Speech & Language Therapy

A Simple Guide for Parents

Choosing a therapist is one of the most important decisions you can make for your child.

What Can You Do?

Look for early warning signs in your child's daily activities then consult with your child's doctor. Early intervention makes a difference in a child's ability to succeed.

What is Therapy?

Therapy is a part of an intervention plan that can help a child reach his/her potential for living and learning.

Understanding Speech and Hearing Therapy

Speech is the oral form of language and language is our most human attribute. It is vital in order for us to learn, work and enjoy family life and friendships. The speech therapist encourages a child to develop communication skills as well as treat speech, voice, language and swallowing disorders due to trauma, disease, aging or congenital abnormality. 

Speech therapy (also known as speech-language pathology) is an important health specialties concerned with normal development of human communication and treatment of its disorders. Speech therapy focuses on voice and speech-language skills.

Speech or language disorders may be present at birth or acquired later in life by disease, illness, head injury, substance abuse, allergy,

Who Needs Speech-Language Pathology ?

Speech-Language Pathology is used to help:

• Individuals with voice disorders to develop proper control of their vocal and respiratory systems
• Individuals who stutter to learn to cope with the disorder and increase fluency
• Individuals with aphasia (a condition in which an individual has difficulty expressing thoughts and understanding others) as a result of a stroke or head injury. Speech-language pathology helps individuals relearn language and speech skills.
• Children and young adults with language disorders

The Speech Therapist

Speech therapists, recognized as speech-language pathologists, provide treatment are professionally trained specialists holding master's degrees or the equivalent from programs accredited by an Educational Standards Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Some speech-language pathologists hold doctoral degrees and work as teachers, advisors, researchers and consultants. Some specialize in certain areas, such as aphasia or hearing disorders in children, or participate in prevention and early identification programs.

Speech-language pathologists who use the initials "CCC-SP" after their name have passed a national examination administered by the Clinical Certification Board of ASHA. 

Individualized Treatment Plans

A speech-language pathologist evaluates a person's speech-language skills, determines the probable cause and extent of any existing disorder and develops appropriate treatment to correct or lessen the communication problem. Clinical methods used depend on the nature and severity of the problem, the age of the client and the client's awareness of the problem.

Speech-language pathologists refer their clients to other sources when necessary and help the client and the client's family understand the problem and treatment plan. They work closely with other professionals in health and education, including physicians, dentists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors and teachers.

If you would like more information on speech therapy for your child, please click here.