Communication is an essential skill in life, and it is one that enables children to express themselves. The ability to communicate thoughts and emotions to others well is important for a child’s overall development and will help them become emotionally stable and sociable as they grow older. However, many children find communication a challenge, and speech therapy could be necessary for some of these children. Here is a short guide about speech therapy for children, and why some kids may need it.
How Speech Therapy Helps Kids
Kids need to be able to express their emotions, opinions, and their needs in order to relate to others. The inability to communicate successfully with others, whether verbally or non-verbally, can result in frustration, and it can lead to poor social skills. Speech therapy can help children structure sentences, enhance comprehension skills, build vocabulary, and improve their ability to communicate socially. A speech therapist can help children elevate their overall functional communication ability so that they can cope with academic challenges and challenges in daily life. Speech and language therapists help children improve their communication abilities and reach age-appropriate milestones. You can find more information about the services of speech therapists from providers like physioinq.com.au/service/speech-therapy-for-children.
Can My Child Benefit from Speech Therapy?
Children develop at their own pace, which is why many parents hesitate to take their children to a professional for a diagnosis and prefer to wait and see if their child develops communication skills naturally. However, speaking to a speech therapist, also referred to as a speech-language pathologist, and getting a diagnosis as soon as possible will ensure your child receives the help needed—if necessary. A speech therapist can give your child a professional evaluation and create achievable goals to help them develop their speech and language skills.
What Does Speech Therapy Treat?
Besides speech delay, there are many other reasons why kids receive speech therapy. These include:
- Language disorders or delays—children who have difficulty comprehending what others are saying and have trouble expressing their feelings or needs
- Speech sound disorders—these types of disorders make it difficult for kids to say certain words or sounds correctly
- Stuttering—this communication disorder causes children to repeat certain words or syllables and disrupts speech
- Lisping—this speech issue is caused when a child’s tongue is in the wrong place in their mouth while they speak
- Voice disorders—these disorders happen when a child’s vocal folds do not vibrate properly. This can affect the quality, pitch, or volume of a child’s voice.
- Apraxia—children with apraxia of speech may find it challenging to coordinate mouth movements so that they can speak
- Social communication disorders—kids with these types of disorders, also known as pragmatic language impairment, may find appropriate communication in a social setting challenging.
There are plenty of other reasons why children receive speech therapy. If you are worried about your child’s speech and language development, speak to a certified speech therapist to get a formal evaluation.
