Eligibility for a Child Who Shows Greater than 25% Delay Only in the Area of Expressive Language

Greater than 25% Delay Only in the Area of Expressive Language

Receptive language delay >20% and <25%

Intelligibility concerns (voice, fluency, and quality of speech sounds)

Frustration during communication

Regression in child's communication over the past three months

Oral motor concerns

Family history of language impairment

Birth or health history associated with increased risk of poor language development
(Examples: congenital infection, ototoxic medications, chronic otitis media craniofacial anomalies)

Communication environment is not conducive to facilitating language acquisition (Examples: Few conversational initiations, interactions with adults more than peers, difficulty gaining access to activities, parent interaction style more directive than responsive)

“Watch and see” means that

  1. The child is not found eligible for early intervention at this time
  2. Parents are provided suggestions for activities and community resources to promote language development and for monitoring of their child's progress
  3. The child is screened within three months to assess progress in communication and in other developmental areas (Screening by the speech language pathologist (SLP) is recommended depending on the age of the child. A developmental specialist may be an appropriate screener with guidance from the SLP)
  4. If communication concerns persist, eligibility will be reconsidered.