Designed for parents and professionals, this guide examines the issues surrounding children with communication difficulties. The authors consider key issues such as the active role that the child plays in language development, from the earliest words to the blossoming of the adult system and assessment by speech and language therapists, and the views of psychologists, physiotherapists and other related professionals. Also discussed are: the labels attached to communication difficulties - a crucial topic for both child and parent - and their implications; common problem areas for language impaired children; the provision available, including speech and language therapy clinics, schools and nurseries; the role played by parents; the legal position, and particularly the interpretation of the education acts. The text is interwoven with the experiences of parents and teachers, and concludes with a collection of useful experiences of parents who have had children with communication difficulties.