Does my child need help with talking and communicating?

It is completely natural to be concerned about your child's communication development. You may be asking yourself questions such as, "Does my child need speech and language therapy?", "Why isn't my child talking yet?" or "Why can't I understand what my child is saying?"

Every child develops at their own pace, but sometimes speech, language or communication difficulties may require additional support. Early assessment and intervention can make a significant difference to a child's confidence, learning and long-term development.

Your child may benefit from a speech and language assessment if they:

• Are late to start talking or are using very few words.

• Are difficult to understand.

• Struggle to pronounce certain sounds or words clearly.

• Mix up words, sentences or grammar.

• Find it difficult to understand or follow instructions.

• Have difficulty finding the right words.

• Find it difficult to make friends or communicate with others.

• Have a short attention span that affects communication or learning.

• Become easily frustrated or anxious because they cannot express themselves.

• Have low confidence or self-esteem linked to their communication.

• Avoid eye contact, struggle with play or have difficulties with social communication.

• Display behaviours that may be linked to underlying speech, language or communication needs.

If your child is experiencing any of these difficulties—or if you simply have concerns about their speech, language or communication—I can provide a friendly, comprehensive assessment to help identify their strengths, understand their needs and recommend the most appropriate support.