Q&A

Subject: Speech problem

From: TL

I am wondering if there are any self help books on speech therapy. My son has trouble saying "earl". I am deciding on whether or not to seek professional help. Thanks!

First, check with your public library. Ours has quite a section on speech therapy and general communication difficulties. For other general information, you can contact the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association <ASHA.org> for pamphlets and referral information. You do not say how old your son is. The /r/ sound is one of the last to emerge in children's speech patterns. If your son is 5 yrs. old or under, and if he can make that sound occasionally in some words, then you might wait. However, if he is self conscious about his speech "baby talk" then I would seek professional help. When in doubt, a speech evaluation is not a bad idea since you have concerns. Frequently, such an evaluation can give you a perspective on where your son stands in speech and language development. And the speech pathologist can give you suggestions for home activities to encourage proper development or even offer therapy to give your son a jump start.

Thanks for browsing our web site!
Solveig