In this, our third infographic on functional communication, our speech pathologist Vivien Wong, outlines 10 practical ideas parents of children aged 0-5 years can use to increase their child’s participation and communication skills.
- Increase the number of people the child spends time with, including grandparents and other members of the extended family, friends, babysitters, carers and others.
- Connect with families of other children with similar communication challenges.
- Encourage children to make their own choices and requests about what they want.
- Increase opportunities for your child to play, including with other children, e.g. in playgroups, childcare, and preschool. (See here for why this helps.)
- Explore your community with your child, e.g. by going to local shops, parks, libraries, fetes, fairs, and festivals.
- Give your child opportunities to help you and others – set high expectations.
- Involve your child in age-appropriate family, community, cultural and religious practices.
- Look after yourself! Learn self-advocacy and self-care skills, and seek professional/community help for any family issues.
- If needed, access early intervention, e.g. speech pathology and occupational therapy.
- Incorporate language stimulation techniques into everyday tasks, routines, and activities, while co-exploring the world. (You can read more about some of these here.)
Key source: National Disability Insurance Scheme. (2014). Report of the Independent Advisory Council to the National Disability Insurance Scheme: Reasonable and Necessary Support across the Lifespan: An Ordinary Life for People with Disability.
Related infographics:
- Focusing speech therapy on functional outcomes: a refresher
- Not about ‘fixing’: using the ‘F-word Framework’ to support children with communication disorders and their families
Hi there, I’m David Kinnane.
Principal Speech Pathologist, Banter Speech & Language
Our talented team of certified practising speech pathologists provide unhurried, personalised and evidence-based speech pathology care to children and adults in the Inner West of Sydney and beyond, both in our clinic and via telehealth.
