As the speech/language pathologists serving your child's school, we want to share some information concerning communication disorders.  We also would like to tell you what we can do together if your child needs help with speech and language development.

The ability to communicate is perhaps the most important skill your child will acquire.  Communication skills permit youngsters to make sense of their world, to express themselves, and to learn.  Because these skills are essential to learning, early identification of a problem is crucial.  Once a child with a communication disorder is identified, the appropriate treatment and involvement of parents often make the difference between failure or frustration in school and a successful school experience.

Speech disorders include problems with making sounds correctly, voice quality, and stuttering.

Language disorders include difficulty in understanding or using language.  For example, language disorders may include problems with understanding/identifying certain classes of words, understanding/giving directions, answering/asking questions, or understanding/using correct grammar.  Language disorders also can be the inability to use appropriate social language or convey an idea to others.

By the age of 5, a child should be able to carry on a conversation, hear and understand most speech at home and school, answer simple questions about a story, say most sounds correctly, and speak in a way that sounds like other children.

Usually, children do not "outgrow" communication disorders.  That's why early identification and treatment are so important.  Our responsibilities include diagnosing a communication disorder and evaluating its nature and extent.  In addition, we provide treatment as necessary.

If you have any concerns about your child's communication skills, please contact us at Palos East, 448-1084.

Links:

The role of the speech/language pathologist in District #118.

American Speech/Language and Hearing Association