitating Words - Moving Beyond Grunting and Pointing
The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I received from our “Ask the SLP” post.
“My son is 18 months old and understands everything we say to him, but he is not talking with words yet. He mostly looks at us, will point to what he wants, and grunts. Is there anything we can do at home to help him learn to say words?” -From Claire in [...]
Communication Basics
As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I often get referral information for a child with the primary concern listed as “speech delay” or “communication delay.” These are often “catch-all” terms that can mean anything from a child is not saying as many words as other babies his age, to a child who is talking but is [...]
What Doesn’t Work - Unproductive Strategies For Helping Toddlers Learn To Talk
(Edited with the addition of #9 on March 18. 2008.)
Here’s what I’ve learned, the hard way unfortunately, about behaviors that do not help babies and toddlers learn to talk. All of these are helpful for not only parents, but also professionals working with young children. Most of these are common sense, but worth repeating.
1. The adult interacting with the child is (yawn) boring.
As even two-year-olds know, interacting with a [...]
What Works - Strategies That Help Toddlers Learn to Talk
Here’s what I know after spending nearly 30 hours a week for the past 10 years in the homes of my little clients. Listed below are the 10 best ways to entice a child to interact, then communicate, then (FINALLY) talk!
1. Play, play, play, and when you’re tired of all that, play some more!
You absolutely, positively have to [...]
