Science / Medicine : How to Spot Hearing and Speech Problems in Your Child
Here are some questions devised by the National Assn. of Hearing and Speech Action, a consumer group that acts on the behalf of hearing and speech impaired, to help parents determine whether their child’s hearing and speech are developing normally.
If all your answers are “yes,” the child is developing hearing, speech and language normally.
If one to three answers are “no,” your child may be delayed in development.
If more than three answers are “No,” seek professional help.
HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING
At birth, does your child:
* Listen to speech?
* Startle or cry at noises?
* Awaken at loud sounds?
At 3 months, does your child:
* Try to turn toward the speaker?
Smile when spoken to?
Stop playing and appear to listen to sounds or speech?
Seem to recognize mother’s voice?
At 6 months, does your child:
* Respond to “no” and his or her name?
* Notice and look around for the source of new sounds?
* Turn his or her head toward the side the sound comes from?
At 9 months to 1 year, does your child:
* Turn or look up when you call?
* Search or look around when hearing new sounds?
* Listen to people talking?
* Respond to requests, such as “Come here”?
At 1 1/2 to 2 years, can your child:
* Follow two requests, such as, “Get the ball and put it on the table”?
At 2 1/2 to 4 years, does your child:
* Understand differences in meaning, such as “go -- stop”?
* Point to pictures in a book upon hearing them named?
* Notice sounds such as a dog barking or telephone ringing?
* Understand conversation easily?
* Hear you when you call from another room?
* Hear TV and radio at the same loudness as other family members?
At 5 years, does your child:
* Hear and understand most speech in the home?
Hear and answer when first called?
Hear quiet speech?
Does everyone who knows the child (teacher, baby sitter, relatives) think he or she hears well?
TALKING
At birth, does your child:
* Coo or gurgle?
At 3 months, does your child:
* Babble?
Cry differently for different needs?
Repeat the same sounds a lot?
At 6 months, does your child:
* Babble in a way that sounds like parents’ speech, only not clear?
Make lots of different sounds?
At 9 months to 1 year, does your child:
Enjoy imitating sounds?
Use jargon (babbling that sounds like real speech)?
Use voice to get attention?
At 1 1/2 to 2 years, does your child:
* Have 10 to 15 words (by age 2)?
Sometimes repeat requests?
Ask one- to two-word questions (Go bye-bye? Where kitty?)?
Put two words together (More cookie)?
At 2 1/2 to 4 years, does your child:
* Use 200 to 300 words?
Use two- to three-word questions?
Ask lots of “why” and “what” questions?
No longer use jargon and repeat your words?
Like to name things?
Say most sounds, except perhaps “r,” “l,” “th” and “s”?
Talk easily without repeating syllables or words?
At 5 years, does your child:
* Say all sounds correctly, except perhaps “s” and “th”?
Use the same sentence structure as the family?
Have a voice that sounds clear, like other children’s?
Remember: Talk naturally to the child; do not use baby talk. Take time to listen and talk, beginning at birth. Do not push the child to talk. Accept some speech mistakes as the child learns, and do not make the child slow down or repeat. Have the child’s hearing tested if you have to repeat a lot or talk loudly to get attention. Seek professional help if you are unsure.
For more information, call the National Assn. for Hearing and Speech Action at (800) 638-8255.
