Best Speech therapist in Abu Dhabi | Speech therapy Abu Dhabi

Best Speech therapist in Abu Dhabi 

It’s never a good idea to become fixated on baby and child ‘milestones’. The months, days and minutes your offspring took their first steps, or uttered their first word, will NOT need to be declared on his or her university application. 

But, when it comes to speech and language skills, there are certain signs that could suggest your child could benefit from some additional support.

The Experts

British Mums sat down with three of Dubai’s most high profile speech therapists to bring you a balanced insight into speech and language development in the UAE, and how to spot when something might not quite be right.

Kerry Main, Speech and Language Therapist, Inspire Therapy

Claire Whitehead, Speech and Language Therapist and Clinic Manager, Kids First

Jackie Harland, Speech and Language Therapist and Director of Riverton Children’s Centre.

What is the most common speech/language concern in the UAE?

Jackie: Children not reaching their speech and language developmental milestones ‘on time’. 

For example: those not speaking single words by 18 months or not beginning to put two words together by two years. Also, older children who have difficulties with learning how to actually use their language skills appropriately.

 For example: requesting, initiating conversation, responding to or interacting with others, commenting and sharing an interest. 

How does the UAE compare to the UK when it comes to speech and language development?

Kerry: The prevalence of speech, language and communication difficulties in the UAE is not too dissimilar to that of the UK. In the UK, there are specialist nurseries, child development teams and health visiting teams that tend to flag up children with speech and language difficulties earlier than in the UAE. As a result, children are often referred to our services at a slightly later age in the UAE than in the UK. 

Does the ‘melting pot’ of language and dialect have a positive or negative impact on children learning to speak in the UAE?

Claire: If the child is a typically developing child, and providing all languages are supported equally, this is not detrimental. Even if the child is not actively using the languages of their environment, research shows that the exposure to multiple languages can stimulate and enhance brain development in young children. But, children who have specific language or learning difficulties can find multiple language exposure more challenging. This exposure can put them at risk for developing further delays and may widen the gap between them and their peers. For this reason, it is crucial that these children are identified at the first opportunity to establish if there is a true language acquisition difficulty that requires intervention.

At what age should parents worry about lack of speech in their children?

Jackie: If there is a lack of sound production in early life or no sign of emerging words at 18 months, parents should seek help. If a child is not following basic instructions (‘come here’, ‘give me’) or recognising common words in context (‘biscuit’ ‘water’ ‘car’) at 18 to 20 months, they should also seek the advice of a speech and language therapist.

Kerry: There is a great variation in what is normal and every child is different. However, as a general rule, seek help if there is no babble, attempts at words heard and/or no eye contact at 18 months. At two years, seek help if there are no or very few words used (i.e. less than 10), little pretend play emerging, no apparent understanding, and only a few clear sounds heard. At two and a half, seek help if they cannot follow simple instructions (‘Put the brick in the box’), if they are not linking 2 words together (‘Mummy up’ ‘more milk’) or not being understood by mum/close family.

Claire: As a rule of thumb, if the child is not talking or has minimal interaction by the age of two years, parents should seek the opinion of a professional. Sometimes it is clear earlier that there is a difficulty – if there are no single words, limited eye contact, and poorly developed play skills.

The Top 5 Signs Your Child May Be Struggling With Speech 

(Based on the age-appropriate advice above)

Your child does not respond to their own name

Your child does not make eye contact

Your child does not initiate interaction or play with other children

Your child does not follow instructions or respond to questions

Your child is not developing steadily increasing and expressive language (they use a limited number of single words and/or are not progressing from linked words to sentences)

5 Ways Parents Can Encourage Speech And Language Skills 

Read, Read, Read. Enjoy books with your child. Interactive touch and feel books are great for early vocabulary development, lift-the-flap books are great for toddlers and rhyming stories are helpful in developing children’s phonological (pre-literacy) awareness/skills.

Name it. Children need to hear words lots of times, and in different contexts, before they are learned. If they point to something – name it!

Extend and expand. Extend and expand your child’s simple utterances by adding a word or two. For example, if they say ‘dog bone’, respond with ‘yes, dog eat bone’.

Too many questions. Reduce the number of questions you ask your child. If they are playing, try commenting on what is happening instead. For example, If they are playing with a teddy and having a picnic, instead of asking your child: ‘What’s Teddy eating?’ say: ‘Teddy is hungry.’

Follow their lead. Make sure you are providing enough opportunities for the child to speak. Leave longer gaps or pauses before jumping in to speak yourself.

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