Speech-Language Pathologists

• Published OnNovember 20, 2021

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) also called speech therapists work to assess, diagnose, treat and help prevent speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, fluency and other related disorders in children and adults.

SLPs work with people of all ages, from babies to adults. SLPs treat many types of communication and swallowing problems.

Speech-language pathologists work with a variety of clients including but not limited to:

• Infants with feeding/swallowing difficulties
• Toddlers with delayed language development
• Preschoolers and school age children with articulation and phonological disorders, language delays/disorders, delayed play skill development, delayed pragmatic language skills.
• Children with Autism or other syndromes
• Children with language processing disorders and language-based learning disabilities.
• Individuals who stutter
• Individuals with voice disorders
• Individuals with difficulty swallowing
• Hearing impaired individuals
• Individuals who have a stroke, head injury, or neurological disorders that affects speech, language, cognition, or swallowing
• Individuals who wish to modify their accent.

WHAT IS SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY?

Speech Language Therapy is an evidence based rehabilitative procedure undertaken in order to help the people having any kind of communication disorders or problems and some swallowing problems.

Speech Language Therapy techniques are used to improve communication. These include articulation therapy, language intervention activities, and others depending on the type of speech or language disorder.

SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY FOR CHILDREN

For your child, speech language therapy may take place one-on-one or in a group depending on the speech and language disorder. Speech language therapy activities and exercises vary depending on your child’s disorder, age and needs.

During speech language therapy for children, the SLP may:

• Interact through talking and playing, and using books, pictures other objects as part of language intervention to help stimulate language development.
• Model correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds.
• Provide strategies and homework for the child and parent or caregiver on how to do speech therapy at home

How does speech language therapy work?

Pediatric speech therapy helps treat children with communication challenges, both in how they speak and how they understand communication. Speech therapy also treats oral motor concerns, such as chewing and swallowing, as well as articulation, auditory processing and social skills.

The first step is usually an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist to determine what challenges your child is facing. SLPs will work with you and your child to create a customized plan to help address the issues.

Sessions usually last about a half-hour. After your initial appointment and diagnosis, the team will work with you to set up a schedule that works best for you and your child.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY?

Your child will need speech and language therapy if they show signs of a speech and/or language delay or disorder. If you’re concerned about their development, start by paying attention to which age-appropriate speech and language milestones your child meets, and which ones they don’t (yet). If you think your child needs support from a speech-language pathologist, don’t hesitate to book an evaluation!

1) LOOK FOR SIGNS OF A LANGUAGE DISORDER
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), signs your child may need speech and language therapy because of a language disorder include:

• Not smiling or interacting with others
• Not babbling (4-10 months)
• Making only a few sounds or gestures, like pointing (7-12 months)
• Not understanding what others say (7 months-2 years)
• Saying only a few words (12-18 months)
• Not easily understanding words (18 months-2 years)
• Not putting together sentences (1.5-3 years)
• Struggling to play and talk with other children (2-3 years)
• Having trouble with early reading and writing skills (2.5-3 years)*

You may be wondering, “What are early reading skills?” Early reading skills include:

• Making sounds or saying words when looking at pictures in books (1–2 years)
• Pointing or touching pictures in books when you name them (1–2 years)
• Turning pages in books (1–2 years)
• Knowing that books have a front and back (2-3 years)
• Enjoying books that have rhymes (2-3 years)
• Pointing to and naming many pictures in books (2-3 years)

2) LOOK FOR SIGNS OF A SPEECH DISORDER
According to ASHA, signs your child may need speech and language therapy because of a speech disorder include:

• Saying p, b, m, h, and w incorrectly in words (1-2 years)
• Saying k, g, f, t, d, and n incorrectly in words (2-3 years)
• Producing speech that’s unclear, even to familiar people (2-3 years)

SEEK A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE EVALUATION

If your child is missing milestones or showing any of these signs, we would recommend seeking a speech and language evaluation. They may need speech language therapy to help them communicate to the best of their abilities.
It’s never too early to seek out a speech and language assessment if you have a concern for your child. I can tell you from my 6 years+ experience that parents never regret going too soon. In fact, it’s the opposite.