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Early Intervention Key in Language Development
By Jennifer Newton Reents
"If they say 'more,' say, 'Tell Mommy more milk,'" Hudon says.
She also recommends correcting a child's pronunciation, such as if a child says they want a "tookie," to say, "Oh, you want a COOKIE," carefully enunciating the word "cookie."
While there are several programs in public schools where school-age children can get help, parents who want to intervene early may look at programs like Parents as Teachers (PAT). PAT is an early childhood parent education and family support program for parents of children from birth to age 5. PAT provides parents not only with information on child development but with parental involvement in parent-child activities that encourage language development and intellectual growth as well as social development and motor skills, according to the St. Louis-based organization. PAT offers programs in cities throughout the country.
The program works with parents through certified parent educators who make home visits as well as encourage parents and their children to participate in the program's group meetings and playgroups. Parent educators also help parents understand appropriate expectations for each stage of their child's development and offer ideas to encourage learning.
"Parents as Teachers educators are not diagnosticians – we leave that to physicians or specialists," says Jenni Loynd, who coordinates training for PAT educators. "However, because we talk to parents about their child's typical development and meet with parents every two weeks to every two months, we often notice atypical changes or lags in a child's development. When we have concerns, typically we will ask the parents how they feel, do they have any concerns about anything, have they noticed such and such, what does their doctor say, will they observe and take notes on a specific aspect of development."