Many people falsely believe that speech-language treatment cannot and should not begin until a child begins to talk. Yet research has shown that children know a great deal about their language even before the first word is said. For example, children can distinguish between their native language and a foreign language, use different nonverbal utterances to express different needs, and imitate different patterns of speech through babbling. Early identification includes the evaluation and treatment provided to families and their children under 3 years old who have, or are at risk for having, a disability, or delay in speech, language or hearing. A child can quickly fall behind if speech and language learning is delayed.
Early identification increases the chances for improving communication skills.
Children with no high-risk features should be evaluated if their speech and language is not similar to other children of the same age. Several sessions as well as ongoing evaluation may be required to obtain enough information to make an accurate diagnosis. The early identification team may consist of the speech-language pathologist, audiologist, psychologist, neurologist, electrophysiologist, otolaryngologist, pediatrician, nurse, and social worker. Because speech-language delays and disorders may be due to a variety of causes, each professional makes valuable contributions to the evaluation. From the results of the evaluation, certain services may be recommended.