Editor's Note: Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman is the founder and executive director of the School for Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove. 

It's that time of year that many parents of preschool children are making plans for September school programs. In some cases, parents of preschool children have begun to notice that there are some developmental differences between their child and other children on the playground.  

Perhaps the most obvious difference relates to language development. Is your child's speech as clear as others?  Does your child have as many words in his vocabulary? Are his sentences as long and as complex as other 3- or 4-year-olds? Parents cannot help but make comparisons, and this may often lead to anxiety.  If you have any concerns about your child's development, the first place to start is with your pediatrician. But you need to prepare your questions so that the answers that you receive will be helpful.

If you have access to a computer, go to the web site of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association asha.org.  There is a great deal of helpful information specifically for parents on different areas of child language development. The Web site presents not only definitions but developmental scales so that you can determine what skills are developmentally appropriate at specific ages.

These developmental scales are very helpful in understanding your child's progress during these formative years. There is, however, an important proviso that parents need to be aware of. Children are not "little robots." Their development varies particularly in the rate of acquisition. The vocabulary acquired by one child may be very different than the words acquired by another child.  Some children acquire words very rapidly and others at a slower pace. One of the things parents should consider doing is making a list of all of the words that their child spontaneously uses on a consistent basis. Take the vocabulary list with the developmental chart from the ASHA web site and frame your questions.  

Do you feel that your child has a limited vocabulary? Do you feel that your child's speech is unintelligible?  Do you feel that other children are using sentences and your child only produces one-word utterances?  Take these questions to your pediatrician and discuss your concerns. Your pediatrician, without a doubt, will tell you that there is a normal range of variability. If after this conversation you are still concerned, ask your pediatrician about an early intervention and/or preschool evaluation. 

For infants/toddlers below the age of 36 months, you can contact the Department of Health at (516) 227-8661 for an early intervention evaluation. There is no cost to the parent for the evaluation, and a service coordinator from the department will interview you about your concerns and your child's needs.  The early intervention evaluation can be done at home or at a local center.

For children who are between the ages of 3 and 5, parents should contact their local school district and ask about a Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) Evaluation. Again, there is no cost to the family, and a school representative will interview you to identify your concerns and set up an evaluation.  

A parent's intuition is a critical signal that something may be wrong and therefore should not be ignored.  The point here is that there are many resources available, and parents should not feel that they are "crazy or alone." Parents should never feel uncomfortable about asking questions, so do not be put off when a professional tells you, "Don't worry about it, come back in six months." Parents are the most important advocates for their children. As the parent, you know your child better than anyone else. It is always better to investigate and find out that nothing is wrong rather than ignore your concerns and find out that something is wrong later on.  

If you have a question about your child's development, please contact me at the Glen Cove Patch, and I will answer your question in my next column.