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Quest
Identify, intervene
S. SOWMYA
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If your child’s development worries you, get a medical opinion.
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Photo: AP
Observe: Give her a head start.
Speech and language delay affects five per cent to eight per cent of preschool children and often persists into the school years. It is often associated with poor school performance and psychosocial problems.Children less than five years of age whose speech and language delays are untreated may exhibit behavioural problems, may find reading difficult, have poor verbal and spelling skills and an impaired psychosocial adjustment. These problems could lead t
o an overall academic underachievement and a lower IQ that may persist into young adulthood.
As parents, you are in the best position to observe and report what your child is doing. If your child’s development worries you, do not wait. Express your concern to a paediatrician and take an important step toward ruling out what your child may or may not have. The sooner you identify a problem, the sooner your child can receive appropriate intervention from a qualified professional (speech-language therapist) to improve the situation.
A timely, well-designed, intensive intervention programme can brighten your child’s future and make a positive impact on the entire family. “Identification is essential for intervention”.
The writer is the Director - FIVE a centre for child development;
For further information log on to www.childsupport.in
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