Have you ever wondered if your child’s speech and/or language development was on track? With countless milestone tracking apps, conflicting recommendations from different governmental agencies, and even pediatric experts who disagree, it’s hard for parents to find reliable information to help track a child’s development! So in honor of the school year’s quick approach, I wanted to share some information about development and speech-language-hearing resources in Birmingham.
The “Wait and See” Approach
Many parents begin reporting concerns about a child’s language development around 18-24 months of age. Most children have a vocabulary explosion around 18 months and parents will begin to notice if their child isn’t keeping up with his or her peers. Unfortunately, parents are often told that they need to just “wait and see” if their child will catch up on their own. They’re told not to seek out “unnecessary intervention” by other parents or even pediatric professionals. So they don’t seek help, even when it is readily available. Although this advice is given rather frequently, it can lead to delayed intervention for children who need it.
*Mrs. Speechie P resources*
As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I have spent the better part of my career advocating for earlier intervention if a parent has any concerns with their child’s speech or language development. Many checklists use language milestones rather than the averages to track development. This can lead to a lot of confusion because milestones are the bare minimum of what we expect.
So, if a child isn’t meeting the milestones at 18 and 24 months, the child’s language is already developing in the bottom 10% when compared to other children their same age. According to the NIH, one in 12 children between the ages of three and 17 have been treated for a speech, language, voice, or swallowing disorder within the past 12 months. Why wait to see if your toddler is behind when you can start intervention services well before the age of three?
Communication Expectations
So how do you know if your child is meeting expectations? The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recently updated their resources available to parents for tracking children’s speech and language development. Because communication expectations change rapidly from one stage of development to another, they have broken down developmental norms from birth to the age of five. You can check your child’s development in the following links:
- Birth – 1 year
- 13 months – 18 months
- 19 months – 24 months
- 2 years – 3 years
- 3 years – 4 years
- 4 years – 5 years
*Additional information about how to “Identify the Signs” of communication delays can be found here.*
If you have concerns that your child is falling behind, don’t wait. Evaluate! The best case scenario is that a qualified professional determines that your child’s speech and language acquisition is on track. The other best case scenario is that your child can start getting needed help as early as possible. It’s a win-win situation!
Speech-Language-Hearing Resources in Birmingham
Early Intervention Services (Birth-3)
If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, there are a ton of resources available in the Birmingham area. Many parents take advantage of Early Intervention Services that are provided through the following facilities:
- Alabama’s Early Intervention System
- The Bell Center
- The Arc of Central Alabama
- United Ability
- Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind
- Mitchell’s Place
- Easter Seals of Alabama
*This is not a comprehensive list*
Once a child ages out of early intervention services, families can request speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and/or other educational services through their public school system free of charge. To access these services, contact the board of education for your school system and request to speak with the Child Find Coordinator for the district.
Pediatric Outpatient Speech Therapy Facilities (All Ages)
In addition to services offered through public funds, there are a variety of outpatient services also available in our area. Most insurance plans will cover a certain number of speech therapy visits per year, but be sure to check your plan for specific coverage. These are just a few of the clinics that serve our area:
- Vulcan Speech Group
- Expressions Pediatric Therapy
- Connect
- Steel City Speech
- Salt and Light
- Pediatric Behavior Institute
- Puzzle Piece
- Children’s of Alabama
- Child’s Play
*This is not a comprehensive list*
Don’t wait. Evaluate!
The bottom line is, I always recommend having your concerns formally evaluated. It’s often hard to address all of your concerns during a quick well visit with your pediatrician. So if you have concerns, talk to someone who is a specialist. An evaluation is not nearly as intimidating as it sounds. Most evaluations for children are play based and are completed in rooms that resemble a play room. While standardized testing may also be required because of your insurance, even that testing process can look a lot like a play. So, don’t wait. Evaluate!
