Frequently Asked Questions: Children
Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership
Speech and Language Therapists have access to interpreters which allows us to meet the needs of people referred to us for whom English is not their first language, including British Sign Language. We can arrange an interpreter for an in-person appointment or for a phone call.
https://www.nhsgrampian.org/about-us/equality-and-diversity/
No. Children who are exposed to more than one language at home often follow a different pattern of language development, which can mean that their language skills may seem different to other children their age. However, there is no evidence to suggest that speaking more than one language has a negative affect on language development, even for children who have difficulties such as language disorders or Autism. In fact, we know that being able to speak more than one language has lots of benefits in terms of cognitive functioning! Bottom line is: do not be discouraged from speaking more than one language with your child.
Lots of babies need a dummy to settle, but we advise trying to stop using a dummy once your child turns one in order to avoid any potential dental issues or difficulty producing speech sounds. Try to reduce dummy use as much as you can (for example, at nap and bed times only) and this will help you make sure your child has plenty opportunities for chatting with you!
Yes. While it is not harmful for children to be using technology, it is important to remember that the more time your child is interacting with technology, the less time they are spending interacting with you. When it comes to communication development, the best way for your child to learn is by playing and talking with people around them. You can help to reduce screen time by limiting the use of technology to specific times of the day (e.g. half an hour in the morning or before dinner), making sure that the TV is turned off during play or story times and trying not to use your own phone in front of your child too often.
Not necessarily. Most children start using words around their first birthday, and children who are 18 months old should have at least 20 words (it’s ok if these words aren’t clear yet). These words should include nouns (like ‘Mummy’ and ‘juice’), verbs (like ‘eating’ and ‘sleeping’), prepositions (like ‘up’ and ‘down’) and social words (like ‘bye’). By their second birthday, children should have lots of words and be starting to join words together (like ‘baby sleeping’). Children should also be able to add gestures like pointing to their messages, and follow simple instructions like ‘get your teddy’.
Although some children who don’t meet these milestone catch up by themselves, others don’t (particularly if there is a family history of communication difficulties). For this reason, we would never recommend taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to children who aren’t talking yet. Luckily, there are lots of things you can do at home to help right away! Please phone our advice line or visit the Language Strategies section of our website for more information.
Not necessarily. Autism is a complex developmental condition which includes difficulties with social communication and restrictive and repetitive behaviours. Lots of toddlers have difficulty with communication for many different reasons, not just Autism. A large team of professionals is needed to decide whether Autism is the cause of a child’s communication difficulty. If you are worried that your child might have Autism, please speak to your Health Visitor or GP, or phone our advice line.
Glue ear occurs in the middle ear (behind the ear drum). When fluid builds up in the ear, it’s more difficult for sound to pass though, which can make speech sound muffled. If your child’s glue ear persists, they might have difficulty listening to the language of others and joining in conversations. If your child can’t hear some sounds, they might also have difficulty with pronunciation.
Children with glue ear might seem like they are ignoring you, and they might find it particularly hard to listen in noisy environments. Sometimes, these children can appear tired as it takes so much energy for them to listen, or they might play by themselves rather than join in with other children.
There are lots of things you can do to help your child with glue ear at home. Please visit the Hearing Impairment section of our website to find out more, or call our advice line.
We are here to help you! If you have a concern about your child’s communication, you can get in touch with us and speak to a Speech and Language Therapist by phoning our advice line. Alternatively, you can discuss your concerns with someone else who knows your child well, like you Health Visitor and class teacher. We work closely with these professionals, and they can make referrals to our service on your behalf.
Some children and toddlers will go through a stage where they are fussier about food. This tends to start around two years and should gradually improve as they get older. Fussiness can be a way for your child to show independence- this is a normal part of growing up.
The ‘Fussy Eating Toolkit’ below has been created by our Speech and Language Therapy and Dietetics colleagues in the Child Development Team who are experts in children’s eating, drinking and swallowing. This pack provides simple to follow tips and suggestions which can improve the variety in a child’s diet:
