Does your child need a speech pathologist?

What if I think my child has a problem?
If you suspect that your child has problems with pronunciation, you can consult a speech-language pathologist. They are trained to determine whether errors are age-appropriate or if intervention is necessary. A speech pathologist will "assess and analyze speech patterns to understand what a child is doing correctly and what they are challenged by," says Baron. "They will also assess the error patterns in your child's production. From here they will investigate your child's ability to produce the sound correctly and develop a treatment program based on this."

Treatment, says Baron, can include such strategies as giving a child specific instructions on how to shape their mouth to produce a certain sound, having the child watch the therapist's mouth to learn how to make the sound, and repeating the sound alone, in words and, eventually, in sentences.

Finding a speech-language pathologist
One easy way to find a speech pathologist is online, at the website of the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. They have a searchable registry of professionals across the country. You can also ask your doctor or child's school for recommendations and advice on whether there are any publicly funded speech pathologists in your area who could assess your child.

It's important to find a professional you're happy working with. "Parents should feel comfortable interviewing the speech pathologist," says Baron, "asking questions and determining their comfort level with the professional. Pertinent questions may include if the therapist works with articulation difficulties in children in their practice, how long they have been practising, and what their experience is."

If your child does have speech difficulties, it's best to bring them to a professional as early as possible so that they can learn to communicate with greater ease and be confident speaking to a wide variety of people, ideally before they start school.

How to help your child develop good pronunciation
Baron offers some dos and don'ts when focusing on your child's language skills.

DO:
• Model correct pronunciation of sounds in your own speech.
• Repeat productions of inaccurate sounds correctly and, if the child is interested, encourage them to try and mimic the way you say it.
• Encourage your child to watch your mouth when you say the sound if they are interested in attempting to make it correctly.
• Praise your child when they produce a challenging sound correctly and intelligibly.

DON'T:
• Insist on endless repetitions of sounds and/or words if it is challenging or frustrating for the child.
• Encourage or model "baby talk" (e.g., "wabbit" for "rabbit").
• Punish your child for saying things inaccurately.
• Make a big deal out of incorrect pronunciation, unless it is bothering them.

Looking for more ways to fuel your child's love of language? Read about 10 ways to help your child fall in love with books.

Page 2 of 2