Introduction
The main components of communication are language and information sharing through speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Children need to develop sufficient speech skills to succeed in various areas of life. Nevertheless, some children encounter problems and cannot build effective communication. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss communication barriers in children to understand how one can help to overcome them.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to discuss communication barriers in children. First, there is a need to present background information regarding the reasons for communication barriers in children. It can help obtain a deeper understanding of the potential causes of the problem. Then, one should consider key terms, such as ‘communication’ and ‘communication barrier’, to identify further what reasons may lead to difficulties in interaction.
Hereafter, one should discuss the exact causes of communication barriers in children. The first group of factors is cognitive and health problems that impede communication. These causes usually require a complex professional approach to find reliable solutions. The second group is represented by language problems. They include expressive language disorders and perceptive language disorders, as well as the foreign environment when it comes to immigrant families. The last group comprises speech disorders that usually impact the speech and communication flow. Speech problems include sound disorders, fluency disorders, and voice disorders. Each of them is briefly discussed, which provides insights into the approaches to address these issues. The conclusion summarizes the findings of the research and proposes a short presentation.
Finally, recommendations are given on how to improve communication skills in children. In the case of mental and developmental disabilities, it is advised to visit healthcare providers who can help to cope with and manage underlying problems. Nevertheless, visual art interventions can help improve communication skills in children with mental conditions. Language problems can be solved either with professional assistance, in cases of diagnosed language disorders, or with the participation of parents when the communication barriers relate to a foreign environment. Finally, speech problems one can overcome by practicing producing sounds.
Background Information
Communication barriers in children represent a widespread problem, especially for parents. On the one hand, children can experience barriers in communication because they are developing and acquiring new information. Thus, they may not have a sufficient bundle of knowledge or vocabulary. Besides, methods of upbringing and family environment can also influence children’s abilities in communication (Saneka & Witt, 2019). Moreover, the origin and background of children from immigrant families can also cause barriers to communication with new friends (Saneka & Witt, 2019). However, communication barriers are also associated with health conditions and disorders that prevent children from building a communication process properly.
Key Terms
Before the main discussion, one needs to understand what is communication and communication barriers. Communication refers to sharing information between two or more human beings where the basic components are interaction with each other and the context (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). In view of this, participants of communication usually put some effort into developing a common understanding (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). In turn, a communication barrier means anything that prevents communication participators from receiving and processing information and ideas.
Communication Barriers to Children
Cognitive and Health Problems
Cognitive problems represent one of the most serious challenges for communication. Children having cognitive issues experience difficulties with imagination, memory, judgment, perception, and so forth. Impaired cognitive functioning is a result of brain damage, head injuries, as well as premature birth, or neurological conditions (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). Since communication is a complex process involving emotions, body language, and social relations besides speech, children with mental disabilities or impaired hearing encounter challenges (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). The situation here becomes aggravated because children with severe mental and developmental conditions may have problems with perception. Thus, such problems require a complex professional approach.
Language Problems
Language-related disorders negatively impact the ability to perceive and understand spoken and written language. One of the common impairments is an expressive language disorder when children cannot use correct words to state or describe what they mean (Rosmala et al., 2021). Besides, there is a receptive language disorder that prevents children from understanding the speech of others (Assous et al., 2018). These types of disorders are commonly known as developmental language disorders and are often associated with psychiatric conditions and insufficient social outcomes (Assous et al., 2018). Moreover, language problems can be associated with communication in a foreign environment when children learn to speak a foreign language (Saneka & Witt, 2019). Here, it is crucial to involve the assistance of parents to solve this problem.
Speech Problems
No child can speak flawlessly from an early age. However, Prelock and Hutchins (2018) state that about 8% of children aged 3-17 years experience difficulties with speech. Thus, communication barriers can be caused by speech sound disorders, fluency disorders, and voice disorders (Prelock & Hutchins, 2018). In the case of speech disorders, children cannot produce speech sounds and words properly (Prelock & Hutchins, 2018). Fluency disorders refer to interruption of the smooth speech flow (Prelock & Hutchins, 2018). Finally, under voice disorders, one understands the impaired function of the larynx that affects the sound quality (Prelock & Hutchins, 2018). All these disorders impact the communication flow and cause difficulties in children, which in turn affect the quality of their social life.
Conclusion
To conclude, there are many reasons for communication barriers in children. Although they can be associated with upbringing methods used by parents and family environment, in many cases, health conditions and mental or developmental disabilities represent the major cause of the difficulties in communication. In view of this, various methods can be recommended depending on the severity of the problem.
Recommendations
The recommendations include specific programs and interventions to develop communication skills in children. Undoubtedly, in the case of cognitive and health problems, it is advisable to solve the underlying problems with doctors because the issue of the communication barrier is complex here (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). Only professional help and an appropriate treatment plan can improve the situation. However, other methods, such as drawing arranged in groups of children with diverse mental health conditions, can be helpful (Papandreou & Dragouni, 2022). Visual art can facilitate the interaction of children with each other.
In case of language problems, one can also recommend visiting a medical professional when it comes to expressive language disorder or receptive language disorder. Nevertheless, if communication barriers occur in a foreign environment, it is advisable to involve parents in sustaining the native language and learning a foreign one (Saneka & Witt, 2019). Such a practice can help children to acquire communication skills at home and master them at school.
Speech disorders require individual approaches and interventions depending on the nature of the disorders. However, when exactly speech flow is meant, constant practice of co-articulation and producing individual sounds with a medical professional can be recommended (Prelock & Hutchins, 2018). This can help improve not only communication skills but also enhance the quality of social life.
References
Assous, A., Borghini, A., Levi-Rueff, M., Rittori, G., Rousselot-Pailley, B., Gosme, C., Zigante, F., Golse, B., Falissard, B., & Robel, L. (2018). Children with mixed developmental language disorder have more insecure patterns of attachment. BMC Psychology, 6(54), pp. 1-9. Web.
Papandreou, M., & Dragouni, K. E. (2022). “He will see my drawing and we will play blindman’s bluff together”. Overcoming communication barriers in a multicultural kindergarden classroom”. Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, 11(1), pp. 272-296. Web.
Prelock, P. A. & Hutchins, T. L., (2018). Children with speech disorders. Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Communication Disorders, pp. 75-78.
Rosmala, D., Hidayati, A. N., & Abdullah, F. (2021). Early language development of a child with expressive language disorder: A parent’s narration. Journal of English for Academic, 8(1), pp. 86-96. Web.
Saneka, N. E., & Witt, M. D. (2019). Barriers and bridges between mother tongue and English as a second language in young children. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 9(1), pp. 1-8. Web.