Title: Speech Delay
Feed: CWKN #388, June 4, 2008
Time: 1:43
SUGGESTED LEAD: THE ‘LOOKING AT LANGUAGE PROJECT’ REPORTS THAT 13 PERCENT OF TWO-YEAR-OLDS ARE LATE TALKERS AND THAT BY AGE SEVEN, MANY OF THEM WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE LANGUAGE PROBLEMS.   SO WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR CHILD TURNS TWO … AND STILL ISN’T TALKING?  CONNECT WITH KIDS HAS THE STORY.
<<PKG>>

NARR: WHEN MELISSA ASKS HER TWO-YEAR-OLD A QUESTION … (:03)

NATS:   “Would you like some tea?”

NARR: IT’S EITHER MET WITH SILENCE OR … (:02)

NATS  “mmm, oohhh…. I don’t know what you’re saying.”

NARR: EMILY DOESN’T TALK. AT FIRST, MELISSA WASN’T TOO WORRIED … (:04)

SUPER:  Melissa Watrobski, Emily’s Mother  (:16)
“The pediatrician had said that sometimes between 18 months and 2 years you see a big difference… which um, once again we didn’t even notice much of an effort.”

NARR: STUDIES HAVE SHOWN UP TO 13 PERCENT OF ALL KIDS HAVE A SPEECH DELAY OR DISORDER. 

THE CAUSE CAN BE PHYSICAL, LIKE A CLEFT PALATE … OR DEVELOPMENTAL, LIKE AUTISM.

BUT IT SOMETIMES IT’S A MYSTERY … (:15)

SOT: Melissa Watrobski, Emily’s Mother 
“Her comprehension is perfect, she understands everything.”

SUPER:  Karen Darrow, M.D., Speech Pathologist (:45)
“There are instances where we just don’t know.  Sometimes environmental things like the parents may talk for the child too much.”

SOT: Melissa Watrobski, Emily’s Mother 
“With her gestures and things I was able to catch on a lot more as to what she wanted so I was responding to her grunts and her groans (laughs).”

NARR: EMILY NOW GETS SPEECH THERAPY. ONE KEY STRATEGY THERAPISTS USE, AND RECOMMEND TO PARENTS, IS TO PUT A CHILD IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY WANT TO TALK. (:11)

SOT: Karen Darrow, M.D., Speech Pathologist
“Giving them a toy and taking it away and I call it sabotage.  Setting up a situation where it would be to their benefit to talk.”

NARR: THAT, ALONG WITH EXERCISES AND A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT … (:04)

NATS: “What is that? Bah…  Balloon!”

NARR: AND THE HOPE IS EMILY WILL SOON CATCH UP.  (:03)

SOT: Melissa Watrobski, Emily’s Mother 
“Yea, I wouldn’t be surprised if in a couple years if she’s not quiet for a moment.”

NATS: toy phone ringing, Emily saying “Uh, oh.”

SUGGESTED TAG:   EXPERTS SAY IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT VERBALIZING ONE OR TWO WORDS BY 12 MONTHS HAVE THEIR HEARING CHECKED.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT LOG ONTO WWW.CONNECTWITHKIDS.COM.