Covid: Parents urged to get help as speech referrals rise

The parents of a boy who struggled with his speech during the pandemic have urged others to seek help if they are concerned for their children.

The couple from Powys said they were concerned when their son, three, became frustrated as he struggled to speak.

One expert told BBC Wales referrals had increased after Covid.

The Welsh government has launched a scheme to help children whose speech and language skills were affected by the lockdowns.

Coronavirus restrictions disrupted schools, nurseries and childcare businesses, which meant children did not spend as much time in each others' company, potentially affecting their communication skills.

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Louise and Andy Davies, from Brecon, sought help when their three-year-old son Ethan became frustrated when he could not vocalise what he wanted to say.

Ethan's parents say they could tell he "wasn't himself"

Ms Davies said: "There's that initial worry and perhaps if people are afraid I would always say go and seek help and speak to your health visitor.

"If you do actually speak to other patients you'll find it's actually more common than people talk about."

She added: "I think there is a bit of a stigma in terms of you feel like it's bad parenting, or to admit that your child isn't doing as well as others is seen as a negative thing.

"But I would urge any parents to ask if everything's OK and to get that reassurance".

The Welsh government has launched the Talk With Me campaign, which provides speech and language advice to parents and carers.

The Davies family were put in touch with a speech and language therapist through their health visitor and were given tips to help Ethan.

Mr Davies, who had a stutter when he was young, said the tips involved offering Ethan options rather than asking direct questions that put him on the spot.

"You could tell he wasn't himself," he said of Ethan.

"Now he's back in nursery, he's a lot more relaxed and calm, he's more the boy he was before the pandemic".

Louise and Andy said the guidance has helped improve Ethan's speech.

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How to help children with their speech and language

• Talk face to face

• Use a song or rhyme

• Talk and play everyday

• Read together

Source: Welsh government

The pandemic has caused additional problems for children who were already being supported with their speech and language skills, according to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Pippa Cotterill, head of the Royal College's Wales office, said: "Our members across the UK are saying that there is an increase in referrals for children needing speech and language therapy.

"And, some children who have had speech and language difficulties, sometimes they can be a little bit more complicated now than they were".

Expert Pippa Cotterill says children who already had speech and language difficulties before the pandemic faced the greatest challenges

In March a report found the first lockdown was "devastating" to some children needing speech therapy in north Wales.

The progress some children made with their speech was lost, according to a probe by North Wales Community Health Council.

Betsi Cadwaladr health board, which runs the NHS in north Wales, apologised for the disruption, which it said was in part down to staff being directed to support essential services.

The Welsh government has launched the Get Talking Summer Challenge campaign, which provides speech and language advice to parents and carers ahead of children returning to nursery or school in September.