Lumos Paediatric TherapyRaising a bilingual child: when should you ask about speech and language development?
A child may hear English at childcare and Mandarin or Cantonese at home. Parents sometimes worry that using more than one language will confuse a child, especially when words from different languages appear in the same sentence. Multilingualism itself is not a reason to stop using a family language. The languages your family uses help your child connect, communicate and participate in everyday life.
Children develop at different rates, and they do not always use each language in the same way. They might know words for school activities in English and words for family routines in another language. Looking only at English can miss what a child can already understand or express at home. When you speak with a professional, describe communication across all the languages your child hears and uses.
What to notice at home
Think about what your child is trying to communicate, rather than counting words in just one language. Can they share an idea, ask for help, understand a familiar request, join a conversation or tell you about something that happened? Are there situations where communication is noticeably easier or harder? Your observations in your strongest family language are valuable.
Occasional mixing of languages can be a normal part of multilingual development. But if your child has lost skills they previously used, is having persistent trouble understanding or communicating, or you are worried about their progress, it is sensible to talk with your child and family health nurse, GP or paediatrician. A speech pathologist can help explore whether an assessment is appropriate. A hearing check may also be worth discussing when hearing is a concern.
What an assessment conversation can include
A speech pathologist will want to understand the child’s everyday communication, language exposure, family priorities and the contexts in which difficulties appear. Share examples in every language, along with what educators or other carers have noticed. You can ask how the clinician will consider your child’s language background and whether support is available in a language your family is comfortable using.
A useful first step is to write down two or three situations you want to change: perhaps your child struggles to tell you what happened at school, follow a multi-step request, or make themselves understood by unfamiliar people. Those examples give the consultation a practical focus.
How Lumos can help you start
Lumos Paediatric Therapy offers speech pathology and allied health services for children and young people aged 0–18 in Box Hill. English, Mandarin and Cantonese support is available depending on the service and clinician; please ask our team to confirm the language and current appointment availability for your child’s needs. We can discuss whether a speech pathology consultation, another assessment pathway or parent coaching is the most useful starting point.
You do not need to stop speaking your family language while you seek advice. Tell us which languages your child uses and which language you would prefer for the initial conversation.
Further reading
- Raising Children Network, Benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism for children.
- Raising Children Network, Language development in children: 0–8 years.
- Healthdirect Australia, Speech pathology: what can it help with?.
Tell us your child’s age, your concerns and the support you are looking for. Our Box Hill team can discuss an appropriate next step.
Contact our team →This guide provides general information and does not replace an individual assessment or advice from your child’s treating professionals.