Small talk
Yasmin with dad James and mum Yasmin
Two families who were supported at our Talking Walk-in sessions at East Malling Family Hub open up about their child's journey to finding their voice.
"One of our first questions was "why doesn't she speak?"
Beauty therapist Yasmin and her husband James Allen, a builder, live in Larkfield, Aylesford. They brought three-year old Lyra along to one of our Talking Walk-in sessions.
Yasmin said: “I remember the first time it happened. I was early on preschool pick up and watching Lyra, then two, play through the fence.
“Another child was trying to get her involved in role play. Lyra was trying to join in, but she just couldn’t. The other little girl gave up. While Lyra brushed it off, I had tears in my eyes. I wondered how often that happened to her at preschool.”
When Lyra was born, she and mum Yasmin both had suspected sepsis. Thankfully, they both came home unscathed, but as Lyra grew Yasmin and James noticed she didn’t seem to babble and speak like other toddlers.
Enjoying playing with Assistant Speech and Language Therapist Anna
Yasmin continued: “Lyra was enrolled in a local preschool aged two-and-a-half and we were really hopeful that socialising might bring out her speech, but sadly she still doesn’t say many words.”
Lyra was referred to the talking walk-in session by her key worker and waited less than a week to ask their burning question: ‘why doesn’t she speak?’
Yasmin said: “Both of us have beaten ourselves up worrying it is something we did. We tried everything to help her, but nothing has worked.
“The therapists at our initial drop-in appointment reassured us that it isn’t anything we’ve done wrong.
“She loves to play, so she was fully immersed in the session. She went straight for the dolls and enjoyed dressing them up when playing with therapists Victoria and Anna.
“We were given a communication board to take home, to help develop language and some really tangible ways to encourage her.
“We were told to mimic her words back to her. To pause for a moment when we introduce a toy to her, to see if she will say what it is. It’s simple advice, but not anything we’ve tried in the past.”
Since that initial session, the family has been using the communication boards all the time.
Yasmin said: “Lyra has been playing with them, she points at the pictures and matches the images with household items.
“We are hopeful these will help Lyra develop her speech and communication skills.”
Harry with mum Lauren
"We’ve left armed with so much advice to help improve things"
Lauren Bamford from Tonbridge attended the clinic with son Harry, two, following a health visitor referral.
Lauren said: “Harry was born prematurely at 33 weeks. He has hypospadias, a condition where the urethra and foreskin failed to develop and had a severe tongue tie, which was operated on at eight weeks-old.
“I take him to lots of baby and toddler groups but he really struggles to interact. He just runs around in circles, ritualistically, in anti-clockwise motion.
Harry with Speech and Language Therapist, Gabi
“He has words for things but doesn’t put them together, which can mean he’s often a bit frustrated and unable to socialise with children his age.
“The therapist at our drop-in session, Gabi, spent a really good amount of time with Harry and he responded well to the play techniques involved. We left armed with so much advice to help improve things.
“We were also signed up to a regular session they run here called Communication Tree, which is a bit like a play group for children with communication difficulties that you have to be invited to. This was something I hadn’t heard about until I came here.”
Easy-access support and a friendly environment
Clare Corrigan, Team Lead Speech and Language Therapist at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust said:
“A Talking Walk-in provides simple, easy access support for pre-school children and their families to see a speech and language therapist in a child-friendly environment and receive advice, reassurance and in some cases, further support from our service. Any family with any concerns about speech, language or communication can attend, and there is no booking or referral required.
“When the parents attend they fill in a simple registration form with staff on hand to help. There are toys for the children to play with while they wait and the parent can chat their concerns through with qualified therapists.
“The Family Hub staff are on hand to signpost to any groups or activities they run as well. Parents might be signposted for other support, given some advice to try at home or invited to a follow up with the Speech and Language Therapy Service.”
Talking Walk-ins are being rolled out in Kent as part of the Balanced System Framework ®, supported by Kent County Council, NHS Kent and Medway and Better Communication CIC.
The Balanced System promotes a joined-up approach to supporting children’s speech, language and communication, involving everyone including parents, carers, early years settings and health visitors.
