Common Pediatric Speech Therapy Myths, And Why They’re Bogus

If you’ve been looking into speech therapy for kids, you might be feeling overwhelmed at the sheer number of speech therapy myths circulating the internet.

Misinformation surrounding speech therapy can create a barrier to receiving treatment.

For instance, some parents may hesitate to put their child into speech therapy because they’ve heard that all speech and language difficulties will improve with age.

At Triumph Therapeutics in Washington DC, we know how important it is to receive accurate information about your child’s health.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of common pediatric speech therapy myths, and why they’re bogus.

Keep reading to find out more.

MYTH: Using Baby Talk Will Give Your Child A Speech Disorder

The concept of “baby talk” can be a controversial topic amongst parenting circles.

Your baby’s early speech and language skills are vital to their future reading, writing, and social skills development.

Therefore, more and more parents believe that speaking in cutesy, nonsensical words to their babies can negatively affect their speech development and even potentially cause a speech disorder or developmental delays.

But how true is this belief?

Not very.

What’s The Truth?

Some forms of baby talk are actually beneficial to your child’s speech and language development.

The key is to utilize baby talk in a way that is helpful to your child’s development, often referred to as parentese.

Speaking to your baby using parentese involves:

• Raising the pitch of your voice
• Changing your intonation techniques, such as rhyming or singing, to capture your child’s attention
• Using facial expressions and gestures
• Speaking slowly and clearly
• Using simple words and short sentences
• Using words with extended vowel sounds, such as “boo!”
• Heightening your emotions when you speak
• Repeating words and phrases

MYTH: Kids Will Grow Out Of Their Speech Disorders

We briefly touched upon this speech therapy myth in the introduction to this article.

The belief that kids always grow out of their speech and language difficulties without the need for intervention is one of the most common speech therapy myths.

But it’s just that – a myth.

What’s The Truth?

The truth is that your child might outgrow their speech disorder, and they might not.

With stuttering, for example, about 5% of kids stutter, and about 80% of them stop on their own.

That leaves 20% who genuinely have a stuttering disorder that may last to adulthood.

So, should you seek out pediatric speech therapy for stuttering?

If you take the “wait and see” type approach, and it turns out your child doesn’t grow out of their disorder, they may end up stuck with their speech disorder for life.

On the other hand, early intervention speech therapy treatments are almost always more effective, and in some cases can eliminate a speech disorder almost entirely.

As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

MYTH: Speech Disorders Are Contagious From Friends Or Family

You might be worried that your child might catch a speech disorder from their friends or family.

Thankfully, this isn’t a risk.

What’s The Truth

If your child has been recently diagnosed with a speech disorder, you might be wondering just how they “caught” it.

However, speech disorders aren’t conditions that can be “caught” like the common cold.

While it’s true that speech disorders often run in families, this is due to genetics rather than a contagious illness.

MYTH: Speech Therapy Is Just For Stutters Or Lisps

The belief that speech therapy is only helpful for children with stutters or lisps is another common myth.

However, a speech therapist’s skillset doesn’t end with treatments for stutters and lisps.

What’s The Truth?

Speech therapy can be extremely beneficial for a wide range of children.

Speech therapists are qualified to help with a variety of issues.

Here at Triumph Therapeutics, among many other services, we provide:

• Speech therapy for kids with speech sound disorders
• Speech therapy for cleft lip and cleft palate
• Speech therapy for recovery from traumatic brain injury
• Speech therapy for selective mutism
• Speech therapy for dyslexia
• Speech therapy for tongue thrust
• Pediatric speech therapy for dysarthria
• And much more

MYTH: Kids Who Learn Multiple Languages Are More Likely To Develop Speech Disorders

You might be tempted to think that teaching your child multiple languages will confuse them or cause language development delay.

However, this is far from the case.

What’s The Truth?

Children who learn two languages can do so at the same pace as children only learning one.

In fact, evidence suggests that children of parents who don’t speak English as their first language learn better when spoken to in multiple languages.

Forcing yourself to not use your native language may make it harder for your child to learn correct grammar and other language skills.

Therefore, you can rest assured that teaching your child multiple languages will only benefit them in the long run.

MYTH: Speech Therapists Just Play With Kids – They Don’t Really Do Anything

It’s no secret that children love to play.

Therefore, play can be an effective strategy in speech therapy.

However, speech therapy is far more than just “play time”.

What’s The Truth?

Incorporating games or other fun activities into speech therapy is an extremely effective way to encourage your child to reach their therapy goals.

In fact, play can be incorporated into other activities at home, such as chores and homework.

Book Your Appointment With Triumph Therapeutics Today

Do you feel like your child could benefit from seeing a pediatric speech therapist?

If so, don’t hesitate.

Book an appointment with Triumph Therapeutics today to get started on improving your child’s speech and language skills.