Does My Child Have a Speech or Hearing Problem?

By: Doug Garfield | Posted on: 04-15-2022 | Category: Children's Speech and Hearing

Your child is having difficulty socializing, and you suspect a speech problem. But you're not sure. What about their hearing? You've heard a lot about auditory-processing disorder lately — could it be that?

The usual advice pours in. Your relatives and friends suggest your child is likely a late bloomer. Don't be concerned — they'll grow out of it. Be patient. It will all work out.

This advice, while well-intentioned, is not reassuring. And so you wonder if your child is normal. How serious is their problem? Should I get professional help?

Diagnose the problem now, professionally

If your child needs therapy for a communication problem, delaying treatment risks their intellectual and social development.

Taking a wait-and-see approach is unwise for this reason alone, but also because therapy that is not timely is more difficult and less effective. The earlier you confirm your child’s problem with a professional diagnosis, the sooner your child can start the therapy they need — and the more effective it will be.

So don’t delay! Act on your hunches. You know your child better than anyone.

You need a professional team

A team of audiologists and speech-language pathologists working together is the most effective way to pinpoint children's communication disorders and treatments.

Let's explore this scenario a little more: You scheduled evaluations of your child’s hearing and speech and the results are in.

Their hearing is normal and they don’t have an auditory-processing disorder. However, their speech screening confirms a language delay, and your speech-language pathologist recommends treatment.

Of course, the diagnosis could be completely different, but whatever it is, now you know what’s going on.

Now you have answers

And you have peace of mind. You're confident your child's therapy will improve their communication skills and build self-confidence.

Congratulations! Your child will be enjoying the benefits of healthy socializing soon.

Speech therapy is challenging fun

Speech therapists design their sessions to be fun, devising therapeutic progressions that challenge children without frustrating them.

Kids and teens prove this every day: They look forward to therapy because they're deeply engaged — speech therapists are masters of positive reinforcement.

Don't delay getting help! The brain centers for speech and language are more responsive when treated early. Delaying makes it harder for children to respond to the demands of speech therapy.

Speech therapy works

It increases kids' confidence — and more confidence increases their success in school and their ability to socialize with peers. Speech therapy gives children the tools they need to manage their speech issues for the rest of their lives.