My Child’s talking is delayed….Who can help?
Do you have a concern about your child’s talking? There are lots of places to go for help.
- Have you spoken to a Speech and Language therapist? We are a friendly bunch and very approachable. It can be difficult to find someone to speak to but at Chatter we always offer a free telephone consultation at a time that suits you. We can talk through your concerns however big or small and if you want further support we can arrange assessment, therapy and support tailored to your child and family.
- NHS Speech and Language Therapy– Most NHS SLT services accept referrals directly from parents and carers, if in doubt give them a call to check, they will probably send you a copy of their referral form to fill in. Your child can have support from a Chatter therapist alongside their NHS therapy. All Chatter therapists also work for the NHS so are experts in working with their NHS colleagues. Often parents feel they don’t get enough contact with the NHS SLT and opt for additional support. Alternatively some families feel they would prefer to seek all of their child’s therapy privately. When referring to the NHS SLT service it is worth bearing in mind that they have clear referral guidelines which include what referrals they can and cannot accept.
- Don’t get bogged down in a Google Search, here are some very helpful websites dedicated to language development and communication difficulties:
www.ican.org.uk The Children’s Communication Charity
www.talkingpoint.org.uk has free resources for parents and lots of information about children’s communication
www.stammering.org The British Stammering Association is the place to go for sensible advice on stammering/stuttering
www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk supporting the communication needs of all children
www.autism.org.uk The leading charity for people with autism
www.rcslt.org The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Don’t worry about your child’s talking, we are all happy to talk about it with you! Seeking support from a therapist is the first step.
Written by Beth Atkinson, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist