Welcome to Speech & Language Therapy!
HOW WE HELP: Speech-Language Pathologists in your Child's School
Children who have communication challenges may have trouble learning, or making and keeping friends. This can negatively affect their academic and social success. Speech-language pathologists in schools help in the following areas:
Speech Sounds
Your child may have trouble saying sounds. He/she may not speak clearly and be hard to understand.
Voice
Your child may sound hoarse or lose his/her voice. He/she may sound like they're talking through their nose (nasality). The voice my be too loud or too soft. Voice problems may make it hard to talk in class or with friends.
Stuttering
Your child may have trouble speaking smoothly. He/she may repeat sounds or words or have long pauses when they talk. Stuttering can make it difficult to answer questions or present in class. It can also make it hard to talk to friends.
Feeding/Swallowing
Feeding and swallowing problems can make it hard for your child to eat and drink enough during the school day. This can make it difficult to learn. It can also make social times, such as snack or lunch, harder for your child.
Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing
Your child may have trouble understanding what he/she hears. He/she may not follow directions or answer questions well. It may be hard for him/her to to tell others about their thoughts. He/she may not say the correct words or say only short sentences. Listening and speaking problems can also make writing and reading more challenging.
Social Communication
Your child may have trouble talking with other children. He/she may not make friends easily. He/she may not understand what others think or how they feel.
Assistive Technology
Children who have difficulty speaking may benefit from using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system to display or "say" the words they want to use on a communication board or screen.
Cognitive Communication
These are thinking skills your child needs to remember, solve problems, and use their imagination. Learning disabilities and brain damage can cause these types of problems.