Stuttering, hasty speaking rate, incorrect sentence structure, difficulties in articulation in kindergarten age: the speech therapy screening of four to five year olds in 2020/2021 showed that around 62 percent of the 17,101 children tested in Upper Austria had language problems. According to the speech therapists, almost 5,000 children would need appropriate therapy to avoid long-term speech disorders.
20 years ago, the number of children with language problems was 47 percent, although fewer tests were carried out at that time. Since the 2014/15 kindergarten year, the speech therapists have not only checked the children’s language skills, but also their listening skills. “In children, a disorder is difficult to assess,” says Theresia Schlöglmann from the child and youth welfare service.
In the further consequence, the cooperation with the parents, which worked very well during the lockdown, is decisive, says Martina Bernegger from the speech therapy service of Volkshilfe. “During this time, the parents were very busy with their children’s therapy at home. That brought a lot of success.”
According to experts, the therapy could reduce or even eliminate about 95 percent of speech problems. “Early language support is the key to success at school,” says Social Minister Birgit Gerstorfer (SP) on the occasion of the European Day of Speech Therapy, which is celebrated on March 6th. The services of Volkshilfe, Caritas and the Linz magistrate are therefore to be funded with 2.1 million euros in 2022.
Source: Nachrichten
