May is Better Speech and Heaing Month

 According to information obtained from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), more than 5 million children in the United States have a speech, language, and hearing disorder.   Very often, parents are unsure about what to do when they suspect their child may have an issue.  Every May since 1927,  (ASHA) has used the "May is Better Hearing and Speech Month" celebration to provide parents with information about communication disorders.  Speech and language problems can occur at any time in a child's life. They can be caused by accidental injury, illness, or inherited by birth. Child speech and language problems include:

• Stuttering
• Articulation problems ("wabbit" instead of "rabbit")
• Receptive and Expressive Language disorders such as the slow development of vocabulary, concepts, and grammar.
• Voice disorders (nasal, breathy, or hoarse voice and speech that is too high or low)
• Feeding and Swallowing difficulties

Parents who suspect their child has a communication disorder should see an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. SLP's can identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. Speech-language pathologists work in  many settings such as schools, private practice, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, health departments, and other health education settings.

The good news is most children with speech, language, and hearing problems can be helped.  Even if the problem cannot be eliminated, we can teach the child strategies to help them cope with their communication disorders, or provide them with the appropriate technology. By promoting Better Hearing and Speech Month, our goal is to help parents learn about communication disorders, what they can do to help their children, and how speech-language pathologists can help with their child's communication disorders."

Parents who think their children may have a speech, language, or hearing disorder or know of someone who has a communication disorder should visit http://www.asha.org/findpro/, ASHA's online directory of audiology and speech-language pathology programs, to find an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist or audiologist in their area.