Children are precious to every parent. And, it’s a great pleasure watching children grow. Some children walk and talk early, while others children may take a little extra time.
But, for a few children, the case can be different. Parents might see their kids not responding when asked a question. Or, the kids use one or two words to communicate, often fail to understand what others are saying and cannot communicate with parents, teachers or peers. And, this might indicate these children have speech and language disorders. If not addressed, it can lead to problems in their academics and future life.
Early intervention is the key to speech and language development. Infants, toddlers and preschools all have developing brains. This is the stage where these little children learn communication skills. And, if the kid has speech or language issues, early intervention-based therapy should be started as soon as possible.
What is early intervention? And, what is the right age for children to start early intervention?
Early intervention involves identifying and offering early support to children and young people with speech and language issues, physical problems, neurological conditions, and those at risk of developing such issues. This is very helpful for children with developmental delays.
For children, there’s no such thing as being too young for early therapeutic help. However, kids as young as 3 years old can start this therapy if they are diagnosed early. These early therapeutic programs can continue until the child is 5 years old.
What do early speech-language pathologists teach children?
Speech-language pathologists encourage parents and caregivers to be a part of an early intervention therapy program to help the kid in the best possible way. These therapists help kids develop different skills.
First of all, they focus on improving communication skills. Here they teach kids to learn gesturing, talking, listening, and understanding what others are saying.They also help children develop cognitive skills. This is a necessary skill for thinking, learning, and problem-solving mindset.
Speech-language pathologists help kids learn physical and sensory skills. This helps children learn crawling, walking, climbing, seeing, hearing, etc. Apart from that, therapists assist children learn social-emotional skills. Children must learn how to play with peers, understand feelings, make new friends, etc.
What are the benefits of early intervention in speech therapy?
There are many significant reasons to intervene early in speech therapy.
- The first three years of a child’s life are super important because this is the phase they learn how to talk and understand words. If parents notice their child is having difficulties, it’s best to start helping them as early as possible. Their young brains are ready to learn, so this is a great time to give them extra support.
- Sometimes parents cannot figure out why a child is talking late and it’s hard to guess how they’ll do in the future. But with early help, many children catch up to their friends before they start school. So, for kids who have trouble making sounds, a speech therapist can work with them to improve quickly.
- Early Speech therapy isn’t just about words – it’s about helping the little kids communicate better in all sorts of ways. This can make playtime more fun and help them express themselves better in everyday life. When kids can share their thoughts and needs easily, they often feel happier in life.
- For children who aren’t using words yet, therapists can teach different ways to communicate. This may include using pictures or simple hand signs to show what they want or need. These tools used in therapy help children learn to talk.
- Parents are a big part of helping their children learn to talk and communicate with others. Speech therapists show parents fun ways to encourage speech during everyday activities like playing, reading stories or having meals together. They can also teach parents special tricks to help with tricky sounds.
Bottom Line
Taking early steps for therapeutic intervention helps your kid make a big difference with time.
Hope AMC is one of the prestigious speech therapy centers in Dubai. We have board-certified speech and language pathologists and other therapists and doctors to help kids lead a better life.
We offer a one-of-a-kind therapy plan after thorough analysis and identifying the unique needs of your child.
Book an appointment today!
