Many of our clients express uncertainty about how early is “too early” to start their child in speech-language therapy. The easiest answer is that it is never too early to begin—research actually shows that speech therapy is most effective when children are less than 3 years old. There are many benefits to early intervention:
- Speech therapy is really about helping your child be able to communicate effectively, interact with others, and understand the world around him or her. The longer you wait to begin therapy, the more likely a communication disorder is to have a long-term effect on your child’s social development, relationships with peers and ultimately, their ability to learn.
- By starting your child in speech therapy early, you can avoid more significant speech problems later on. After beginning therapy, you will soon notice a change in your young child’s ability to communicate.
- Siblings of children with speech delays or issues are more likely to have a speech problem as well, as it tends to run in families. Evaluating your child early, and proactively starting therapy early, will only benefit your child in the future.
If you have questions about whether your child needs speech therapy, please don’t hesitate to contact our team directly, submit a client intake form, or start with a self-evaluation of your child at home before scheduling a formal assessment with your pediatrician.