Starting school speechless – A pandemic legacy
Cali, Reggie and Ivy have difficulties making sounds.Β But now, a year after receiving specialist help - for free - they're beginning to make themselves understood.
A child aged two during the first Covid lockdown would be five or six now. But some of those children are starting school unable to speak. Among them are Cali, Reggie and Ivy - who've been diagnosed with speech sound disorders. All have difficulties making sounds – but that's beginning to change.
A year after being seen at a specialist clinic at Reading University, where they've received help from a speech and language therapist for free, they are beginning to make themselves understood.Β The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Health Reporter, Lucy Watkinson, has been given access.
As we publish the latest episode of our 5 Minutes On podcast, 65,057 children in England are on NHS waiting lists to be seen by a speech and language therapist. In Scotland it's 6,503, while it's 3,041 in Wales and 4,527 in Northern Ireland.
(Image: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News)
