Communication & Language

Learning to communicate is one of the most important skills I will develop

It will help me to:

● Make friends at nursery or school ● Be confident ● Learn new things at school ● Socialise with different people ● Ask questions about the world around me ● Get a job when I am older

If I still use a dummy after my first birthday:

● I may not be able to practise saying words. ● I may learn to say sounds the wrong way as my tongue can not move properly. ● I may dribble which can cause a rash on my chin. ● I may pick up more infections in my ears and throat. ● My teeth and the top of my mouth may not grow into the right shape.

Hints and tips:

● Before you give me a dummy, try to work out why I am crying. I may need changing or feeding or I might just need a cuddle. ● If I do have a dummy, never let me talk with it in. ● When I am busy or playing take my dummy away. ● Instead of having my dummy try giving me another comforter, i.e. soft toy or blanket. ● I will find it easier to become ‘dummy free’ when there are no other big changes happening in my life. ● Make giving up my dummy a positive experience by sending it to Santa/Dummy Fairy, giving it to a new baby or swapping it for a new toy. ● It might not be easy for either of us at first but once my dummy has gone do not give it back to me and make sure that there are no other dummies for me to find. Try another way of comforting me, i.e. give me a cuddle.

Help with your child's communication and language development by asking simple questions about their day. It's hard for a child to narrow down one thing when asked "How was your day?". So to help with your child's understanding and speaking we have put together a few suggestions of questions to ask. But remember, allow your child to answer the question by giving them time. This can really help improve their language and could also boost and build their confidence.

 

Who did you play with today?

I had grapes for my snack today. What did you have?

Did you have a happy or sad day?

What did the teacher say to you today?

Did you laugh today?