It is our firm belief that every child should have the opportunity to reach their full communication potential and that every parent should feel fully equipped to support them.
As parents we can often see the immediate consequence of having a child with a speech and language difficulty. Perhaps you cannot understand what they are trying to say; perhaps they are finding it difficult to make friends; or perhaps they are falling behind in class. However, it is less widely known that language difficulties in early childhood can have far-reaching consequences:-
“It is well known that language difficulties predict problems in literacy and reading comprehension, but less well known that they may be indicative of problems in children’s behaviour and mental health as well. The evidence shows that children with poor vocabulary skills at age 5 are more likely to have reading difficulties as an adult, more likely to have mental health problems, and more likely to be unemployed. Because language and communication skills are so essential for school education and achievement, and future employment prospects, allowing less well-off children to fall behind in their language development risks undermining their life chances and perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage and poverty.”
(Language as a Child Wellbeing Indicator, Early Intervention Foundation September 2017)
Thankfully, research shows that early intervention is key in lessening and avoiding such risks, thereby improving outcomes in communication ability, school attainment, mental health and life chances.
That’s why, here at Chatty Chipmunks, we strive to deliver high quality speech and language therapy support to young children and their families in a warm and professional manner. We will work closely with you and your child, to give them the best chance of reaching their full communication potential.
Because every little person has a voice. And every little voice deserves to be heard.