Communication is a vital human skill.

Making and keeping friends relies on social communication skills. It involves appropriate use of language, reading non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and gestures and understanding the intonation of the human voice. All of these are important in social situations. Many children with developmental issues struggle with this and feel they have no friends. It often causes considerable distress.

It must be very frustrating to be unable to make oneself understood, or to understand. Many a meltdown has been caused by communication breakdown.

There are many influences on communication. Even a child who has difficulty with concentrated listening will find life difficult. Interpreting language literally, or lack of fluency, or unclear speech can attract ridicule.

Much of our learning takes place through communication. Because communicating is so complex it can be affected in many ways. Improving developmental maturity can positively influence a child’s communication.