“Is my child’s speech typical?!”

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Maybe you’ve been sitting on a sinking feeling that your kiddo should be saying more words than she is.

Maybe you’re concerned that she should be understood more easily than she is.

Maybe you’re questioning the “funny thing her mouth does” when she’s playing, eating, talking, or drinking.

Navigating concerns and questions on your own can be nothing short of confusing and worrisome. Differentiating between what’s “just normal” and what’s atypical is especially tough in today’s society. We have an app at our fingertips ready to feed our anxious minds with the comparison game. Your child’s growth and development is certainly not immune to being up for debate against the pictures you see, comments you hear, and same-aged kids you encounter in public.

Because Dr. Google is only helpful in increasing those worries you may have, this is where a professional opinion can come in handy. At the end of the day, listening to your “gut” is never a bad idea. An evaluation of speech and language function can be beneficial for many reasons, even if the only result is peace of mind for you as a parent.

Language and speech dysfunction can manifest as early as infancy, and our research shows us that early intervention is always the best path to take. While speech-language pathologists wear many hats, the one we’ll highlight today is the obvious one: that of assessing and treating speech and language disorders.

Outside of the well-known “flags” your child may exhibit (such as not saying more than a few words by about 1.5 years old or not understanding what others say, for example), some lesser known signs may also warrant an assessment:

  • Difficult to understand starting around 2 years old

  • Hoarse, scratchy, or raspy voice

  • Sounds “congested” or “nasaly” while talking

  • “Mumbles” while talking

  • Drools, creates “spit bubbles,” or sounds slushy while talking

  • Tongue protrudes forward between teeth while talking

  • Sounds “under water” while talking

  • Appears to be straining while talking

  • Check out our website for a more exhaustive list of symptoms.

While a list of symptoms can be helpful, determining whether or not your child’s speech is typical is much more of a dynamic process than checking boxes.

Here at BodyWorks, we are well-versed in assessing and treating various manifestations of speech dysfunction, including limited speech intelligibility, motor planning difficulties, delayed language, articulation errors, phonological disorders, voice or resonance disorders, and speech impacted by orofacial myofunctional disorders. We’re only scratching the surface here, and we’ll leave the “other side” of speech therapy (i.e., feeding, swallowing, and more) for another post!

We would love to answer your questions, help provide peace of mind, and offer a comprehensive look at your concerns.