Speech therapy has helped many Americans articulate their thoughts in a more productive way. It is estimated that between six and eight million people living in the United States today have some form of language disability, which often makes communication difficult. If you’re wondering whether or not speech therapy can benefit your child, check out these considerations to see if it’s time to seek help.

Bad natural pronunciation

Please note that some pronunciation errors are completely normal. Many young children will pronounce the “th” sound as an “f” sound. Preschoolers can mix up syllables in words that are too big, or they can put a lot of words together. For example, the elephant can become “slow.” These cute confusions are completely normal until about six years old.

When to consider help

By the age of three, you should be able to understand most of the things your growing child is trying to tell you. If your words don’t become easier to understand, you may want to consider speech therapy. If there is little or no talk, you must act quickly. This can be a sign of a much bigger problem in normal development.

Mispronunciation is a warning that professional treatment is needed. For example, if you don’t speak consonants or have trouble pronouncing vowels, this could be a sign. For example, instead of saying “bat”, the child just says “a”. On the other hand, the inability to say “cow” and instead say “coo” could be an indication that speech therapy will be necessary to normalize communication.

Other signs

There are several other signs that professional treatment may be helpful. When you read a book to your child, it is normal for him to point to objects on the pages. If you don’t see this, ask him to show you the turtle or the elephant. If you repeat the phrase and do not try to point to the object, there may be a problem with understanding the language.

If there are other comprehension problems, such as misunderstandings in questions or instructions, you may need help. An example is when you ask your child if he would like a cookie and repeats the end of the question instead of saying yes or no. Pay attention to whether your child uses new words once, or if his vocabulary remains stagnant over time, as these are also signs that you may need to consult with a professional.

Help advantages

Parents want to give their children all the advantages in the world and speech therapy may be one way to do that. The way children understand and respond to the spoken word serves as an indication of brain development. If you suspect that your little one is not keeping up with his peers, or that language prevents him from other achievements, professional help can get him back on track in his development.