Q. My son is 3 years old and has had frequent ear infections. Some adults have trouble understanding him. Should I be concerned?

A. Great question - many children have ear infections; some children recover from many ear infections without any communication or learning difficulties. Unfortunately, despite parents' best efforts some children develop speech, language and learning problems.

Children past the age of 3 should be saying three to five word sentences that are understood 90 percent of the time. The ending sounds of words should be present.

When a child has frequent ear infections their ability to hear and produce sounds may be affected. Additionally, they may not learn new vocabulary words and are at higher risk for reading difficulties.

I would begin by having your son's hearing tested by a licensed audiologist. A consultation with a licensed speech language pathologist is also recommended to test his vocabulary skills, oral motor skills and his speech sound development. If your son needs therapy then funding resources for public and private options should be provided. If he does not need therapy you will have peace of mind.

Why wait and worry?

Q. My family seems to ignore me when I ask them questions. What can I do to get them to listen?

A. This is a very common complaint from teachers, parents and coworkers. I developed a program for listening improvement that I call, The ABC's of Learning. Try it and let me know the results.

A = is for Attention.

Get their attention by removing distractions. Is your child looking at the computer screen when you ask a question? Is your spouse holding the remote control? Is your preschool child playing with Legos? If they are distracted by other items, then they won't pay attention to you. Remove the distractions and get eye contact first. Pair your words with objects, pictures or a gentle tap on the shoulder. Hold up your child's pajamas to signal that it's bedtime or hold up the dog leash when it's time to walk the dog.

B = Break into parts.

If you say too much your message will be lost. Most individuals can remember a sequence of three verbal instructions separated by pauses. Use simple and direct words. Use tapping or clapping for each step with younger children.

C = Consequence.

Follow the listening activities with a reward tailored to the individual's age and interest. Praise the attempt, not perfection. Compliment your co-worker, provide a sticker for a young child or a kiss for your spouse.