Language Concerns

Cat 1 · 30 days

appointment within 30 calendar days. - A child older than 2.5 years of age who is completely non-verbal and has no form of communication

Cat 2 · 90 days

appointment within 90 calendar days. - A child with severe language concerns. Examples include: - 18 months – 2.5 years: - Child is using less than 50 words or not combining words - Child may or may not have concerns with receptive language (i.e., following directions) - 2.5 year old: - Child is using 6-20 single words and is not combining words - Child is unable to follow a simple single step instruction (e.g., give me the ball) - 3-year-old: - Child is using 20 - 50 single words and is using limited short phrases (2-3 words – “big car go”) - Child is unable to follow a simple single step instruction (e.g., give me the ball) - 4-year-old: - Child is using less than 50 single words and is inconsistently using short phrases (2-3 words – “big car go”) - Child is unable to follow a simple related two-step instruction (e.g., give me the ball and the teddy) - 5-year-old: - Child is not using short phrases (2-3 words) - Child is unable to follow a two-step instruction (e.g., give me the ball and then touch your nose) - Child is not able to answer a simple ‘wh’ question (i.e,. what is that?, who is over there?)

Cat 3 · 365 days

appointment within 365 calendar days. Recommended to be seen within 90 - 180 calendar days: - A child who has English as a second language where there are suspected delays in both/all languages, and the child meets the below criteria for their age. - A child with moderate language concerns. Examples include: - 9 months: - Child not babbling or attempting to copy sounds and gestures of others - Child does not respond to “no” - 12 months: - Child not saying at least one clear word - Child does not understand around 10 words (e.g. mum, dad, shoe, no, stop etc) - Child does not respond to their name - 18 months - 2.5 year old: - Child using approximately 50 single words and is occasionally producing 2-word combinations - Child unable to follow a simple single step instruction (e.g., give me the ball) - 3-year-old: - Child not consistently using 2-3-word phrases (e.g., “big car go) - Child unable to follow a simple related two-step instruction (e.g., give me the ball and the teddy) - Child not responding to simple ‘wh’ questions (i.e., what is that?). - 4-year-old: - Child is only producing short 3-4-word phrases (e.g., “my big car go”) - Child has a limited vocabulary and use of grammar - Child unable to follow a simple related two-step instruction (e.g., give me the ball and the teddy) - Child is unable to answer a simple ‘wh’ question (i.e,. what is that?, who is over there?) - Child is not attempting to interact with others using language - 5-year-old: - Child is not producing 4-5-word phrases - Child has a limited vocabulary and use of grammar - Child is unable to follow a two-step unrelated direction (e.g., give me the teddy and throw the ball) - Child is unable to answer simple ‘wh’ questions (i.e., who is over there?, where did you go?) - Child is not attempting to interact with others using language Recommended to be seen within 365 calendar days: - A child who has English as a second language where there are suspected delays in one language only, and the child meets the below criteria for their age - A child with mild to moderate language concerns. Examples include: - 18 month – 2 ½ year-old: - Child using approximately 50 single words, and there is increased frequency of 2-word combinations - Child inconsistently able to follow a related two step direction (e.g., give me the cup and the ball) - 3-4-year-old: - Child using sentences of less than 4-5 words in length - Child has difficulties asking and answering questions (i.e., what is that?, who is over there?) - Child unable to follow a two-step unrelated directions (e.g., give me the teddy and throw the ball). - 4– 5-year-old: - Child is not using short sentences (5-10 words in length) - Child has difficulties asking and answering questions (i.e., who is in your family?, what is your favourite colour?, where did you go?) - Child is unable to follow a 2-3 step direction - Child has difficulties telling a story that makes sense