Ming explains that the non-verbal versus pre-verbal distinction matters less than finding why a child isn't speaking. The real question: is it language-based (vocabulary, gestures, input) or speech-based (motor, sensory, neurological, structural)? Treat the cause, not the label.
So there's a confusion between non verbal versus pre verbal. And I see some parents who are typing away on Google, they get really confused because they're used interchangeably. Sometimes they mean something, others mean another thing else. And like, it really has to do with how culturally appropriate it is to use whether non or pre. Okay, so I don't want to get into the semantics of this and how I myself think about it, because it really doesn't matter. The label doesn't matter at all, right. Whether or not it's not a pre verbal, it doesn't really translate into if I hear it, right? If a professional hears it or if you hear it or whatever is that, oh, I'm going to change the way that I'm doing therapy because of the difference between non and pre verbal. There isn't that case. So why think about in that way and that There are some comments from YouTube before or on Facebook that are saying, man, you don't understand. You don't understand. It's very important that we get the diagnosis correct, get the words correct. It feels like we've finally found a reason or whatever. But the thing is, you haven't found a reason. You just put a label on your child not speaking it. And sometimes, like in Hong Kong, where I'm from, nonverbal is anyone who's like a little older, right? Preverbal is any child who is a little younger. Right? That's how we think. But it doesn't mean that's how the whole world thinks. And I'm not here to tell you which is right, which is wrong. I don't even know myself, right? So the second point is to find out why your child isn't speaking yet. There must be a reason behind the non verbal or preverbal situation. So basically not talking yet. So is it a language problem or a speech problem? So with the language problem, is it that we can teach more words, we can teach some gestures to help them out. All right, if it's about speech, then is it about like sensory, motor is about something to do with neurological problems. Something, something about the structure or whatever. So it really is about which one is it? And if it's language, it's relatively straightforward. Just teach the building blocks for the language and also for if it's speech that's a little bit more nuanced and you should see a speech therapist to think about why the speech is lacking. All right? So at the end of the day, I know this video didn't really tell you much, but hopefully I told you in A very short and quick and practical matter is that whether which one and which, it won't change the trajectory of your therapy. It will. The only thing that will change the trajectory is that if you know the reason why behind the deficit of the lack of language, so to speak. Right. So we have to treat the underlying problem, that's what we're doing and not the symptoms. So if you're thinking about non verbal, preverbal and some, you know, if your child is verbal, parents will think, oh, they stop learning language processes. You are focusing on the symptoms, you're not focusing on the underlying problem. To find out why treat the underlying problem if you have, I don't know, your ankle hurts, you cannot just eat a painkiller. It's not going to solve your problem. So why is your child not speaking yet? Is it because you don't have enough language input for a child? Right. Is it because your child is on the spectrum and that he or she doesn't understand the not or not very interested in initiating communication and therefore because of lack of practice, therefore language isn't catching up. Right. Which one is it? Or is it because of speech? There are some underlying issues that is causing the child not being able to produce the correct speech sounds. Right. Which one is it? Don't know, cannot do anything. So it's not about non verbal or preverbal, it's about getting the correct underlying problem. And sometimes the diagnosis doesn't tell you, doesn't translate into it. It's a label. Some for speech cases, the diagnosis does give a little more insight about how the treatment is, should be, and what's the underlying problem. But at this point in time, other than that, it doesn't really help. So hopefully I haven't confused you even more. But if you want to learn more and you like the style that we teach things at Agents of Speech, you can go to agents of Speech.com course. It's all the courses that we ever sold before and now it's all free. All you got to do is click the link, put in your email, check your email and then get an account, sign in and you can start watching. All right, that's all. And I hope to see you next week. Bye Bye.
