NEED TO KNOW
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Chloe Conrad, a San Diego-based speech-language pathologist, tells PEOPLE which sounds are difficult for young kids to say — and which are the easiest
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She adds that parents shouldn’t be afraid to pick a name that’s difficult for young kids to pronounce if it has sentimental value
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“If your child then has difficulty saying that name, that’s OK,” says Conrad. “Speech therapists exist for a reason”
For many kids — and especially those who have trouble pronouncing certain sounds — learning how to say their own name is an important developmental milestone.
“It can get super frustrating for them when they go to soccer or camp and everyone just misses it,” Chloe Conrad, a San Diego-based speech-language pathologist, tells PEOPLE.
But not all names are built the same, and a couple of name-selection tips can help set kiddos up for success, even if they struggle with pronunciation, says Conrad.
Her main suggestion?
“If there’s an ‘R’ or an ‘L,’ I would try to avoid an ‘O’ sound,” she says. That includes names like Rory, Rowan, Aurora, Laurel, Ariella and Lorelai. (She admits it’s “really ironic” that she’s a fan of the 2000s show Gilmore Girls, given the names of the two main characters.)
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The reason these names might be difficult to pronounce for young kids, explains Conrad, is that many kids pronounce the ‘R’ or ‘L’ sounds as a ‘W,’ which becomes tricky when it is paired with another rounded ‘O’ sound right after.
Raimie Conrad
Chloe Conrad
On the flip side, several names are especially easy for kids to pronounce because they include the sounds many pick up first.
“Any name that has earlier developing sounds, like ‘P,’ ‘B,’ ‘M’ and ‘N’ — so ‘Mimi,’ ‘Hannah’ and ‘Anna’ are pretty easy,” says Conrad.
But Conrad wants to be clear: “At the end of the day, if you love a name, you should still name your child that name,” she says. She even admits that she has a name in her family with three ‘R’ sounds that she’ll “probably use.”
“I’m going to be setting myself up,” Conrad laughs.
And even when kids have names that they struggle to pronounce, there are other tricks they can use to increase their confidence while they’re in the process of learning to say those difficult sounds.
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Chloe Conrad
Chloe Conrad
“Kids can have a little bracelet with their name on it for backup, so they can not be so frustrated,” she says. And if they’re struggling to pronounce an “L” sound, Conrad adds, they can make an “L” with their fingers to make sure the sound is getting across.
Several months ago, Conrad launched her private practice, Spunky Speech Therapy, where she meets with young patients who struggle with the pronunciation of certain sounds. In addition to her clinical work, though, she aims to reach a broader audience of other speech-language pathologists through her social media pages, where she shares a bit of her expertise.
“I’m just hoping to be someone that, I, as an SLP, would’ve really wanted — to give those tips and tricks,” says Conrad.
But her most viral video — which notched over 700,000 views on TikTok — “happened to fall into mom land,” she adds, grabbing the attention of parents-to-be who wanted to avoid giving their children names that are difficult to pronounce.
“It’s been fun to break down some of that information for parents,” says Conrad. “For moms who have kids in speech or who don’t — they can have access to that information and even see if the therapist they are working with is a good fit.”
“My advice to a parent who’s still deciding on a name is to pick whatever name feels the most important to you or that you like the best,” concludes Conrad. “If your child then has difficulty saying that name, that’s OK. Speech therapists exist for a reason, and somebody can help support your child to help [them] say their name.”
Read the original article on People
