Time to Talk: What You Need to Know About Your Child's Speech and Language Development

by Michelle MacRoy-Higgins, Carlyn Kolker

Overview

When it comes to language acquisition, all parents have questions...and?this invaluable resource?has all the answers.

When should I expect my baby's first word? Is my toddler on his way to talking soon? Is my child speaking as clearly as her peers? All parents end up thinking questions like these during their children's formative years, but too few act on them, assuming the answers are too unpredictable to be certain. Time to Talk answers these questions for the curious parent.

Written by an experienced speech-language pathologist and mom, this practical and proactive guide will help parents:

• Understand the building blocks of speech and language
• Monitor progress against expected milestones
• Enhance their child's communication skills
• Spot signs of potential problems with hearing, speech, or language development
• Address common concerns, such as articulation, late talking, stuttering, dyslexia, etc.
• Foster literacy
• Raise bilingual children successfully

Your child's language acquisition no longer must be a guessing game for you. From baby's first babbling to reading readiness, Time to Talk provides everything a parent needs so this vital fundamental skill doesn't have to be left to chance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814437292
Publisher:	AMACOM
Publication date:	03/16/2017
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Michelle Macroy-Higgins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP has worked as a speech-language pathologist for more than 15 years, focusing on the treatment of infants, toddlers, and young children. An associate professor in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Program at Hunter College, Michelle has a M.S. in Communication Disorders and a Ph.D. in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. She is the mother of two girls. Carlyn Kolker is a freelance writer, former reporter for Bloomberg News and Reuters, and the mother of two boys.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Hearing: A Building Block to Talking 7

What's Hearing, Anyway? 8

How Does Hearing Development Happen? 10

Let's Look at the Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear 11

Types of Hearing Loss 14

Testing, Testing, Testing 23

2 Speech: The Road to Mastering Sounds 33

What's Speech, Anyway? 33

How Does Speech Development Happen? 34

Move That Mouth, Baby! 35

Let's Look at Developmental Milestones in Speech Development 37

A Common Concern: Articulation Disorder 58

3 Language: The Key to Communication 65

What's Language, Anyway? 65

How Does Language Development Happen? 67

Language Theory 101 68

Let's Look at Developmental Milestones in Language Development 71

A Common Concern: Late Talkers 95

4 Fluency: Making Speech and Language Sound Smooth 101

What's Fluency, Anyway? 102

What's Happening When Speech Is Not Smooth? 103

Let's Look at Stuttering 106

5 Literacy: Reading Begins with Talking 123

What Are the Elements of Literacy? 124

Let's Look at Developmental Milestones in Literacy 127

Let's Look at Developmental Milestones in Writing and Spelling 133

6 More Than One: A Guide to Bilingualism 149

Are Babies Born to Be Bilingual? 151

Let's Look at the Many Forms of Bilingualism 152

How Does Your Child Become Bilingual? 154

Bilingualism in the School Setting 159

7 Special Concerns: When Things Don't Go as Expected 171

Hearing Disorders: When Your Child Has Difficulty Detecting and Recognizing Sounds 172

Speech Disorders: When Your Child Has Difficulty Forming Speech Sounds 176

Language Disorders: When Your Child Has Difficulty Conveying Thoughts and Ideas Through Words 183

Other Disorders That Affect Your Child's Ability to Communicate 191

8 Getting Help: Who to See, Where to Go, and What Your Therapy Options Are 199

Getting Started on Getting Help 200

Meet the Professionals 203

Public Options for Getting Help for Your Child 206

Private Options for Getting Help for Your Child 214

Let's Look at Methods of Speech Language Therapy 218

Index 231

Editorial Reviews

..". invaluable to all parents, especially those whose children are experiencing speech and language difficulties...an incredible guide on speech and language development. " -Eco Child's Play

..".a treasure. It gives parents the information and confidence to build the best possible foundation for their children, enabling them to learn to beautifully communicate with the world." --Blog Critics

"An easy-to-read, straightforward guide for parents about how babies and young children learn to talk...provides a practical, insightful look at the core components of listening, speaking, and reading" -Brooklyn Letters.

From the Publisher