A great follow-up to Mary's Thursday post is this New York Times article from Dr. Perri Klass, the national medical director for Reach Out and Read. Dr. Klass reminds us that speech delays can be related to any number of causes, from hearing loss to global developmental issues. She links to the milestones guidelines of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). ASHA's director of clinical issues in speech-language pathology, Dr. Diane Paul, supplies the basic information we should all feel comfortable with conveying to families:
Dr. Paul offered general tips to parents who want to enhance their children’s speech and language skills: “Talk to your child about what they’re focused on. Read to your child often. If they’re in a bilingual home, speak to the child and read to the child in the language that you’re most comfortable with. Speak clearly and naturally and use real words. Show excitement when the child speaks.”