If you have concerns about your child's speech, it may be beneficial to consider speech therapy. Here are a few reasons why:

• Early intervention: By identifying and addressing speech and language issues early, the better chance your child has of reaching their full potential and catching up with their peers.

• Improved communication: Speech therapy can help your child improve their ability to communicate effectively, which can lead to better social relationships with family, friends, and peers.

• Improved self-esteem: Children who struggle with speech and language issues may experience frustration, anxiety, and/or low self-esteem. Speech therapy can help them build confidence by helping them to communicate more effectively.

• Improved academic performance: Children with speech and language issues may struggle in school. Speech therapy can help them to improve their listening, comprehension and speaking skills, which can lead to better academic performance.

• Specialized expertise: Speech language pathologists are trained and licensed professionals who have specialized knowledge and expertise in identifying and addressing speech and language issues. They can provide your child with the tailored support and guidance they need to reach their full potential.

• Development of other skills: Speech therapy can help children develop other skills such as reading comprehension, written expression, verbal problem-solving, and verbal reasoning.

Consulting with a speech therapist can help you understand your child's specific needs and develop a plan to help them improve their speech and language skills. Reach out for a complimentary phone consultation to share your concerns to see if an assessment or therapy is warranted. For more information about typical speech, language and hearing milestones by age range, check out these helpful charts created by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).