Easterseals Celebrates National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

Two-year-old Camryn Mumford, of Millsboro, DE, shares a pretend snack with her baby sister. “Strawberry,” Camryn exclaims. Her parents, Hillary Johnson and Aaron Mumford, laugh with delight, a far cry from the worry they felt when she was 18 months old and not speaking at all. 

That all changed when Camryn started receiving Speech therapy with Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Now their house is filled with Camryn’s favorite words, “cat”, “puppy”, “Mommy”, “Daddy”, “baby”, and, of course, “no”.

“Before, Camryn couldn’t get the words out when she had something to say. She was frustrated, and so were we. We wanted to meet her needs, and now, we can,“ Hillary says. “Speech is so important. Her ability to communicate allowed us to deepen our connection through conversation.”

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month. Although more than 5 million children in the United States have a speech, language, or hearing disorder, parents are often unsure about what to do when they suspect their child may be affected. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 1 in 12 (7.7%) U.S. children ages 3-17 have had a disorder related to voice, speech, language, or swallowing in the past 12 months.

“Her speech therapist makes learning fun. She comes to the house, and that benefits both Camryn and our family. It is where Camryn is most comfortable, and we can use the strategies she teaches us using the same toys,” Hillary says. “Easterseals has made it a great experience for us. It is part of her routine. Not only is Camryn learning, but we are learning new tools to better assist her.” 

Families with concerns about their child’s speech or feeding development should contact Easterseals for information on acquiring a full evaluation. Easterseals has a team of master ’s-level, certified, and licensed Speech-Language Pathologists who are available to provide services to children of all ages in our locations in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“Do not be embarrassed or afraid to ask for help. The earlier you get help for your child, the more they will have a chance to grow,” Hillary says. “We are very proud of how far Camryn has come. It seems like she learns a new word every day. We are so grateful to Easterseals.”