Does My Little One Need a Speech and Language Evaluation?

As parents, watching your child grow and develop is an exciting journey filled with milestones and learning moments. However, when a child doesn’t seem to be meeting expected milestones in communication, it can be both concerning and confusing. It’s natural to wonder when you should seek professional help to better understand your child’s development. This guide will help you recognize the signs that may indicate the need for a speech and language evaluation, while providing you with a clearer understanding of what communication involves and how to take action with confidence and care.

Communication isn’t only about talking; it is about how a child understands and interacts with the world around them. It includes four key areas: receptive skills (understanding language), expressive skills (using language), speech (how we physically make the sound units in verbal speech), and social communication.

Receptive Language Skills

This is how well a child understands language. Receptive language skills include the
ability to comprehend simple words, phrases, and commands. Early signs of receptive
language include turning toward sounds, responding to familiar words like “mama†or
“no,†and following basic directions like “come here†or “give me the toy.†These skills
are strongly tied to cognitive development and are often predictive of future academic
success. Delays in receptive language can impact a child’s ability to process information
and interact effectively with others, which is why it’s important to monitor how well they
understand what’s being said to them.

Expressive Language Skills

Expressive language refers to how a child communicates their thoughts, feelings, and
needs to others. This can begin with cooing and babbling, progress to gestures such as
pointing, and eventually lead to the use of words and sentences. A delay in expressive
language is often a primary concern for parents, as it directly impacts a child’s ability to
share what they need, what they want, and how they are feeling. When children struggle
to express themselves, it can lead to frustration and behavioral challenges. Early
intervention in this area can help a child gain the skills they need to communicate
effectively with those around them.

Speech

Speech skills involve the physical production of sounds and the sound combinations to
make words. While speech sound development is important, it typically follows language
development. For example, it’s perfectly normal for a one-year-old to say “mi†for
“milk,†as speech sound development is a gradual process. Parents sometimes worry
about a toddler’s pronunciation, but it’s important not to overemphasize perfect speech in
the initial phases of learning to make sounds. A child who is encouraged to
communicate, even if their speech isn’t perfect, will develop confidence in their ability to
express themselves. However, if a child’s speech is unclear or difficult to understand well
beyond the typical developmental age range, (please see link on our website) it may be
worth investigating further to rule out speech sound disorders.

Social Communication

Social communication, also known as pragmatic language, refers to the use of verbal
and nonverbal communication skills in social contexts. It encompasses the ability to
effectively engage with others by understanding and following the “rules” of
communication in different situations. These rules vary based on factors such as the
setting, the relationship between the individuals, and the cultural norms of the interaction.
Social language is essential for building and maintaining relationships, participating in
group activities, solving conflicts, and functioning effectively in society. Children with
difficulties in social language may struggle to connect with peers, understand social
expectations, or navigate everyday interactions, which can impact their emotional well-
being and success in school or other environments.

Knowing the general timeline of these milestones can help you identify whether your child is on track or may need additional support. In next week’s BLOG, I will provide the developmental milestones that we, as speech-language pathologists, examine when evaluating a child. It is important to advise that to qualify for Early Intervention in California, a child is required to have a delay of 25% in one or more areas of development in either cognitive, receptive, or expressive language, social or emotional, adaptive, or physical and motor development including vision and hearing.

My advice when considering whether to refer a child, is to err on the side of caution, as it is always a better idea to have more information than less. Missing out an incredible, free service that your child may truly need, is far riskier than having a speech and language evaluation and being assured that your little one does not qualify and is on track. When in doubt, follow your intuition, and make a referral. And, if you are truly on the fence and not sure, we are here to help you decide. We offer complimentary phone consultations to make sure children receive the care they need and to guide parents and caregivers through the steps involved.

All my best,

Cynthia!