Speech and language development is important for learning, literacy, and communication. Early identification and intervention lead to better outcomes. Our Speech-Language Pathologists are able to identify early signs of communication challenges that can impact your child’s learning, social and emotional development, and self-confidence. Contrary to popular belief, many children do not overcome these difficulties once they grow older. Our highly skilled and experienced Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) offers online assessment and intervention to provide quality speech therapy for children in the following areas of your child’s communication development:
- Receptive language skills (comprehension or understanding)
- Expressive language skills (spoken language)
- Pragmatics (social language skills)
- Articulation and Phonology (speech clarity)
- Early Literacy
- Voice
- Resonance
- Fluency (stammering or cluttering)
Speech and language disorder in children
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopment disorder, usually recognizable by the first 2 years of a child’s life. Children with Autism have problems with social interaction and communication skills. They have different ways of learning and perceiving things around them. They may have restrictive, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour. Our unique speech and language therapy program for Autism incorporates the best of Applied Behavior Analysis and speech therapy techniques to improve the child’s functional communication and self-regulation.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder. The three main symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Children with ADHD may have a delay in speech and language skills, articulation errors or fluency related problems. We provide therapy for the same and also for language delay if any. We also work on improving social skills.
DELAYED SPEECH AND LANGUAGE
A speech and language delay is when a child is not developing speech and language at an expected rate. It is a common development problem that affects as many as 10% of preschool children. We provide adequate language stimulation and strategies that improve the child’s speech and language skills.
It is a genetic disorder, also called as Trisomy-21. Children with Down Syndrome may have delayed speech and language skills and/or reduced clarity of speech as a result of structural abnormalities in the articulators, especially tongue. We work on functional communication skills for them.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of disorders that affect a child’s movements and posture. Children with CP may require speech and language therapy to improve communication and clarity of speech. Early intervention is important for better prognosis. Our therapists work on improving the child’s speech and communication by strengthening the muscles used for speech, increasing oral motor skills and by improving their understanding of speech and language. We also work on swallowing difficulties if needed
Childhood Apraxia of Speech CAS) is a motor speech disorder which affects the child’s ability to plan, sequence, and execute the movements necessary to produce sounds, syllables, and words. This is not due to muscle weakness or paralysis, but due to motor planning difficulty. Therapy usually focuses on practicing syllables, words and phrases. We also use AAC to help the child communicate and improve language skills.
Hearing impairment is a condition in which there is partial or total inability to hear. Hearing impairment can cause a significant delay in speech and language skills. Early identification and auditory-verbal therapy can help in the development of better speech and language skills in children fitted with hearing aids or having Cochlear Implants.
Fluency is the aspect of speech production that refers to continuity, rate, and effort. Stuttering/ Stammering is a developmental disorder characterized by frequent sound prolongations, sound, syllable, word and phrase repetitions and silent blocks that interfere with the efficient production of speech. These dysfluencies may be accompanied by physical tension, negative reactions, other secondary behaviours, and avoidance of sounds, words, or speaking situations. Stuttering usually starts between two and six years of age. The frequency and severity of stuttering may fluctuate from day to day and in relation to the speaking situation. Cluttering is characterized by a perceived rapid and/or irregular speech rate, which results in breakdowns in speech clarity and/or fluency. Our therapist uses specific strategies that focus on overcoming disfluencies.
SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS
Speech sound disorders include articulation disorder (incorrect production of speech sounds) and phonological process disorder or a combination of both. Speech sound disorders can be caused due to any brain injury, developmental disability, hearing loss, cleft lip or palate, disorders affecting the nerves of the speech etc. Our speech therapists work on children with pronunciation errors and unclear speech.
Cleft lip and palate is a birth defect that occurs when the formation of lips and palate are not complete during pregnancy. Children often have problems with feeding and speaking clearly. Surgery restores normal function of the articulators. Speech therapy may be required if the child has a delay in language development, feeding problems, nasality or misarticulations.
VOICE DISORDERS
A voice disorder is a recognizable change in a voice like hoarse voice, harsh voice, breathy voice, low pitched or high pitched voice, nasal voice etc. It can occur in children due to various causes such as inflammation of vocal folds (in the case of voice abuse and/or misuse), any unusual growths or paralysis or due to cleft lip/palate(nasal voice)
They can be caused due to any problem in the structure or functions of the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing or due to sensory processing problems. Common symptoms include choking, coughing while eating or before or after eating, drooling, difficulty controlling food in the mouth, difficulty in chewing solids, aversion to certain textures and flavors of food etc. Our therapists use a multidisciplinary approach which includes Oral Placement Therapy to address these issues.
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES
A specific learning disability is a disorder that interferes with a student’s ability to listen, think, speak, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. Students with a specific learning disability may struggle with reading, writing, or math. Children with SLD who have imperfect ability to understand and use oral communication requires assistance from an SLP. Children with SLD may have associated conditions such as misarticulations, stuttering, etc.
