ITV Lost for words

http://www.itv.com/News/tonight/episodes/Lostforwords/default.html

Thanks to Total Chaos for flagging this 'Tonight' news item up. The programme links the rise in speech and language delays, in children with who live in language poor environment. For the two children featured in the item, nursery places with specialist help in speech and language, speech therapy and more quality play and talk time with their parents, improved their speech dramatically. Both parents were eager to help their children and had obviously sought expert help and taken on board advice, about the problem their children had with language development.

Whilst the emphasis of the programme was, that the problem is caused by a lack of communication in the home, too much TV and even buggies that face in the wrong direction, there was one important element missing in my view. There are children who fail to learn to speak despite interested and communicative parents, who flag up speech problems early and ask for appropriate intervention. The specialist care, SALT services and nursery places with speech and language programmes are by no means available for every child in this country and so I believe that the programme over simplifies this growing problem.

We need speech and language groups so that parents and children who face similar difficulties, can learn alongside a speech and language specialist. I gleaned little from the general advice and black and white work sheets, given to me by the first SALT we encountered. I have learned from experience that giving a running commentary of anything and everything, is probably the last thing that a child with specific language disorder needs. When I said less, waited and listened more, M started to understand how communication can be a two way street.

I made mistakes in the early days by trying to cram M's world full of words so that we could share our experiences. I would have welcomed workshops and advice tailored to meet my child's needs. I therefore believe that is extremely important that children are assessed and treated as individuals, rather than a one size meets all blanket policy for schools and nurseries.