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| Read, talk & sing with me often because the first 6 years are important to my speech and language development |
Developed by Lisa Prokopowich, Speech - Language Pathologist, Children First Prince George.
Printed with permission from Pringe George Make Children First website.
Thank you.
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| Talking together is important |
Communication skills are extremely important to a child’s future well being. Babies are born communicators.
- They cry and fuss when they are tired, wet or hungry.
- They coo and smile when they are happy.
- When they are disinterested, they turn away or pout.
At first they don't realize that they are sending messages, but as parents and caregivers respond they gradually understand the two-way street that is communication. Mostly, humans talk together; it takes two to communicate. |
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| How does my baby develop language? |
 Language development begins at birth with a
baby's earliest communication with parents.
Newborn babies learn to respond to:
- facial expressions
- gestures
- touch
- sounds
- words
At first, babies cry to communicate their needs.
But during the first few months they learn other
ways to get messages across, such as using
sounds and gestures. This nonverbal
communication is the foundation upon which
language develops. |
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| The Importance of Language |
 Language is important because
we use it to communicate with
other people, to read and write
and learn.
Without language a person cannot:
- talk to others
- understand what
they say
- learn successfully
Children with language disorders are at risk for learning difficulties and for psychosocial
and behavioural problems. |
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| It's Never Too Early |
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 It is never too early to expose your baby
to language.
Talk and sing to your baby as much as
possible during feeding, bathing,
changing and play.
- look at books together
- sing songs
- make up rhymes
- do finger plays
These are all important for language
development and will help your child
learn to read when he or she is older.
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| Do you think your child may have a problem with speech and language? |
| Discovering any problems early gives a child a better chance to learn how to communicate successfully.
One reason for dealing with speech and language problems early is to better prepare your child for success in school years. Research has shown that early development of language is important for success at school -- for understanding the teacher and for learning to read, write and do mathematics. Language is also important for social development. |
 No child is too young to receive services from a Speech and Language Pathologist. Even young children - under two years old - can be helped with speech and language development. Early treatment reduces the risk of social, educational and emotional challenges that often affect children with speech and language problems.
Over 10 per cent of preschool children in British Columbia have speech and language disorders. Early identification is important for these children, because they can
be helped.
A child who has difficulties can work with a speech-language pathologist (S-LP) who is specially trained to help people with communication problems.
If you think your child may have a problem with speech and
language don't wait. Contact your local local speech-language
pathologist right away. It's never too early to identify a problem and
start getting help for your child.
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| Remember... |
| Parents, trust your instincts and call us if you need help!... |
- Northern Health, Speech and Hearing at (250) 638-2233
- Child Development Centre at (250) 635-9388
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| If you would like to more about what you should be looking/ listening for, check out the communication checklist. |
| Other Resources |
| For more information consult the Canadian Association of Speech - Language Pathologists & Audiologists Guide: Parents Guide to Children's Speech. |
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