Speech-language services for Children
Speech-language and communication assessment and intervention services are provided for children in the following areas:
- Augmentative communication services for children who are severely limited in verbal skills
- Language delays
- Speech sound or articulation delays including:
- Phonological impairment
- Multiple speech sound errors
- Apraxia of speech
- Stuttering or fluency disorder
- Voice disorders or hoarseness
Common diagnoses of children who may receive speech-language services:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism, Asperger syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cognitive Delays
- Developmental Delay or Disability
- Down syndrome
- Head injury or Traumatic Brain Injury
- Hearing Impairment
- Learning disability
Augmentative communication services
Difficulty: Child is non-verbal or speech is severely limited. Non-speech communication methods are needed for effective communication at this time.
Resulting from:
- Autism
- Cerebral Palsy
- Physical limitations
- Other causes
Therapy emphasis: Developing successful communication through a variety or modes, while enhancing verbal skills to the highest level possible.
Language delays:
Difficulty: Speaking, listening, communicating, reading or writing which impacts a child’s learning and daily social interactions.
Resulting from:
- Asperger syndrome
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), or other autistic spectrum disorders
- Brain injury
- Cognitive Delay
- Developmental delay
- Down syndrome
- General delay in acquiring language skills
- Genetic syndromes
- Head Injury
- Hearing impairment
- Learning disability
- Unknown origin
Therapy emphasis: Improving language skills for more effective communication and learning.
Speech Sound or Articulation Delays:
Difficulty: Speech sounds are unclear and hard for others to understand.
Resulting from:
- Cerebral palsy
- Cleft palate
- Delay in acquiring age appropriate speech sounds
- Developmental Apraxia of Speech
- Genetic syndrome
- Hearing Impairment
- Oral motor delays/impairment
- Phonological impairment
- Unknown origin
Therapy emphasis: Facilitating clear speech development for effective communication.
Stuttering or Fluency Disorders:
Difficulty: Disruptions to the natural flow of speech in the form of repetitions, blocks or prolongations that interfere with the ability to communicate.
Resulting from:
- Environmental factors
- Genetic predisposition
Therapy emphasis: Improving overall speech fluency and communication effectiveness through direct intervention or family training.
Voice disorders or hoarseness:
Difficulty: Disturbances in vocal quality resulting in the production of voice characterized by harshness, hoarseness, nasality or other faulty patterns. Respiratory disorders related to laryngeal functioning.
Resulting from:
- Chronic cough
- Chronic laryngitis
- Emphysema
- Laryngeal webbing
- Paradoxical vocal fold movement dysfunction (PVFM)
- Respiratory disorders
- Vocal misuse/abuse (e.g. excessive screaming or loud voice)
- Other medical conditions
Therapy emphasis: Improving voice quality and function through direct intervention and environmental changes.
