January 28, 2005

When silence isn’t golden

By Dr. Meena Sathappan
Special to the Times

Parents frequently ask, “How many words should my child be saying? Is my child’s speech normal or is it delayed?” Though these are common questions, they aren’t the easiest ones to answer.

If your child is 20 months old and uses fewer than 10 words or 30 months old and uses fewer than 50 words and no two-word combinations such as “mommy car,” he or she is considered a “late talker.”

Nonetheless, with some simple language enrichment methods, such kids can easily catch up with their peers. Besides seeking the help of health and/or educational professionals, parents have an all-important role in the stimulation of speech development.

How you talk to and play with your young child can make a big difference in her language ability. Here are some recommendations on how parents can help promote speech development in kids.

- Take advantage of the ordinary
Don’t limit playtime to just the structured sessions with toys. Make use of every day activities such as gardening, shopping, folding clothes or driving.

Verbalize repetitive activities. For example, when setting the table, say, “Plate, plate, plate, plate: fork, fork, fork, fork.”

- Make funny sounds
Encourage your child to repeat the funny sounds that you make.

Have her imitate the sounds of mechanical objects such as the doorbell, or the ringing of the phone, or the “vrrrrrooooom” of a car engine.

- Amplify and play back
Letting a child hear the sound of her own voice encourages more sounds. Good toys for this exercise are tape recorders or a computer fitted with a microphone.

- Engage in puppet play
Puppets are perfect for stimulating imaginative play and speech sounds. Simply place a gaggle of your child’s favorite stuffed animals behind the couch and have him sit on the other side. Put on a show for her and see if he will play too.

- Engage in animal play
Make animal sounds such as “baa,” “moo,” “meow,” “woof” and “neigh.” Besides being a lot of fun for the kids, these words also have an ideal variety of vowels.

- Sing nursery rhymes
Children develop the ability to detect rhyme before they can produce it.

Rhyming is an important pre-literacy skill. Reading rhyming books like Dr. Suess’ “Sam I Am” helps develop an ear for rhyme.

- Echo and correct
When your daughter says, “Her frew dat ball,” don’t say, “ That’s not how you say it.” Simply, repeat it correctly: “Yes, Lisa threw that ball.”

- Praise
Children love to be told “well done,” reinforced with a big hug.

Early identification and treatment for speech and language problems can prevent later reading and academic problems, protect self-esteem and reduce the need for special education services.

Never hesitate to bring your concerns regarding your child’s delay in speech or other areas to your pediatrician. Also, don’t delay following up appointments and referrals that have been given to you. A six-month wait in the life of a toddler is a long time in her development!

For more information, visit the Web sites of the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, www.nectac.org, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, www.asha.org.
Source: Contemporary Pediatrics

Dr. Meena Sathappan is a board-certified Pediatrician who lives and practices in Evergreen. She is available for questions and consultation at Aasha Pediatrics, 2060 Aborn Rd., # 230, San Jose, CA 95121 (corner of Aborn Road and Capitol Expressway). You can also e-mail her at msathappan@gmail.com.