Speaking and language skills are essential to enable children to make themselves understood. However, some children struggle when they don’t develop these skills at the same pace as other children. This difficulty can have profound effects on their happiness and ability to thrive. Speech therapy offers improvements not only to speech but also to a child’s self-esteem and ability to socialize with their family and other children.
Even small babies are developing communication skills as they laugh, make faces, blow bubbles and babble. As a child develops, they should begin using multi-word phrases by the time they are 18 months old. By the time they are three, they are usually speaking in short sentences. If these skills don’t show up, a child may start being reluctant to communicate and then can start isolating or showing their frustration in tantrums. It’s vital to intervene by providing speech therapy before the child suffers from poor confidence and social skills.
Speech Therapy Can Improve a Wide Variety of Speaking Skills
The science of speech therapy today has advanced into a highly effective method of improving many aspects of speaking and understanding language. Just as importantly, speech therapy is now offered in a fun, supportive and engaging atmosphere! Children are invited to learn how to make clearer, more understandable sounds while playing with their favorite toys or games. In this way, they pay more attention to their therapy and want to come back for the next session!
Difficulties like the following can be overcome while enjoying puzzles, games or making art:
- Difficulty Making Certain Sounds. Weakness in the mouth, tongue or lips can result in slurred, breathy or unclear speech. A speech therapist might show a child how to blow bubbles, propel balls across a table by blowing through a straw, or blow up balloons.
- Delays in Learning How to Use Words. Some children may feel frustrated if they can’t make themselves understood at home, in daycare or at school. Using toys, games and pictures, a speech therapist can expand a child’s mastery of new words. For example, a child could gently be taught to tell the story of a doll interacting with toy cats, dogs or cows.
- Stuttering or Other Disruption of Speech. In a relaxed, encouraging environment, a child can learn how not to repeat sounds or get stuck on certain words so their speech becomes smooth and steady.
- Overcoming Voice Problems. A child may get into the habit of speaking too loudly or softly, at too high or too low a pitch, too strained or nasally. Specially picked songs or a game of making animal noises might be chosen to help the child relax their speech muscles and speak in a way others can understand easily.
Better Speech Frees Children to Communicate and Interact Better
It’s sad, but a child who is not able to communicate as well as other children may suffer teasing and bullying. On top of that, they might isolate themselves so they don’t have to struggle with words. As a result, children struggling with language skills often lack the self-confidence that enables them to try new experiences. Speech therapy can be the key that gives them the confidence and social skills to engage with other children and adults, opening the door to better learning.
Let’s Communicate Is Ready to Help!
If your child needs help with any of these language skills, we are ready to help with play-based sessions your child can enjoy. Every visit is carefully designed to take your child one step closer to their goal of easy, comfortable communication. If you’re concerned about your child’s speaking skills, we can provide an evaluation of their development and explain how speech therapy can make improvements.
The sooner speech therapy starts, the sooner bad speech habits or frustration can be eliminated. Call Let’s Communicate at (678) 963-0694 to schedule an evaluation today.
