What is Speech Language Pathology?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) assess and treat a wide variety of communication delays and disorders ranging in age from toddlers to adults and we’re excited to have them on our team here at East Meets West. Some examples of the type of clients we work with are listed below, but if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to reach out to Ashley or book a free meet & greet to discuss.
Are you wondering if your toddler should be speaking more at his/her age?
A Speech Pathologist can inform you of what we typically expect at each age and whether your child is on par or a little behind. While we know that some late talkers will “catch up” to their peers on their own without any intervention, this is not always the case. Early intervention is always key and your best bet for setting your child up for success. These sessions are play-based and involve a lot of parent coaching and strategies for you to incorporate at home.
Does your child struggle with producing some sounds?
Do you or others have a hard time understanding him/her? Wondering which sound errors are age-appropriate? A Speech Pathologist can help with that! We can let you know whether or not the sound errors your child is making are developmentally appropriate. If not, treatment sessions are recommended to work on the sound and materials for home practice are given as well. Are you an adult that has never mastered a sound? We can also help with that!
Speech Pathologist’s also work on expressive and receptive language delays.
Expressive language includes sentence formation/grammar, vocabulary, asking and answering questions and describing events. Receptive language includes following directions and understanding concepts (e.g. location words (under, beside, etc.). If your child is struggling with any of these areas either at home or in the classroom, speech pathology can help!
Another area Speech Pathologist’s work with is fluency.
Dysfluent speech, also known as stuttering, disrupts the smooth flow of speech and makes it sound choppy or uneven. This could be a sound or word repetition (e.g. b-b-b-ball, the-the-the), prolongation (e.g. sssssock), or a block (unable to get a word out). Many young children go through periods of dysfluency and as adults we all have some moments when we are dysfluent. If it is happening consistently and/or is causing negative feelings towards talking, some treatment may be beneficial. Treatment varies based on age, severity and the speaker’s thoughts/feelings toward speaking.
Does your child struggle with reading? Speech Language Pathology can help.
Are they falling behind their peers in class? Speech Pathologists can work on pre-literacy and literacy skills such as sound/letter correspondence, rhyming, syllable counting, etc. As children move higher up in grades there is a switch from learning to read to reading to learn, so having strong literacy skills are essential for success and that’s where speech pathology can come in and help.
Do you or your child have trouble interacting with peers?
Have a hard time making friends? Does being in social situations make you anxious? There are many “rules” that we follow when having a conversation and sometimes these need to be explicitly taught. Improving social skills is another area that Speech Pathologists work on. This may include both verbal and non-verbal communication. The Speech Pathologist may target goals including understanding figurative language (non-literal), facial expressions, body language, turn-taking, staying on topic, problem solving and volume of speech. Improved social skills will lead to a greater circle of friends and strong relationships with friends and family. Improvements will be seen in the classroom as well and will contribute to greater overall happiness and confidence in social situations.
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