Speech Language Pathologists see rise in referrals, how parents can support their children

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The farm animals and barns are much more than just toys at Valley Children's Hospital.

They're tools Speech Language Pathologist Maria Provencio uses to assess young children.

How the child engages, or doesn't, tells her a lot about how the child is developing or which skills need intervention.

"You know, what are they doing? Are they able to interact during play? Are they doing parallel play where they're playing next to us? Are they doing interactive play," Provencio said.

Provencio says she's seen a change in the number of referrals they've received in recent years.

"On a monthly basis, the amount of referrals we get is quite a bit, and I would say that it has increased within the last three years," Provencio said.

While she says the pandemic could've played a role, it also could be related to parents delaying appointments or an influx of people trying to make appointments at the same time as life got back to normal.

Most of the patients at Valley Children's Hospital are referred there by a pediatrician, but Provencio says parents can help identify if their child is reaching their age appropriate milestones.

"At two are they putting to words together? Are they requesting? How are they communicating? Are they pointing? Are they gesturing instead of saying words,'" Provencio said.

She says parents should push for a referral immediately if they suspect their child is behind.

"Early intervention is key and it is directly related to them having great academic performance later. The earlier, the better," Provencio said.

Provencio says parents can help their children stay on track by reading to them, talking to them while their cooking dinner and taking part in imaginative play with the child.

But, most importantly, if a parent believes their child may need extra help, don't hesitate to ask for a referral.

"Research has shown that the outcomes have so much more impact when you can get them into early intervention services versus later," Provencio said.

Parents can find community based resources through Central Valley Regional Center.

There is milestone information and handouts available on the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Exceptional Parents Unlimited can help with parent education and play group information.

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