Language Express information for parents

Communication skills are critical to your child’s future success in school and in life. Children who enter school with speech and language difficulties are more likely to struggle with learning to read. The younger we start speech and language intervention, the more of a difference we can make.

If your child is under 24 months and you have concerns about other areas of development as well as speech and language, you may wish to consider a referral to one of the Infant and Child Development Programs (ICDP) that serve our area. These services support a child’s global development, including language skills.

Children can receive service from both Language Express and Infant and Child Development Programs at the same time. If you have not already been referred to Infant and Child Development Programs, you may call them directly at the numbers listed below.

Leeds and Grenville Infant Development Program
Infant and Child Development Program – KidsInclusive
613-544-3400

Lanark County Infant Development Program
Infant and Child Development – ConnectWell
613-257-7121

There is no better person to help your child learn than you! The speech-language pathologist will work with you and your child to help your child become a better communicator. Parents and caregivers are expected to participate actively in therapy sessions so that they can learn the techniques needed to help their children. Regular practice at home between therapy sessions is essential, and parent education programs may also be recommended.

First, your child’s communication skills will be assessed and the findings and recommendations for further intervention will be discussed with you.

After the assessment, the type and frequency of therapy visits will be determined according to your child’s needs, ability to attend, and the type of service you and your family require. Parent education programs, which parents attend without their children, may be recommended. Therapy visits with children are typically 30 to 45 minutes in length and may be weekly, biweekly, monthly, or even quarterly if only monitoring is required. Visits may be individual or as part of a group program. Your child’s name may go on a therapy waiting list if the type of service your child needs is not immediately available.

Speech and language therapy for preschoolers is play-based. We use lots of toys, books, and games to keep it fun. All activities are carefully planned to target your child’s communication goals. Speech-language pathologists can also act as consultants. They advise parents, caregivers and teachers on ways to help develop children’s communication skills.

We have many families waiting for service, and regular attendance at therapy sessions is important for progress. Your child’s therapy appointments are carefully planned and require considerable preparation time. Please inform your speech-language pathologist as soon as possible if you are unable to attend your appointment. If your speech-language pathologist needs to cancel an appointment due to illness or other circumstances, they will attempt to contact you as soon as possible to reschedule. For this reason, it is important that we have up-to-date contact numbers for you.

Please call to cancel your appointment if you, your child, or anyone else in the home is sick. A sick child cannot benefit from a therapy session, and they may expose our staff and subsequent clients to the illness.

All information provided to the program is confidential and is collected in accordance with privacy policies. Your speech-language pathologist can provide you with the policy upon request. Information may be shared with Language Express staff for program planning or referral purposes. We will ask for your consent before sharing information with anyone else. As your child’s legal guardian, you have the right to read or request copies of anything in your child’s file.

All staff are required by law to report any suspected abuse or neglect of children to a child protection agency.

Discharge from Language Express will occur:

• If your child’s speech and language skills reach an age-appropriate level.
• When your child reaches the age limit for Language Express.
• If referral to another agency is more appropriate.
• If we are unable to contact you.
• If there is a pattern of missed or cancelled appointments, and we are not able to work with you to improve attendance.
• If you decide to withdraw your child.

Other community agencies provide support for children with behavioural needs, physical disabilities, mental health issues, developmental delays, and other needs. If you would like information about any of these programs please call 211, or call us at 613-283-2642 or 1-888-503-8885 (toll free).

Coordinated service planning is available for families involved with more than one agency who would like help coordinating their child’s services. KidsInclusive is the lead agency for coordinated service planning in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville. For more information, go to the KidsInclusive website or call the Language Express office.

Questions? Please don’t hesitate to call the Language Express office at 613-283-2742 or 1-888-503-8885 (toll free).

Note: There are no fees or charges for our service.

When a speech-language pathologist meets with you and your child for the first time, they will be trying to learn as much as possible about your child’s language, speech, social communication, play, and early literacy skills. From your child’s point of view, it will be a fun time playing with toys and books!

The most important ingredients in speech and language therapy for very young children are fun and parents. Children learn through play, and parents and caregivers are the most important people in their lives. That’s why we use lots of toys and books in speech therapy, and why our goal is always to teach and coach parents so that they can be the therapists for their children.

Children who are developing normally in all areas except spoken vocabulary are often called “late talkers.” In the past, many parents and physicians took a wait-and-see approach to late talkers. We know now that this is not a good idea because many late talkers will not catch up without help. Even the children who do seem to catch up may have trouble later with grammar, complex language, and learning to read and write.

A late talker is:

• 18 to 20 months and using fewer than 24 words.
• 21 to 24 months and using fewer than 40 words.
• 24 to 30 months and using fewer than 100 words or limited two-word combinations.

Late talkers often have some additional risk factors, such as being very quiet as babies or toddlers; a history of ear infections; a family history of speech, language, or learning difficulties; a limited number of consonant sounds; limited use of gestures; limited imitation of words; or using very few verbs.

If you think your child might be a late talker, don’t wait and see. Call Language Express now. We can help you help your child become a confident talker who is ready for school and for life.

There’s a word for that!

Late talkers are usually experts at getting their message across without words. Try this strategy to help your child use more words: wait, help, wait.

Follow these steps:

• Wait to see what your child is trying to tell you. They may use a gesture, facial expression, sound, or word.
  • Example: Your child points at a school bus and says, “Uh!”
• Help by giving them a model that is one step up.
  • Example: You point at the bus and say, “Bus!”
• Wait some more.
  • Example: Wait to see if your child tries to say “bus” or tell you something else.

Great books for late talkers

These books are great for late talkers because there are lots of opportunities for repetition, and because kids love them!

• Who Said Moo? by Harriet Ziefert and Simms Taback. Pause and wait before you say “moo,” to give your child time to try to fill in the blank.
• Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann. After the first couple of pages, try saying nothing each time you turn a page and wait to see what your child points to or looks at. Then say a word or two to describe what your child is interested in before going on.
• Find My Feet! by Salina Yoon. Have fun with the animal sounds. Make the wrong sound and see what your child does.

There is natural variation in how people’s brains work and how people experience, understand, and interact with the world. This means there are natural differences in the way people learn and communicate.

Most children’s brains develop in ways that are seen as typical for their age and stage. These children can be described as neurotypical.

About one in five to six children have variations in their brain development. These variations include those seen in ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. These children can be described as neurodivergent.

Find more resources, including books about neurodiversity written for kids