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As your child grows and develops, you will learn a lot about how they communicate with you. It is important to trust your instincts as their parent. 

You know your child best, and spending time playing with them will help you learn exactly how they communicate and decide if you need more help. Trust your gut, and ask yourself: 

1. Are my child’s skills developing in some way, even if it’s not at the speed of other children? 
2. Is my child communicating with me in ways other than using words? 
3. Does my child understand what I say, even when there are no other clues such as pointing or gestures?  

If you answer ‘yes’ to the questions above, this is a good sign! If you are unsure, and your child’s difficulties communicating are getting in the way of everyday life, it might be a good time to seek help. 

 

Build your support network 

Family and friends who don’t see your child every day can be really useful in spotting things your child has been learning to do. This could be saying words a bit clearer than they used to, or copying gestures.  

Don’t go through this alone, talk to people you trust and share how you’re feeling.  

 

Find support in your community  

Make the most of your local children’s centre (link to wirral here), who will run groups for parents and children. If you child is in nursery or pre-school also talk to the staff about your concerns as they may be able to suggest things to help.  

 

Get expert help 

The best expert in your child is you!  

There are a number of health professionals who can give you either initial advice, help you find out can help your child.  

1. If you still have visits from a health visitor speak to them about your concerns.  
2. Your GP will be able to guide you as to what your child may need a fuller check-up of their development from other healthcare professionals. 
3. Audiologist: They can identify hearing problems early on in your child’s development. An ear test is often the best place to start if you have concerns about your child’s communication development, even if you think their hearing is OK. 
4. Paediatrician: They are specialist children’s doctors who can look at a whole range of your child’s movement, learning and communication skills to give a wider picture of their strengths and difficulties. 
5. Speech and language therapist: They can help your child develop early non-verbal communication skills like turn taking and support them right through to forming words, sentences and conversations. 

 

How to prepare for an appointment  

Remember, professionals may be experts in child development, but you know your child inside out.  

It’s easy to forget things when you are at an appointment, so before you go: 

1. Write down any questions you want answered. 
2. Find your child’s health record (red book) so you can take it with you. 

 

During the appointment

1. Make sure you understand what they are telling you. 
2. Ask how you can help your child at home. 
3. Remember your knowledge of your child is all the professional needs to be able to help you. 

You don’t have to do everything on this page at once. If you are worried about your child, start somewhere- looking at another article, posting on a forum- could be the first step that helps you.  

This article has been adapted from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zh9v382