Pediatric speech, language, and myofunctional therapy helps children with communication challenges and oral motor problems.
Children who have difficulty understanding or expressing speech, children with auditory processing, articulation, and social skill challenges, as well have children with trouble chewing or swallowing, can all benefit from pediatric speech therapy.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE DELAY AND /OR DISORDER
A language delay is a type of communication disorder, and it is one of the most common among young children. According to the University of Michigan Health System, delayed speech or language development affects 5 to 10 percent of preschool-aged children. If your child isn't meeting the language developmental milestones, has trouble expressing themselves or understanding others, they may have a language delay.
RECEPTIVE/EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE disorders:
Children with a receptive language disorder typically have trouble understanding what others are saying to them, particularly with more complex sentences. They might show signs of confusion in the classroom or not understand, have a limited vocabulary, fail to follow instructions at home, or struggle in direct conversation. Often times, children with a receptive language disorder may rely on facial expressions as a way of understanding.
CHILDHOOD APRAXIA OF SPEECH (CAS):
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a more uncommon speech disorder in which a child has difficulty making accurate movements when speaking, as the brain has difficulties with speech movement. Children with CAS may have delayed onset of first words or a limited number of words spoken, may be unable to form all consonant or vowel sounds, and might have difficulty with certain words that sound like others.
ARTICULATION DISORDER:
Articulation disorder is a speech disorder involving difficulties in articulating specific types of sounds - and can be due to the child's placement of the lips, teeth and tongue. Articulation disorders often involve substitution of one sound for another, slurring of speech, or indistinct speech.
VOICE DISORDERS:
Laryngitis, incorrect speaking technique, vocal cord lesions, and vocal cord paralysis are the most common voice disorders.
Hoarseness in children can have a variety of causes, most of which are not dangerous. In rare cases, childhood hoarseness can come from life-threatening causes which require immediate medical attention.
Please note that for these disorders, your child will first need to be evaluated and referred to a speech pathologist by an Ear, Nose & Throat Physician.
FLUENCY/STUTTERING:
It is typical for all children, especially between the ages of 2 and 6, to experience periods of speech disfluency or stuttering as they learn to communicate and talk. Stuttering that lasts over six months may require professional treatment, and may have the following types of disfluencies:
Blocks: This happens when they have a hard time getting a word out. They may pause for a long time or not be able to make a sound. For example, "I want a ...... snack."
Prolongations: They also may stretch a sound out for a long time, like sssssssometimes.
Repetitions: They might repeat parts of words, like b-b-b-baby.
AUTISM:
Autism is a developmental disorder, usually characterized by challenges in social interactions and communications, as well as restricted or repetitive thought and behavior patterns.
Children with autism may have trouble understanding gestures or emotions, following directions, following conventions of conversation. They may struggle with receptive communication, such as understanding others or reading text, or expressive communication, such as talking or writing. Children with autism may repeat words they heard or sound robotic in their speech patterns.
Speech-language and myofunctional therapy can help children with autism improve their verbal and nonverbal communication skills, social cue confidence, conversational skills, playing with others, self-regulation, interacting with peers, expressing ideas, and more.