Is it ok to just "wait & see"?

I'm forever hearing people suggest to just “wait and see” when a child is experiencing delays in language development.

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However, the research and stories from lived-experiences asserts that the “wait and see” approach for children’s speech and language is outdated and a risky way to navigate delayed or atypical language development.

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The “wait and see” approach is outdated for a number of reasons. Here are just a few:

👉🏻 70-80% of late talkers do not catch-up on their own, and need support, direction and/or intervention from a speech & language therapist. Moreover, they do not exhibit the same skills as their peers at school-age (for example, social skills, school readiness, academic abilities) with many acquiring a diagnosis of having a language disorder by age 6.

👉🏻 Early intervention is key for taking advantage of the plasticity of a toddler’s brain.

👉🏻 The “wait and see” approach delays referrals/intervention that a child requires for further exploration.

👉🏻 Children are known to be more overwhelmed at school-age and therefore find it harder to acquire new information and improve functions in challenging areas. Therefore addressing language before school-age ensures better outcomes, better social skills and better academic achievements.

👉🏻 Waiting until your child is “flagged” by a teacher in school as having a language delay can often lead to a lengthy waitlist, and your child is likely to have a harder time catching up to their peers at school, as they now have to learn speech & language as well as their curriculum.

👉🏻 If you are concerned with your child’s developmental milestone trajectory, it is always better to get support and guidance. Early intervention is key to long term success.