When to Seek a Speech Therapist

At as early as three months of age, babies with developmental delays begin to show signs. While it may seem too early to see a speech therapist, it's never too early to monitor signs. If you notice any concerns, talk to your child's pediatrician.

Soulful steps offers following Speech Language Therapy services:

• Dyslexia/ Specific Learning Difficulties
• Handwriting Difficulties
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Speech- Language Therapy/ Speech disorder/ delay
• Stuttering
• Voice Disorder
• Pragmatic Language Impairment
• Swallowing Disorder/Feeding Difficulty
• Post-Stroke Aphasia
• Dysarthria
• Cleft-lip palate speech Disorder

What Are Speech Disorders?

A speech disorder refers to a problem with making sounds. Speech disorders include:

• disorders: These are problems with making sounds in syllables, or saying words incorrectly to the point that listeners can't understand what's being said.
• Fluency disorders: These include problems such as stuttering, in which the flow of speech is interrupted by unusual stops, partial-word repetitions ("b-b-boy"), or prolonging sounds and syllables (sssssnake).
• Resonance or voice disorders: These are problems with the pitch, volume, or quality of the voice that distract listeners from what's being said. These types of disorders may also cause pain or discomfort for a child when speaking.

What Are Language Disorders?

A language disorder refers to a problem understanding or putting words together to communicate ideas. Language disorders can be either receptive or expressive:

• Receptive disorders are problems with understanding or processing language.
• Expressive disorders are problems with putting words together, having a limited vocabulary, or being unable to use language in a socially appropriate way.
• Cognitive-communication disorders are problems with communication skills that involve memory, attention, perception, organization, regulation, and problem solving.

What Are Feeding Disorders?

Dysphagia/oral feeding disorders are disorders in the way someone eats or drinks. They include problems with chewing and swallowing, coughing, gagging, and refusing foods.

Who Gives Speech-Language Therapy?

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), often called speech therapists, are educated in the study of human communication, its development, and its disorders. SLPs assess speech, language, cognitive-communication, and oral/feeding/swallowing skills. This lets them identify a problem and the best way to treat it.

SLPs must have at least a bachelor’s degree and having a master's degree would be advantageous.

What Do SLPs Do?

In speech-language therapy, an SLP works with a child one-on-one to overcome problems.
Speech therapists use various techniques to assist with swallowing, including facial massage and lip, tongue and jaw exercises. Therapy strengthens face and jaw muscles used for eating, drinking and swallowing, and increases perceptive abilities.

Therapists use a variety of strategies, including:

• anguage intervention activities: The SLP will interact with a child by playing and talking, using pictures, books, objects, or ongoing events to stimulate language development. The therapist may model correct vocabulary and grammar, and use repetition exercises to build language skills.
• Articulation therapy: Articulation, or sound production, exercises involve having the therapist model correct sounds and syllables in words and sentences for a child, often during play activities. The level of play is age-appropriate and related to the child's specific needs. The SLP will show the child how to make certain sounds, such as the "r" sound, and may show how to move the tongue to make specific sounds.
• Oral-motor/feeding and swallowing therapy: The SLP may use a variety of oral exercises — including facial massage and various tongue, lip, and jaw exercises — to strengthen the muscles of the mouth for eating, drinking, and swallowing. The SLP may also introduce different food textures and temperatures to increase a child's oral awareness during eating and swallowing.

Why Do Some Kids Need Speech-Language Therapy?

Kids might need speech-language therapy for many reasons, including:

• hearing impairments
• cognitive (intellectual, thinking) or other developmental delays
• weak oral muscles
• chronic hoarseness
• cleft lip or cleft palate
• autism
• motor planning problems
• articulation problems
• fluency disorders
• respiratory problems (breathing disorders)
• feeding and swallowing disorders
• traumatic brain injury

Therapy should begin as soon as possible. Children who start therapy early (before they're 5 years old) tend to have better results than those who begin later.

This doesn't mean that older kids won't do well in therapy. Their progress might be slower, though, because they have learned patterns that need to be changed.

How Can Parents Help?

Parents are key to the success of a child's progress in speech or language therapy. Kids who finish the program quickest and with the longest-lasting results are those whose parents were involved.

Ask the therapist what you can do. For instance, you can help your child do the at-home activities that the SLP suggests. This ensures the continued progress and carry-over of new skills.
Overcoming a speech or language disorder can take time and effort. So it's important that all family members be patient and understanding with the child.

Reference: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/speech-therapy.html