Decker Therapy Services, LLC
 

One in ten children will have a speech and/or language delay/disorder. Early identification of speech and language disorders and initiation of intervention efforts are crucial, particularly for children with a family history of a language disorder.

Children with a speech and/or language delay are more likely to have difficulties learning to read. Emphasis on vocabulary development, pronunciation of the phonetic form and early exposure to phonological awareness may facilitate reading achievement. Continued speech and language intervention efforts during the process of learning to read is important for the development of reading and the component skills of reading.*

Occupational therapy may benefit a child who is having difficulty with handwriting or other fine motor tasks, sensory or touch sensitivity, eye-hand coordination, visual perceptual skills or overall motor coordination. Difficulties in these areas may provide clues to underlying developmental issues that may affect learning.

*The Relationship between Speech, Language and Reading in Young Children with Language Disorders: A literature review by Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, M.A., C.C.C. Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education Center, Georgia State University

DID YOU KNOW THAT... Cooing and babbling sounds that babies make at 3-6 months of age are important developmental stages of language development. Shared attention, turn-taking and vocabulary growth are critical building blocks of language development and start developing at this stage.

At 24 months of age, a toddler can point to body parts and objects on request, make animal sounds ("moo" for cow) and consistently use two-word phrases ("Where cow? Go bye-bye").

Descriptive words, such as "cold, hot, big, little" emerge. "Talks" while playing by himself. Sits and listens attentively to stories and can point to pictures in a book. Enjoys listening to songs and rhymes.