Dave, Jules, Brodie (3 1/2) and Marlie (1 1/2).

Today we are writing a “guest blog” to share with you our story. Six years ago, we got a lesson on what true love and dedication really mean. With the arrival of our first daughter, Lilie, we experienced a true miracle. The staff at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin not only cared for Lilie, they cared for us as well. Some people will read this and say, “Of course, that’s their job.” I would strongly disagree. For many of the doctors and nurses, this is their calling.

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I frequently hear from parents that they’ve had long-standing concerns about their child’s speech, language or feeding abilities, but “my ____ told me not to worry about it.” You can fill in that blank with any number of well-meaning people: family, friends, teachers or physicians. More often than not, I’ve found that parents are right about their child’s developmental delay and valuable time has been lost.

It is important that you follow up on your concerns and have a professional evaluate your child’s communication development. Children of all ages can be evaluated. Depending on the age of the child, we look for things like:

• Problems understanding words or directions.
• Late talking.
• Trouble communicating wants and needs, such as using words, phrases or sentences.
• Difficulty in school.
• Struggling to make sounds or say words clearly.
• Hoarse, raspy, or breathy voice.
• Feeding or swallowing problems.

A big part of our evaluation is listening to your concerns and learning more about your child. We also play with or talk to your child. Most children will take at least one test during the evaluation. This information helps us develop techniques that you can use at home to improve your child’s skills. If therapy is needed, we will create a treatment plan and identify resources within the hospital or community that will help your family.

You’re an expert on your child. If you are concerned about you child’s speech and language development, talk to a speech-language pathologist.

Did you know there is currently a condition that affects one in four girls and one in six boys before their 18th birthday?  And, that recently the Centers for Disease Control has acknowledged this condition as a national health epidemic?

This “condition” is the reality of child sexual abuse in Wisconsin.  Here are some additional statistics you might not be aware of:

• In Wisconsin, 47 percent of sex offenders were related to the victim, 49 percent were acquaintances and 4 percent were strangers.
• The median age for reported sexual abuse is 9 years old.
• Nearly 40 percent of victims are abused by older and larger children.
• Abuse typically occurs within a long-term, on-going relationship between the offender and victim, escalates over time and lasts an average of four years.

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