How Speech & Language Difficulties Can Impact Confidence
A child who struggles to communicate is often dealing with much more than just speech and language challenges. For some children, difficulties with communication can also affect how they see themselves. They may stop raising their hand in class, avoid talking to friends, or become frustrated when others do not understand what they are trying to say. Some children become withdrawn, while others may revert to acting silly or being disruptive, as both can help to redirect the attention away from their struggles.
Speech and language challenges do not automatically lead to mental health concerns; however, research shows that there is a strong connection between communication difficulties and a child’s emotional well-being. Children who struggle to express themselves to others tend to be at a greater risk of suffering from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, social difficulties, and challenges with their behavior.
At Great Speech, we understand that communication is about much more than words. It’s about helping children feel confident enough to participate, connect, and thrive. If you or your loved one is dealing with difficulties with communication, schedule your free call to get started.
There is a Link Between Communication and Confidence
Communication plays a role in nearly every aspect of a child’s life. Children use language to answer questions in class, make friends, express their emotions, solve problems, and ask for help when they need it. When communication doesn’t come easily, everyday situations can feel overwhelming.
Imagine knowing the answer to a question but worrying that your classmates may not understand you. Or wanting to join in a conversation or game on the playground, but struggling to find the right words fast enough. Over time, these experiences can chip away at the confidence of a child.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 1 in 14 (7.2%) children in the United States between the ages of 3 and 17 have had a disorder related to voice, speech, or language in the past year. That means that millions of children are navigating communication challenges during important developmental years.
These issues affect more than academics for many children and can influence how comfortable they feel around their peers, how willing they are to participate in group activities, and how they view themselves.
How Does Love Confidence Present Itself?
Confidence issues do not always appear in the ways that adults expect them to. Some children become quieter and less engaged, while others develop behaviors that at a glance can seem completely unrelated to their communication.
Parents and teachers may notice that the child is:
- Avoiding raising their hand in class
- Refusing to read aloud
- Speaking very little in group settings
- Avoiding social situations or playdates
- Becoming frustrated easily
- Acting out or being disruptive
- Using humor or silliness to deflect attention
- Expressing negative thoughts about themselves.
Some people may assume that the behaviors are due to laziness, lack of effort, or poor behavior, while in reality, the child is trying to protect themselves from situations where they will feel embarrassed or like a failure. Essentially, avoidance can become a coping strategy when communication is difficult.
Why Do Social Connections Matter?
Friendships are important for the mental health of children. Children learn cooperation, empathy, problem-solving, and emotional regulation when they interact with others, and a child who has problems with communication can find these interactions more challenging. They may have difficulty following conversations, interpreting social cues, or expressing their thoughts clearly, resulting in them feeling left out or misunderstood by those around them.
Research has regularly found that children with speech and language disorders have higher rates of social and emotional difficulties compared to their peers. One review published found strong associations between communication disorders and mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and behavioral concerns. This does not mean that communication difficulties always lead to mental health challenges. Rather, it highlights how important it is to provide support early so that children can build both communication skills and confidence that will help them be successful socially and academically.
How Speech Therapy Supports The Emotional Well-Being of Children
Speech therapy is not a replacement for mental health treatment; however, improving communication skills can make a big difference for a child’s self-esteem, social life, and overall confidence.
Setting Them Up For Success
Positive experiences with communicating will help a child’s confidence grow. Speech therapists help children develop skills gradually, creating opportunities for success along the way. Whether a child is working on articulation, language development, fluency, or social communication, each milestone can help them believe in themselves and their ability to communicate.
Reducing Frustration
Many children feel frustrated when they cannot express what they are thinking or feeling, and speech therapy better prepares them to share their needs, ask questions, and participate in conversations. Speech therapy lowers the chances of misunderstandings and can make daily interactions feel less stressful for the child.
Helping With Social Skills
Speech therapy can also help children develop social skills. During speech therapy, they can work on starting conversations, turn-taking in conversations, understanding non-verbal communication, staying on track during communication, as well as answering and asking questions. These skills can all help the child feel more comfortable participating in conversations with classmates, friends, and family members.
Learning to Advocate for Themselves
Children need to learn to advocate for themselves, and speech therapists can help them work on strategies for handling difficult situations, such as asking for clarification, requesting extra time to respond, or explaining their communication needs to others. These skills can empower the child both inside and outside of the classroom.
Virtual Speech Therapy With Great Speech
Virtual speech therapy offers many advantages for children who may already feel nervous communicating. Participating from home helps children feel more comfortable, where they are surrounded by familiar people and routines. Virtual speech therapy also maintains class attendance instead of removing them from their academic studies, while still being responsible for the classwork after hours. All of these benefits can reduce anxiety and allow them to focus on learning new skills more effectively than in an unfamiliar clinic environment.
Virtual speech therapy helps families access a wide variety of speech therapists regardless of their location, and regular access to speech therapy is important because growth in communication often happens with steady, ongoing practice.
At Great Speech, our speech therapists work with children in an engaging, supportive virtual environment that is designed to build both communication skills and confidence. Great Speech works with most major insurance providers, and on average, our clients pay only $18 per session. You can find out more about our many insurance partners, like Cigna, Health Net, Zenith America, UHC, Aetna, Centivo, Curative, Priority Health, Optum, & more, by visiting our insurance page.
If you’re concerned about your child’s communication development, book an Appointment today to learn how virtual speech therapy can help your child build the confidence to thrive.