Over a million children and young people in the UK have a speech, language or communication impairment – an average of two children in every classroom.
Many skills are needed for speech and language to develop – so there are many ways that children’s speech and language can go wrong. Some children can have difficulty in moving muscles which control speech; others can’t understand how a conversation works or the meaning of a sentence. Some children can’t understand or use language at all. It is vital that children with speech and language impairments are offered comprehensive help as early as possible.
Parents and carers who are worried about their child’s speech and language should tell their health visitor or GP. Parents and carers also have the right to contact speech and language therapy services directly, contact your local NHS Trust and ask for speech and language therapy services.
In this section you will find a wealth of information: an overview of speech and language disorders, glossary sheets and the latest Afasic Scotland resources for parents and professionals to download free.
