There’s no time to ‘watch and wait’ with children’s language delays
22 May 2024
The importance of language skills
Language skills are needed to understand and communicate across different environments. A child’s early language skills are predictive of long-term outcomes.
The harm of ‘watching and waiting’
Watching and waiting will not rectify a language delay. Instead, it will prevent children from accessing critical early intervention.
It’s more important than ever to refer early, as waiting times in both public and private services are growing.
Instead: screen and act
Every consultation is an opportunity to screen a child’s communication. In addition to the Blue Book, you can use this screening checklist to identify when needs a referral to a speech pathologist.
These articles are written by members of the ‘Stronger Seeds, Taller Trees’ project which includes professionals from a number of government and non-government organisations in South Western Sydney. The group aims to support GPs working with families to navigate and access timely services when they have a concern about a child’s development.