"The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said."
As said by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Speech is power, speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel."
Speech therapy is an interposing service that helps improve a child's speech and his abilities in order to understand and express language, including nonverbal language. Speech therapists, or speech and language pathologists (SLPs), are the professionals who provide these services.
Speech therapy includes two components:
How Do We Know If a Child Needs Speech Therapy?
Some children by birth may have excellent pronunciation and may even be early readers, but they may need speech therapy to improve their process of using verbal and body language in social situations for everyday purposes such as making requests, having conversations, and making friends. Children with medical conditions such as a brain injury or an infection that has affected their communication abilities may also need speech therapy. Children suffering from an identifiable disability such as Down's syndrome need speech therapy too. These services start at a very tender age, continuing up till a child enrols in an institution and starts communicating with the outer world through written language.
How Do Speech and Language Pathologists Work?
A SLP helps identify a language-based disability in children who face a tough time reading and expressing themselves through written work. In order to write, children should be able to put their ideas into words and then organise those words to form a complete, meaningful sentence. Children challenged by language find it difficult to understand and follow the directions provided. SLPs help build these skills, performing evaluations and consulting with teachers to create language-rich classrooms. Therapy may be performed individually or in a small group of children facing similar communication challenges. In both situations, the goal of a SLP is to make language fun, develop communication skills and friendships, and enable children to excel in their respective fields. Speech therapists also help kids with other spoken and written language issues, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, and auditory processing disorder.
Treating the Nonverbal Child
There are quite a number of children who, for various reasons, are unable to speak and need alternative communication methods. Early intervention and preschool SLPs teach children (and their parents) how pictures and simple sign language enable them to communicate their needs. School-going children may be able to use computers or iPads to communicate through text or a voice synthesizer.
The Benefits of Speech Therapy
Speech therapy helps kids learn to speak more clearly, making them feel more confident and less frustrated about socialising with others of the same age group. Kids suffering from language issues benefit socially, emotionally, and academically with the help of speech therapy. For kids with dyslexia, speech therapy helps them distinguish and hear specific sounds in words. Speech therapy is especially beneficial for kids beginning early in life — preschool kids with language issues who went through speech therapy showed distinct improvement in language skills.
Results You Can Expect From Speech Therapy
A child's work with a SLP may last for months or even a few years, depending on your child's needs. You will see improvement in your child's issues. The therapist should give you and your child strategies to deal with obstacles more effectively, along with activities to practice at home to reinforce the skills your child is learning. Kids who make the most progress tend to be those who get fully involved in their treatment.
It's important for the speech therapist and your child to be a good match. The speech therapist working with your child should have hands-on experience working with kids having similar issues as your child. Speech therapy is just one way to help a child with learning issues related to language and speech.
Key Takeaways
