Seriously? DD had a full evaluation through the school a couple of months ago, and the speech lady only asked her a few questions and told me she didn't have any concerns that warranted further assessment. 90 seconds with her, tops
A screening is different from an assessment.
My son was "screened" so to speak by his pediatrician who through asking questions as well as her own observations figured something was up.
He was eligible for Early Steps Eval, so we coordinated through them. He had a 1 hour assessment (maybe not that long for the assessment part, but that included asking me questions as well). The assessment included much more than speech.
His "test" for speech on his graduation from Early steps and transition to the school system--that was an articulation test and it took several minutes. It was included in the overall assessment for other things as well.
In any case--if people cannot understand a child, it can impact learning. This is why my son is eligible for services. I understand him, but there are moments where I Can't figure out what he is saying. But in other settings, he still requires some translation--and as he gets "tired", his error rate increases. And by "tired'--this isn't after giving a 3 hour dissertation--it's within a short period of one on one time.
Another note to the OP--I have been told that speech issues could impair learning to read. Not in all cases, but depending on what the speech issue is, it can inhibit phonics or word recognition. I think the example given for my son--he omits syllables. While he hears words and can ID a picture association, he'll speak the word by omitting either the initial consonant or a syllable somewhere. When it comes time to read the word at a later date, if he didn't have it fixed--it could complicate his ability to read that same word. (Best way I can explain how I understand it--speech experts can feel free to adjust what I just said.)
But just b/c a child is "understood"--if other people outside that circle of understanding have issues--then there is could be a problem.
I can understand the hesitation--my mother REAMED me for having my son take speech so early. She had speech growing up--and there was a stigma associated with that (i.e. she was thought to be dumb and stupid by her peers). She also never knew why she was in speech. Let's just say--my oldest was on meds for ADHD and my mom was mad about that--but the fact that my son was in speech....you would have thought that she preferred my oldest to be on Ritalin (she wasn't) by her reaction to his speech therapy.
So I quit discussing it with her. Speech done right has no stigma associated with it. And if she can get treated now (if needed)--much better now than in later years where you increase the chances of their being a social issue.
Seriously--there is no problem with Speech. It isn't a sign that there is anything wrong with your child. They just need extra exercises and practice to help learn to formulate the sounds correctly.
There is an artculation chart that exists that lists the ages when children should have certain sounds.
My chart lists it as follows:
age 2:
h
m
age 3:
b
g
n
p
t
w
age 4
d
f
kw
age 5
bl
ch
j
l
ng
r(final)
s
sh
y
And it goes up to age 8. While I understand what my son is saying....he just hit the 2yo sounds....at near the age of 3. He is inconsistent and lacking in the age 3 sounds.
The comment on my chart states:
the ages are the age at which 85% GFTA-2 standardization sample correctly produced the sound/cluster.
So--if you know that your daughter can say boat, goat--or banana....but the "b" for example is omitted--or fudged....it could be a speech issue. It may not be--but that is what the evaluation is for. My son is 3--but that b will get omitted, not b/c it is a big word--but b/c he has issues with the sound that "b" makes.
I'm not sure we will convince you--but you are not harming your daughter if there is nothing wrong, but you have her checked and she is cleared. You are harming your daughter if something is wrong, but you refuse to have her checked.
The only way to know for sure is to have her checked. It doesn't hurt her at all.
I'm staying out of THAT one! Unless of course her speech is fine & then I can come back & suggest its her with the problem...as someone mentioned the ammo....just kidding! I actually like MIL (I know you'd never guess by my posts - she just gets on my nerves & y'all are the only ones I can vent to) we even go on a mini vacation with her every year - she's just a incredibly negative person.
