As promised.................
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Every child develops at a completely different rate in a very individual way, some of this can be tailored or manipulated dependent on the child’s needs and learning preferences. Oral communication is a two-stage process, the first, is to encode and understand the message and translate into words or sentences that gain the required meaning. The second is to use own knowledge of language to then articulate into cohesive oral based speech. However, the understanding of language and the use of articulate speech are not mutually exclusive. In the case of a child who has delayed language acquisition (DLA) or delayed 2nd language acquisition, they may understand almost everything that is being said, taught or relayed but may have a slower grasp of reading. This leads onto cognitive development, it was once believed that very young children lacked the ability to think or form complex ideas until they learned language. It is now known that babies are aware of their surroundings and interested in exploration from the time they are born. From birth, babies begin to actively learn, gathering, sorting, and processing information from around them, using the data to develop perception and thinking skills. Just like ‘DLA’ young infants understand when they have a need but don’t know how to convey/ communicate what they want. There are many classes and workshops for parents and toddlers to learn ‘makaton’ or sign-language so there is more effective and less frustrating communication in the early years. Finally, Sensory Deficit or Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is probably the harshest and most sensitive of the communicative device disorders. The brain has trouble receiving, processing and responding to any external communication or stimuli. In complex cases some people can be oversensitive to their surroundings. Common sounds and smells can cause pain or the brush of a shirt can cause chaffing to the skin. More commonly there is a defect in the function of one or more senses. This can mean that the individual may be uncoordinated, constantly bumping into things, are unaware of where their limbs are in relation to space, can be difficult to play and communicate effectively. The lines between these different difficulties can be often blurred but all need recognising and promoting for all Adults, young people and children to develop and communicate effectively in every day situations.
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