Speech Therapy for Children

Explained
We pamper our Children and overlook certain signs of speech disorders.
These could be stammering also known as stuttering or lisping. Some
parents believe that their children will slowly outgrow these disorders. In
some of the cases, the late bloomers do outgrow these disorders. But
some disorders are permanent in nature. Read about the myths and the
facts about Speech Therapy to clear your doubts. It is possible that
you are unable to confirm the signs of speech disorders. Discuss with your
child’s kindergarten teacher. She is better trained to notice such
disorders. It is very important that Speech therapy for children starts at
an early age. Delay in speech therapy for children can affect the child’s
self-confidence.

When is Speech Therapy for Children Required?

Speech therapy for Children should start at the earliest. Delay in
treatment can lead to social issues. One way to detect speech disorders is
to compare the child with other children of the same age group. Do not
neglect if your child is showing signs of delayed speech development.
Children with speech disorders are often shy and lack communication
skills. Contact a Child Speech Therapist at the earliest. Search for a
Speech Therapist nearby as the treatment needs ma ny sessions. For
parents in India, kindly go to our Helpline and put in your request. We
will mail the list of Speech Therapist’s in your area. Speech Therapy at
home is also possible.

How does Speech Therapy for Children Help?

Speech Therapy helps the child to lead a normal life. Language skills are
very important for communication.

Speech Therapy helps in the treatment of the following disorders

 Articulation Disorder
When the child has difficulty in pronouncing certain words. The words are
not clear and often not understood by others.

 Fluency Disorder
Stammering or Stuttering is the most common Fluency disorder. There is
an interruption in the flow of speech by repetition of words.

 Voice Disorder
A child having voice disorder does not complete the sentence. In this
case, the child starts to speak and then starts mumbling halfway through
the sentence.

What other Disorders Does Speech Therapy

Treat?
Other major disorders are also treated by the Speech T herapist. Speech
Therapy for Children is a must wherever verbal communication needs
improvement.
Hearing Impaired Girl Child

 Hearing Impairment or Hearing Loss

Children suffering from undetected Hearing loss do not speak. They are
unable to speak as they cannot hear and learn. The Child Speech therapist
and Audiologist will check the hearing. They will prescribe the right
remedy in case of Hearing loss. If it’s a case of Sensorineural Hearing
loss, a Hearing aid or a Cochlear Implant is the solution.
After fitting the Hearing aid or a Cochlear Implant, speech therapy is the
next step.

 Speech Therapy for Children with Cochlear

Implants
Speech Therapy for children using Cochlea r implants or Hearing aids is
also known as Auditory-Verbal Therapy. The therapy specialises in
teaching the child to recognise the words. In most cases, the child with
Cochlear Implant has little or no previous exposure to speech.

 Speech Therapy for Cognitive Development

The Cognitive Development in a child takes place from birth to around
5 years of age. Cognitive development involves the pre -reading stage.
Children learn to visualise, imagine, to remember things and solve simple
problems. The Child Speech Therapist can diagnose if there are any delays
in cognitive development.
 Speech Therapy for Children with
Swallowing Disorders
In case, the child has difficulty in swallowin g food, we should consult a
Speech Therapist. The swallowing problems in children are also known as
Pediatric Dysphagia. The symptoms are slow eating and difficulty in
swallowing food. Speech Therapy for children involves exercises to
strengthen the muscles. Dysphagia is also common in adults.

 Speech Therapy for Children with Autism

Autism is basically a neuro-developmental disorder. A child suffering from
autism has difficulty in social interactions. The child also has difficulty in
communication and a pattern of repetitive behaviour. Autism is not a
speech disorder. The Speech Therapist helps in improving the overall
communication skills.

 Speech Therapy for Children with Cleft

Palate or Cleft Lip
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate

Cleft Palate or Cleft lip is a birth disorder. Cleft means a split or division
between two surfaces. A Cleft lip divides the lip into two parts. Similarly,
a Cleft Palate divides the Palate into two. In the case of Cleft Palate, the
palate or the roof of the mouth has a hole. This hole connects to the
nose. This abnormality causes speech and Hearing problems. The Cleft
Palate and the Cleft lip can be surgically rectified. S peech therapy is a
must after the operation. Speech Therapy helps in the formation and
pronouncing of words.

 Speech Therapy for Children with Cerebral

Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a birth disorder. It affects muscle coordination or
impairment of motor functions. Speech Therapy in children with Cerebral
Palsy helps in muscle control. The Therapy strengthens the oral and facial
muscles. The exercises help to improve communication skills.
 Speech Therapy for Children with
Hyperactivity Disorder
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder also have learning
disabilities and behavioural issues. It is also known as ADHD. The Speech
Therapist uses behaviour therapy to channelise their energy. Playing
outdoor sports and other games are one way of channelising the energy.
A Child therapist will make them relax and calm them down.

Speech Therapist teaching a Child to speak

Speech Therapy for Children with Delayed Speech

and Language Development
Most language and speech developments are associated with the above
listed disorders. At times the delay is not due to any speech disorder. The
reasons could be psychological. Lack of parent’s interaction with the child
and neglect can result in delayed development. Parents s hould talk, sing
and answer questions to help the child develop language skill.

Do Not Delay Speech Therapy for Children

Effective Speech therapy for children can make all the difference in a
Childs life. The Speech Therapist assists the child to speak nor mally & be
confident. Early intervention or Speech therapy for children helps the child
to join the main stream.

A Speech Therapist or a Speech Language Pathologist is a trained para -

medical professional. Speech therapy helps the children having written
language issues and difficulty in expressing themselves. The child must
take many sessions of speech therapy before the results are visible.