Tried and tested ideas to support communication development alongside links to helpful websites.
AAC is any communication tool that helps to add to someone’s speech or can be used instead of speech.
Some children may face additional barriers to education & learning due to health or developmental conditions.
Learning more than one language.
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects the way that children understand and use language.
Communication is more than just words and the important adults in a child’s life play a key role in supporting children’s language and communication skills.
Children’s eating, drinking and swallowing skills (EDS) develop over time.
Children develop speech sounds at different rates.
Some children repeat, stretch out or get stuck on sounds or words.
Understanding of language (or receptive language) refers to how well a child understands words and sentences in order to gain information.
Children use a variety of ways to communicate messages for a wide number of reasons.
Children can experience changes in voice quality.
Welcome to this space which has been developed by the Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service. You will find lots of great information and advice to help you support a child with speech, language and communication needs. Communication happens everywhere so everyone has the potential to support a child in their communication attempts. .
Eating and drinking skills develop easily for most infants and children but if you have any concerns, you will also find some useful information & advice on how to support your child.
There is so much we can all do to support and improve children’s communication and eating & drinking and we hope you find this information and advice helpful.
Thank you for taking an interest in helping children to communicate/eat & drink to the best of their ability.