On a daily basis, your child often has to interact with people other than yourself. Since language difficulties are not physically visible, it is important that you make the members of your child’s entourage aware of the nature of their difficulties so that they can adapt how they communicate with your child. By raising their awareness like this, your child will likely have more fun interacting with other people.
Whether it is at their daycare or school, at their swimming lessons, or at the park, it is best to inform everyone about the many strategies that they can use to communicate with your child (Refer to section titled "Communicating with your child" for ideas). On a last note, informing people of your child’s difficulties will not only motivate them to adjust the way they communicate with your little one, but also discourage misinterpretations about their behaviour. For example, if your child does not respond to an instruction at the daycare, this type of response can be perceived as defiant; however, your child would be able to respond if the instruction is phrased in the way that they can understand.
We have just finished covering the different ways in which you can help your child on a daily basis while keeping communication fun. In a previous capsule, we covered how children with language difficulties often experience problems related to motor skills and coordination. In our next capsule, we will look at the different ways in which you can help your child use organizational skills in their daily activities and cope with their motor-related difficulties. We look forward to having you join us next month!