Children learn how to speak and communicate at their own pace, however it can happen that sometimes a child finds this particularly challenging due to a developmental delay. Timely intervention is essential to successfully overcoming this obstacle. When contemplating speech therapy for toddlers Tucson AZ parents should have a good understanding of the following guidelines.
The toddler years generally refer to the period of time between age one and three. This is normally a time of great advancement in verbal communication but some children experience difficulty in this area. Parents should watch for indications of a problem such as little or no response to sound and minimal vocalization, no use of gestures, trouble imitating sounds, difficulty understanding and following simple verbal requests, and if the child does not produce words or phrases.
Any concerns about the child's verbal development should be discussed with the family doctor or pediatrician who will most likely recommend a consultation with a speech-language pathologist, also known as a "speech therapist". These professionals specialize in the study of the development and disorders of human communication and hold at least a master's degree and certification from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, ASHA.
It's important to choose a therapist who is not only very competent in his or her field, but also makes the child feel comfortable and is able to devise an effective program of therapy tailored to his or her specific condition and needs. The therapist must be someone who enjoys working with children and clearly demonstrates this by the great rapport they share with them and by making therapy fun in a toddler-friendly way.
Treatment plans should be based on actual research that has demonstrated their efficacy in repeat studies. Discussing the results the therapist has produced with parents of children who have seen him or her previously is a good idea. The therapist should include the parents every step of the way throughout the course of the therapy, updating them on their child's progress, and being open to discuss any questions or concerns they may have.
The first meeting with the speech therapist serves as an opportunity for the toddler to become familiar with him or her and an evaluation will also be done at this time. Standardized tests to assess the child's expressive and receptive language skills, tone and clarity when talking, and any abnormalities of the oral structures. Any anomalies should be apparent during this assessment.
Based on the therapist's findings, a treatment plan will be devised if a problem is noted. Sessions may be delivered either in a one-on-one, group, or class format, in all cases parents should be welcome to participate or simply watch. Toddler-friendly games, songs, books, pictures, and other suitable objects are integrated used to create a fun atmosphere. Articulation therapy, which teaches sound through imitation, and oral strengthening exercises may also be practiced.
Speech therapy is an ongoing process that doesn't end the minute the child leaves the therapist's office. There are many things parents can do at home to stimulate the use of speech and practice what the child has learned. Sharing books together and actively involving the toddler in naming pictures he or she recognizes can be helpful, as can purposefully using words to descriptively "narrate" what one is doing, sees, and feels each day.
The toddler years generally refer to the period of time between age one and three. This is normally a time of great advancement in verbal communication but some children experience difficulty in this area. Parents should watch for indications of a problem such as little or no response to sound and minimal vocalization, no use of gestures, trouble imitating sounds, difficulty understanding and following simple verbal requests, and if the child does not produce words or phrases.
Any concerns about the child's verbal development should be discussed with the family doctor or pediatrician who will most likely recommend a consultation with a speech-language pathologist, also known as a "speech therapist". These professionals specialize in the study of the development and disorders of human communication and hold at least a master's degree and certification from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, ASHA.
It's important to choose a therapist who is not only very competent in his or her field, but also makes the child feel comfortable and is able to devise an effective program of therapy tailored to his or her specific condition and needs. The therapist must be someone who enjoys working with children and clearly demonstrates this by the great rapport they share with them and by making therapy fun in a toddler-friendly way.
Treatment plans should be based on actual research that has demonstrated their efficacy in repeat studies. Discussing the results the therapist has produced with parents of children who have seen him or her previously is a good idea. The therapist should include the parents every step of the way throughout the course of the therapy, updating them on their child's progress, and being open to discuss any questions or concerns they may have.
The first meeting with the speech therapist serves as an opportunity for the toddler to become familiar with him or her and an evaluation will also be done at this time. Standardized tests to assess the child's expressive and receptive language skills, tone and clarity when talking, and any abnormalities of the oral structures. Any anomalies should be apparent during this assessment.
Based on the therapist's findings, a treatment plan will be devised if a problem is noted. Sessions may be delivered either in a one-on-one, group, or class format, in all cases parents should be welcome to participate or simply watch. Toddler-friendly games, songs, books, pictures, and other suitable objects are integrated used to create a fun atmosphere. Articulation therapy, which teaches sound through imitation, and oral strengthening exercises may also be practiced.
Speech therapy is an ongoing process that doesn't end the minute the child leaves the therapist's office. There are many things parents can do at home to stimulate the use of speech and practice what the child has learned. Sharing books together and actively involving the toddler in naming pictures he or she recognizes can be helpful, as can purposefully using words to descriptively "narrate" what one is doing, sees, and feels each day.
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