Speech therapy is a tool that helps children better articulate themselves, thereby enhancing their ability to communicate with their peers, teachers, and families. It is exceptionally common, with more than 55% of U.S. children aged 3-17 who have an issue with their speech or swallowing receiving treatment. It is a critical treatment option for children who struggle with pronunciation, and swallowing, or who may have a speech impediment. These children are oftentimes at risk for low self-esteem, and pediatric speech therapy helps to build up their confidence. At Excellence Rehab, we help your child be the best version of themselves.
Why would someone need speech therapy?
The ability to speak requires extensive coordination between your brain, voice box, lips, jaw, and tongue. For a variety of reasons, any one of these parts can begin to not function properly. Depending on which part, and the function, your child may have trouble with speaking, speaking fluidly, pronunciation, or other factors. These issues can be overcome with the help of a speech therapist, who will oversee your child’s pediatric speech therapy. In addition, while commonly speech therapy is thought of as only being used for speech, your child may require help with swallowing. This is a critical treatment that will prevent your child from aspirating, which would allow food or liquid to go into their trachea and can cause serious injury.
Speech therapist? What is that?
If you think your child may need speech therapy, you may be wondering exactly who will be helping them. Typically, there is a team of individuals, who are trained as speech therapists. They will coach your child through a variety of exercises to better assist them with their spoken word. From there, they will also often assign your child work to do outside of their therapy sessions, to practice and work on strengthening the various parts necessary for a successful speech.
How do I know my child needs pediatric speech therapy?
Knowing whether or not your child needs speech therapy may be challenging. Typically, this will be a multi-disciplinary decision, which can include feedback from teachers or your child’s providers. However, if you notice your child is struggling with either certain words, reading out loud, or a stutter, then speech therapy may be a good option for you.
Is my child old enough for speech therapy? Is speech therapy for toddlers?
Put simply, there is not one exclusive age range that speech therapy is needed for. While Excellence Rehab tends to focus on children, there are even speech therapists qualified to assist with adults. Therefore, it is never too early for your child to begin their speech therapy. In fact, the earlier we begin their therapy the quicker we will be able to adjust and modify their issues.
How often will my child be attending speech therapy?
The exact length of time may vary from child to child on a variety of factors. This includes how severe their speech troubles are, how often they are working on their exercises outside of therapy time, and how quickly the child can adjust. Typically, we will set milestones with our patients, so that there is a well-built timeline with tangible goals. You, along with your child and our team of experienced speech therapists, will build out a personalized, comprehensive goal to get your child’s speech back on track.
Visit a Speech Therapist at Excellence Rehab Today!
At Excellence Rehab, we help your child with all of your speech and physical therapy needs! With our hands-on, one-on-one therapy, your child will be in great care. Our expert therapists are dedicated to creating a calm, comfortable, and safe environment for your child to thrive. Schedule an appointment with us today!