Talking up benefits of speech unit for children

Published on 17/05/2004 01:00

A CENTRE established to help youngsters with speech and language difficulties was due to stage an open day today.

The Early Years Centre, based at Mayfield Nursery School, near Dalkeith, was hosting the event to celebrate its achievements since opening in 2002.

Representatives from Midlothian health and education authorities, along with parents and children, were set to join in the celebrations.

One of those due to attend was Gorebridge five-year-old John Findlay, who was helped to go from using only noises and gestures to communicating with short sentences since he began attending the centre last August.

John’s father, Craig Findlay, said:

"John spoke very rarely and would make noises and use gestures and signing to communicate.

"He was very quiet and wouldn’t try using words. Today he can put a few words together to make a sentence and he has built up relationships with other children because he has the ability to talk to them."

The centre is a joint project by UK charity I Can, Midlothian Council and the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust. It was the first of its kind in Scotland, though a second centre was established in the Highlands in April last year.

Both deliver a unique programme of specialist therapy and education where children receive support on a one-to-one basis and in small groups, helping them join in and learn alongside other mainstream children.