Time is of the essence when it comes to speech or hearing skills in young children. That’s the message from the Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge District Health Unit, which is raising awareness as part of May’s Speech Month.
Family Health Nurse Shelley Shaughnessy says don’t wait to see if your child’s speech and language improve, as the earlier potential problems or delays are addressed the more likely they can be corrected.
Nurses from the health unit will be at Ontario Early Years Centres in Haliburton this month, to provide information to families and free books to kids.
The health unit says around one in 10 preschool children have a communication delay, potentially creating problems in the future if it’s not caught early on.
The website Kid Talk has more information and resources.