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Home >
Services > Speech Therapy
In a recent parent-teacher
conference, the teacher expressed concern that your
child may have a problem with certain speech or
language skills. Or perhaps while talking to your
child, you noticed an occasional stutter.
Could your child have a
problem? And if so, what should you do?
It's wise to intervene quickly. An
evaluation by a certified speech-language pathologist can
help determine if your child is having difficulties.
Speech-language therapy is the treatment for most kids with
speech and/or language disorders.
Speech Disorders and Language
Disorders
A speech disorder refers to a problem with the actual
production of sounds, whereas a language disorder refers to
a difficulty understanding or putting words together to
communicate ideas.
Speech disorders include
Articulation disorders: difficulties producing sounds in
syllables or saying words incorrectly to the point that
listeners can't understand what's being said. Fluency
disorders: problems such as stuttering, in which the flow of
speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, repetitions (st-st-stuttering),
or prolonging sounds and syllables (ssssstuttering).
Resonance or voice disorders: 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. Dysphagia/oral
feeding disorders: these include difficulties with drooling,
eating, and swallowing.
Language disorders can be either
receptive or expressive
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Receptive disorders: difficulties
understanding or processing language.
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Expressive disorders: difficulty putting
words together, limited vocabulary, or inability to use
language in a socially appropriate way.
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