Supporting children with speech, language and communication needs.

Citation

Hobson, H., Kalsi, M., Cotton, L., Forster, M., & Toseeb, U. (2022). Supporting the mental health of children with speech, language and communication needs: The views and experiences of parents. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 7, https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415221101137

Aim of the paper

· Children with language difficulties sometimes also struggle with their mental health.

· It is important to understand how these children are being supported.

· It is also useful to know how parents access support, and if it is helpful.

· This study asked parents about their experiences with seeking help for their child’s mental health.

· The study looked at positives about their experience with mental health services. It also looked at the negatives.

· Knowing more about these things can help to improve mental health support.

What was found:

· Parents were most satisfied with speech and language therapists

· However, parents faced barriers accessing support.

· Sometimes, schools were helpful, especially when they knew more about language difficulties. Some parents were disappointed by the lack of support from schools.

· GPs were sometimes helpful for showing families where to get support.

· Parents thought that mental health professionals did not know enough about language difficulties.

· Language and communication needs seem to affect how different therapies work. For example, talking therapy can be tricky for children with language difficulties.

· More research could look at exactly how services can better fit the needs of people with language difficulties.

What does this mean?

· Overall, experiences with services were most helpful when professionals listened to parents.

· Professionals should be aware of how language difficulties can affect mental health struggles.

· Some types of therapy, like talking therapy, might work differently for children with language difficulties.

· More research could look at children’s experience with mental health support. This could help us understand how to make sure children receive the best support.

Where can I read this paper?

· You can read the whole paper for free by following this link: https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415221101137

Credits: Kimi Costello