Being able to say what you want to say and to understand what other people are saying is the most important skill for life.
The Communication Trust
Does my child need speech or language therapy?
Parents are generally good at detecting any difficulties their child is having and knowing when there is real cause for concern.
Common ‘red flags’ which show that a child may benefit from working with a Speech and Language Therapist include:
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Making very few sounds (babies) preferring to use gestures rather than sounds or words only imitating words or actions.
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Finding it difficult to make or use their own words to express themself.
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Having difficulty with following what others are saying.
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Struggling to follow directions or instructions.
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Having trouble saying some speech sounds.
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Finding it tricky to find or use the right words to say what they mean.
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Repeating parts of words or whole words, getting stuck on words or tripping up on words (stammering).
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Talking with a particularly husky, tight, strained or nasal sounding voice.
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Finding it difficult to play or talk with other children. Struggling to put words together into sentences . Producing sounds, words or sentences which are difficult for others to understand
You know your child best, so if you feel there is something not quite right, please get in touch.
What if my child does need speech or language therapy?
In the UK, over 1 million children need specialist speech and language therapy support at some point during their education.
It is important to realise that your child is not alone and that Speech and Language Therapists have the professional know-how to walk this journey of discovery and development alongside you, your child and your family.
The sooner you get in touch the quicker we can start to make a difference to your child’s communication skills together.
How will speech and language therapy help my child?
Speech and Language Therapists have the specialist training, professional expertise, hands on experience and practical tools to identify and manage speech, language and communication difficulties.
Speech and Language Therapy can help your child to understand why they are finding it difficult to communicate, teach them new skills and provide them with the strategies and tools to become a good communicator.
What happens at an initial assessment session?
Carole will work through a variety of evidence -based assessments with your child to establish their understanding and use of language, the way they use speech sounds to make words, the number and kinds of words that they are using and how these words are combined to make sentences.
Afterwards she will discuss your child’s particular pattern of speech and language development with you and what this means for your child’s overall communication development.
Carole will also talk through whether your child would benefit from speech and language therapy, the therapy options available and the costs involved so that you can make an informed decision as a family about the best way forward for your child.
What Happens Next
You know your child best, so if you feel there is something not quite right, please get in touch so Carole can talk through your concerns with you and establish if your child would benefit from an initial assessment.
Your child will need to be booked in for an initial assessment even if they have had therapy in the past. If you went to a new doctor you would expect them to assess your needs thoroughly rather than just read your file or go on what the previous doctor did. Speech and Language Therapists are no exception and it is a professional requirement that all therapists assess the children in their care.
