Real testimonials from Real parents - just like you

It's important to me to make sure Erik is present when I do bedtime stories, laundry, and dishes, because I know I am providing him with a strong language environment. The more words he hears, the more words he'll be able to say. It's amazing to me that I can record 4,000 plus words within one hour's time, just by reading a book. At first, I was surprised that our rank was lower than we had anticipated. However, just having this knowledge increased the amount of words my husband and I spoke to our son. Without LENA, we would otherwise never know. We could guess, but we really wouldn't know for sure. The numbers tend to show low counts for nap time and higher counts when I read stories and feed Erik meals. It's important to focus on the times we speak less, and to maintain the times when we have good counts. With the LENA Reports, I know exactly how many words Erik speaks and when. I love seeing Erik improve over the months. He's escalated from the 80th percentile to the 90th percentile for his conversational turns, and watching him as he learns more and more language is wonderful!!

- Carrie Smithson, mother of Erik

I know definitely that my daughter has become much more talkative... since we started using the LENA system.

ince using LENA, I have started to read to my daughter much more often. The more frequently I read to her, the longer stories we're able to read together, and the longer she stays interested! Her percentile scores have increased, and I'm not sure if it's because she's awake longer or if we're talking more, but I know definitely that my daughter has become much more talkative (she babbles more) since we started using the LENA system. Looking at the LENA Reports tells my husband and me how little or how much we're talking. The reports put things into perspective, and we are making a concerted effort to speak more. I know that I have some control over how my daughter develops, and my husband and I will strive to do the best we can. The LENA System is a tool that will help. The more I speak and interact verbally with her the better chance she has at becoming more verbal and intelligent.

- Jeni Jacobs, mother of Katherine

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Ask the Expert

Dr. Judy K. Montgomery, CCC-SLP, is a Professor of Special Education and Literacy at Chapman University. She served as the President of ASHA in 1995, and the president of the CEC Division of Communication Disorders and Deafness in 2004 - 2005.

Q:

My 15 month old daughter doesn't speak as much as my friends' children. How can I encourage her to speak more? And what should I look for in her that prompts me to visit a speech specialist?

A:

There are things parents can do to increase speech and language skills of young children. For example, speaking to your child face to face, calmly, in a fairly quiet environment, and using lots of gestures with your speech. Also, use "self-talk" which is talking about what you're doing. It's also very important to read to your child often.
When dealing with language delay, early intervention is key. Here are some warning signs to look for that may suggest your child has a speech delay:

• Poor eye contact from child most of the time
• Child doesn't watch your face when you talk
• Child gets anxious when others talk
• Child doesn't use sounds or words to get his needs met

When to see a Speech Language Pathologist:

• If child is talking but cannot be understood by unfamiliar adults
• If child has few or no words after 18 months of age
• If child appears to understand, but does not speak, only points
• If child suddenly stops talking after normal speech development
• If child is quickly frustrated or angry when not understood
• If child appears not to be interested in talking.

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