Connecting Through Better Communication, What Parents Need to Know
5/21/2025
May marks Better Hearing and Speech Month and therapists at Lutheran Hospital are encouraging parents to learn the signs of communication disorders and take action early to support their children’s development.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hearing and speech problems can affect children’s ability to learn and communicate effectively - but early intervention makes a big difference. About 1 in 300 children is born with hearing loss and many more experience delays in speech or language development.
Children should reach communication milestones such as babbling by 6 months, saying simple words by 1 year, and combining words by age 2.
“For early intervention we look at the developmental milestones as a guideline, so by year one we want them imitating parents, saying those early sounds and syllables that we all hope to hear like ‘mama’ and ‘dada,’” said Sydney Shafer, a speech-language pathologist at Lutheran Hospital. “By year three they should be communicating clearly and we should be able to understand them pretty well.”
As kids get older monitor their academic progress, Shafer says sometimes that can be linked to a speech issue that has not been addressed. While summer is quickly approaching and parents may be seeing more of their children in the home, Shafer says language-rich activities are a good way to get involved in your child’s speech development.
“Reading to your child, asking them questions, labeling things in their environment engages the kids in language development. Locally we have some great resources like museums or the zoo, you can take your child there and can increase those communication skills,” said Shafer.
“It is never too late for an evaluation, if you’re worried, talk to your pediatrician about getting an evaluation scheduled," Shafer ended.
Take Action This Month
Better Hearing and Speech Month is a reminder for parents to:
- Monitor their child’s communication milestones
- Schedule screenings if there are concerns
- Seek support from healthcare and speech-language professionals
For more information about speech therapy services visit: https://www.lutheranhospital.com/speech-therapy-services.
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