What's the Answer
Whether you are a parent, grandparent, carer or an Early Years practitioner, there are times when everyone feels the need for some guidance and support. In this section you will find the answers to some common questions and concerns and information about where to get more advice and information.
Whats the Question?
Will watching television affect my child's language development?
Just like adults, children can find watching television relaxing, especially when they are tired or stressed. Television can be beneficial when used for short spells, but too much can be harmful, so it's important to find the right balance. Try and stick to these guidelines
- Try to limit your child's viewing to no more than an hour a day for 3 to 5 year olds and half an hour for under 3's
- Watch with them if you can and talk about what you see.
- Always turn off when no one is watching as background noise may make it more difficult for your child to develop good listening skills.
Is it alright to give my baby a dummy?
Babies like to suck, so dummies can help soothe at bedtime or when your baby is tired or cross. However constant use can hinder the development of important language skills like babbling and can discourage older children from talking. Keep in mind the following advice
- Limit your baby's dummy use to rest and sleep times
- Try to wean your child off using a dummy by the time they are 12 months old
- If your toddler is still using a dummy, make sure they take it out when you are talking to each other and when they are playing
Dummies are not recommended for babies who are breast fed.
My child is shy. The Nursery staff say she hardly talks at all, although she chatters away at home.
Many children are shy and find social interaction difficult with people they don't know well. You can help by giving your child plenty of practice in talking to family members and using some of the following tips.
- Build her self-esteem. Praise and encourage her, especially when she is trying something new, acting independently or playing sociably with a friend.
- If she finds it difficult to manage new situations, give her plenty of preparation by reading books about children in a similar situation.
- Don't get into the habit of speaking for your child. Encourage her to ask for things herself in shops. Act as an interpreter if she finds other people hard to understand.
- Don't tell everyone that "she's just shy" - it reinforces the idea.
- If your child has realized that she can have a considerable effect on others by not speaking, try not to overreact or become exasperated.
No one outside the family can understand my child's speech.
Children's speech becomes clearer the more they practice and the more they are talked to, so try to make time to talk every day. For children under two, it is better if you simply model sentences correctly and encourage your child to listen rather than trying to make him say words properly. Use these simple tips to help develop clearer speech
- Give him plenty of time to say what he wants to say and give him your full attention.
- Let him know that you understand him by repeating back what he says and modeling the correct way of saying it
- Help his listening by getting his attention before you speak.
- Read stories and sing songs and rhymes that draw his attention to listening to sounds.
- Try not to keep asking him to repeat what he has said as he won't understand
- Try not to copy his speech or laugh at him, or allow other family members to tease him.
My 3 year old doesn't listen. When I ask her to do something she ignores me.
Background noise can make it difficult for young children to "tune in" to language, so turn the television and radio off when no one is listening. Follow the following tips to encourage good listening skills
- Get her attention before you speak by saying her name and making eye contact
- Use short sentences and give just one instruction at a time
- Encourage her when she does listen with comments like 'good listening'.
- Listen for sounds together when you are out and about or in different rooms in the house
- Play games that focus on listening such as Sound Lotto or 'I hear with my little ear something that sounds like...'.
- Read stories such as 'Peace at Last' by Jill Murphy, which draw attention to sounds
- Give her your full attention when she talks to you
If you continue to be concerned ask your health visitor or doctor to test her hearing as she may have glue ear. which can dull sounds. This is a very common condition especially in winter or after a spell of coughs and colds.