Speech therapy can encompass so many different skills! The big picture of what pediatric speech therapy can do is to assist kids to communicate their wants and needs in a variety of contexts and settings to the best of their ability.

Speech sound production

This is what typically comes to mind when someone mentions pediatric speech therapy-working on using the correct sounds in words! Common speech sound errors include k, g, s, z, l, and r! Speech therapists help kiddos use the correct placement, manner and voicing to accurately produce speech sounds. 

Receptive/expressive language

SLPs assist with skills associated with listening, speaking, and comprehending language. Depending on your child's age and developmental milestones, services may be warranted if your child struggles with following directions, using gestures, imitating animal and environmental sounds, putting word combinations together, asking and answering questions, using grammar, vocabulary, and understanding basic concepts. 

Feeding

Some signs of difficulty with feeding include difficulty with breast or bottle feeding, spitting up alot, prolonged chewing, excessive residue in mouth after eating, coughing or gagging during meals, or holding food in mouth. We have SOFFI and TOTs trained therapists who specialize in working with infants and children who are tongue and/or lip tied. 

Fluency

Stuttering, the most common fluency disorder, is an interruption in the flow of speaking characterized by specific types of disfluencies, including repetitions of sounds, syllables or words, prolongations or blocks (ASHA, 2024). Children who stutter also frequently experience psychological, emotional, social, and functional consequences from their stuttering, including social anxiety, a sense of loss of control, and negative thoughts or feelings about themselves or about communication (Boyle, 2015; Craig & Tran, 2014; Iverach & Rapee, 2014). Speech services are warranted when stuttering impacts daily life in any of the consequences listed above. 

Reading

Children with spoken language disorders often experience difficulties with reading as well. (Farquharson, 2020). Services might be warranted if your child is demonstrating difficulty with sound-letter correspondence, phonological awareness skills, decoding and blending words, spelling, reading fluently, or difficulty with reading comprehension. 

Social Skills

SLPs often collaborate with OT’s to address social skills! Difficulty with social skills may include difficulty with maintaining a conversation, problem solving, understanding social rules, understanding humor and idioms. 

How we can help

If you feel your child is demonstrating difficulty with any of the areas listed above, it’s time to reach out to your pediatrician to get a speech therapy referral. Ask for a screening or evaluation as soon as you have concerns. The earlier we can treat concerns, the better. At HTP, we are here to help! Not sure if there is a concern? We offer free screenings where you can meet with a therapist who can offer recommendations! This can occur at any of our three clinics in Richmond, Berea, and Lexington, Kentucky. Have any questions? Give our clinic a call today at 859-353-3666!