Don't wait.. Evaluate!

Sep 1

Should I “Wait and See” if I’m having concerns about my child’s development?

If you’ve voiced concerns about your child’s development at some point, you may have been offered what therapists call “wait and see” advice. This advice may have come from your pediatrician, family members, or mom groups on social media. Maybe it sounded something like: “Let’s check back in 6 months,” "He’s so young right now! He just need more time,” “Therapy won’t help much until he’s older/ready," or my personal *least* favorite, "my uncle's cousin's nephew didn't talk until he started speaking in full sentences at 4 and now he's perfectly fine."😜

We understand this can be a difficult time. You’re concerned about your child’s development and the people around you say she’ll grow out of it or catch up on her own, and you would love for that to be true. However, speech-language pathologists (and other pediatric therapists) everywhere will tell you--don’t wait. While it’s true that some kids catch up on their own without intervention, neither parents nor therapists have a foolproof way of identifying which kids will catch up on their own and which will need therapy. By the time it becomes clear that your child is not catching up, she’s lost that early access to treatment.

Why is Early Intervention (EI) Important?

There’s not just one answer to this question! The benefits of early intervention are vast. Here are a few:

Reduce the consequences of developmental delays. Untreated developmental delays can create a snowball effect. For example, a child who doesn’t learn to speak in sentences until he’s 5-years-old is likely going to show delays in reading. Delayed reading skills can lead to difficulty in learning new information. While this snowball effect doesn’t always happen, the likelihood of academic and social skills are higher in kids who have an early delay.
Early support for children with special needs. For children with more needs (i.e. autism, down syndrome, cognitive delays), EI offers support for the child and family at an early age and can help the child develop skills they aren’t learning naturally. The CDC states that, “early intervention services can change a child’s developmental path and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.”
Neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt or make new connections. Studies have found that the physical structures of the brain are most adaptable and malleable early in life. In fact, 2-3-year-olds have twice as many synapses as adults have. This means that the brain has more ability to create new connections, and therefore learn skills more efficiently and fully, early in life. Interventions provided at this early stage can actually influence the physical brain structures and how the brain functions!
Access to services. There is a great need for speech/language therapy services, and there often aren’t enough resources in a given area. That means waitlists at clinics are frequently longer than we would like. Logistically, that makes the “wait and see” strategy more concerning because you could be waiting to see if your child catches up, then waiting for an evaluation appointment.

What should I do instead?

Get an Evaluation

Early intervention, rather than waiting, is key. When you begin having concerns about your child’s development, the best course of action is to be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). A speech/language evaluation can determine whether intervention would be beneficial. An SLP will observe your child and perform testing to compare your child’s speech and language skills to other children her age.

Think about it this way--getting your child evaluated by a trained SLP is the path of least regret. Maybe you end up spending money and time getting an evaluation just to find out your child is fine. The alternative is waiting and missing out on valuable intervention time if therapy does need to be a part of your child’s life. You likely won’t regret pursuing an evaluation or services early on, but we’ve heard many parents say they regret not acting sooner. (And if that’s you, no shame or judgment. You can only know what you know! Parents are doing the very best they can for their kids and we’re happy to support you however and whenever we can.)

Follow Through with Recommended Services

There are several possibilities following an evaluation including:

The evaluation shows that your child is developing normally, or at least doesn’t show a need for therapy services. The therapist may provide you with suggestions for new tactics and routines you can try at home to encourage your child to communicate more effectively, even if they don’t recommend therapy at the time of the evaluation.
The therapist determines that your child is somewhat delayed and could benefit from therapy. In these cases, therapy is often more temporary or short-term. Children with delays often meet goals more quickly and don’t need long-term therapy.

If your child ends up having more significant needs and would benefit from long-term therapy, starting early is crucial. Not only does your child start receiving services and potentially making progress early, but you have the opportunity to develop a relationship with your therapist(s) early and have an ally in this journey. This road can be difficult to navigate at times, and we are honored to have the opportunity to help make it a little easier.

If you have concerns and would like to have your child evaluated, we would love the opportunity to work with your family and help you get some answers. Give us a call at 205-739-2066 or email us at frontdesk@expressionspediatrictherapy.com to start the process.