Your Child’s Speech and Language Skills

Posted: November 20, 2020 | Author: Carissima Uptmor, MS, CCC-SLP, licensed speech-language pathologist

Communication is an essential skill that is necessary for a myriad of functions. For children, it is especially important that they are able to process information, inside and outside the classroom, as well as be able to express their wants and needs orally. Sometimes, children are not reaching expected milestones with regard to their speech and language development. It is sometimes necessary to contact a speech-language pathologist to assess your child and rule out a speech or language disorder.

Speech-language pathologists evaluate several areas of communication. These areas include receptive language (the ability to understand the message that is received by the brain), expressive language (the ability to utilize words and formulate grammatically correct and complex utterances), pragmatic language (social skills necessary to establish peer relationships, understanding both verbal and nonverbal communication), voice (vocal parameters of intensity, quality, prosody, and resonance), fluency (the outward flow of speech, known as stuttering or cluttering), and articulation (the clarity of one’s speech, or intelligibility).

Speech-language pathologists in clinics and hospitals also treat feeding and swallowing disorders.

In bilingual children, a skilled bilingual speech-language pathologist must determine if the child is truly experiencing a language disorder, rather than a language difference. For example, bilingual children may experience what is known as a “silent period,” a phase in development when they do not speak, while they are acquiring both languages. This bilingual phenomenon is considered to be typical for bilingual children.

Speech-language therapy is typically play based, fun, and highly interactive, while individualized for your child’s needs. Children can receive therapy at school, outpatient clinics, outpatient therapy programs in hospitals, or through telepractice (from the comfort of home).

If you have any concerns about your child’s communicative abilities, don’t hesitate to call me at (979) 476-2446.