Dealing With Your Child's Pronunciation Problems
Pronouncing words and phrases is something that all children have to learn growing up. As a parent, working with your child to teach them words and meanings along with short phrases will be how most children develop their first language skills. If you notice that your child is having issues with pronunciation they may be a slow learner. It is also possible that your child will need to see a specialist if they are constantly having issues with pronouncing sounds. Here are some situations where you may need to take your child to see a specialist.
They seem to mumble all the time
If from a young age your child seems to mumble rather than pronounce words, they may need to see their doctor. There could be mouth or vocal cord issues that are causing the mumbling rather than word pronunciation. There can also be issues with hearing and mimicking verbal sounds. If your child is mumbling while other children their age seem to be able to speak appropriately it is time to see a doctor.
Your child refuses to be verbal
Children can take a while to speak verbally for many different reasons. Some are slow learners while others may not be able to pick up on the socialization needed to learn before a certain age. If your child is moving near school age and they are still not talking past a few words, this could be a voice disorder. The first thing that you should do is find out if the school district that they live in has a specialist. You should then see the specialist to coordinate some visits to help your child get on track before they have to start school. The specialists knowing your child's growth before they start school is important so that they know where your child needs to be placed when their first semester starts.
Your child talks with an odd accent
Odd accents are rare, but they are possible, especially if the child has experienced head trauma or other cognitive issues. If there is no one in the family with your child's accent or if your child appears to have an odd foreign accent, you will need to see their pediatrician at some point. If the accent seems to have been persistent throughout their childhood, your child may need an MRI to determine why they are having this issue and if it is able to be solved.