Improving Your Child's Speech: Practical Tips and Strategies for Moms

The Motherhood Kit

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There’s often a reluctance for parents to get a speech therapist involved in their child’s development process, out of fear that it says something about the child or parent themself. Yamel challenges us to break through that idea and normalize seeking professional assistance (especially if there’s any concern) so that each child is able to be fully supported in reaching their developmental milestones. On this episode of The Motherhood Kit, Yamel is joined by speech pathologist Maria Gianfilippo to discuss the benefits of normalizing speech therapy, how to determine whether assistance is needed, and to share proactive tips for parents.
Maria Gianfilippo MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with experience in acute care, inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as early intervention in preschool settings. Connect with Maria Gianfilippo and her team at Organic Speech Therapy through their website and Instagram. Download the FREE milestones doc here.

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Maria always enjoyed children, so it was natural to lean toward pediatric care when she was studying speech pathology in college. Having watched her niece and nephew develop, she was amazed at how much kids could communicate at such young ages. As time went on, she noticed how big of a difference the children’s progress was when the parents were really involved in the process.

Importance of Speech Development
Speech is an essential aspect of life at every age, but especially from birth to three years old. During this time the foundation for language and literacy skills is being primed in ways that can set children up for major successes down the road.

Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
If there’s a wonder or nagging feeling that a child may have a speech delay, start with a conversation. Chat with a speech therapist and the child themself. Early intervention is the best way to ensure that kids are on track with their peers while delaying assistance can prolong the process.

Proactive Tips for Parents
The first step is to remember that parents are their children’s role models. There is a good chance that what is said and how it’s said will be repeated by the child once they start talking.

1. No baby talk – enunciate words, use proper grammar, and reframe from abbreviations.
2. Talk back to your child when they’re just making noises.
3. Reading is a powerhouse strategy. It not only builds language skills but literacy skills as well.

Every child is unique and will develop at different rates. What’s more important is