Speech Therapy
Does my child need speech therapy?
Your child may be referred for speech therapy if they have trouble pronouncing certain letters, are hard to understand when they speak, have difficulty understanding what others are saying, or have other problems communicating. Speech therapists can also work with children who have feeding or swallowing disorders.
A speech therapist will work with your child to strengthen their speech muscles and learn to form sounds correctly. The speech therapist may also work on sensitivity to different tastes or textures. They will also work on expression and acting in socially appropriate ways. Oftentimes your child may not even realize they’re working because they’re having fun doing the different tasks.
Overall, speech therapy can have a wide range of benefits that you may not have even realized. These include:
• Developing conversational skills to improve interactions with others
• Expressing thoughts, ideas, and needs in a more understandable way
• Self-regulation and following rules for conversation
• Social appropriateness in various settings and situations
• Improved articulation so others can understand what they are saying
• Non-verbal communication skills such as facial expressions or body language
• Putting together words in a sentence that make sense
Starting speech therapy early can help to address problems before they become more serious. This can help your child to be more successful in school, build their self-esteem, and become a more independent communicator. Easterseals can evaluate your child for a wide range of speech and language disorders and develop a customized treatment plan to meet their needs.
For further information or to schedule a speech and language therapy evaluation, please call 330-743-1168.
