Speech, Language & Communication Therapy

Building Speech Articulation & Fluency in Communication for Children

Speech Language & Communication Therapy is an early intervention strategy used to support children with communication difficulties. It involves the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of speech disorders.

The first 3 years of a child’s life is the most important period for acquiring speech and communication skills. Communication skills such as being able to speak clearly, process speech sounds and interact effectively are fundamental building blocks of a child’s development. These skills develop best in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.

BENEFITS OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION THERAPY 

• Provides strong foundation for other learning / developmental areas

• Intelligible & fluent speech

• Effective communication / reduced speech impairments

• Improved vocal quality

• Improved confidence & self-esteem

• Increased independence

WHO NEEDS SPEECH, LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION THERAPY? 

OUR SPEECH, LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION THERAPY

Our Speech, Language and Communication therapy is designed for children aged 18 months above who will need support in communication and social skills. Our therapy goes beyond academics, it aims to build your child’s fundamental speech and language skills in a lively and child-friendly environment.

Our therapy sessions are delivered by our qualified Speech and Language Therapists in individual or group settings. Our Speech and Language Therapists use physical examination, instrumental technology and cognitive-linguistic tests to assess and develop effective treatment strategies. Our therapy treatments are specifically curated to each child’s individual strengths and weaknesses.

OUR 3-STEP THERAPY METHODOLOGY:

As with many therapy and rehabilitation services, speech, language and communication therapy requires time and patience to see results. Every child grows and learns at his own pace but the key is to be supportive and have regular therapy sessions consistently.

3 TARGET AREAS OF SPEECH THERAPY

1. Speech Readiness

• Receptive language skills – listening and processing of sounds

• Expressive Emotions – the means to communicate and express thoughts and feelings without hesitation

2. Communication

• Speech Articulation – substitutions, omissions, distortions, and additions

• Expressive language skills – the ability to string words into properly structured sentences with expressions and gestures

3. Readiness for Social-Emotional Communication

The ability to connect with others beyond just communication

WHAT DOES OUR THERAPY PROGRAMME COVER?

1. Auditory processing sounds

Children with speech or auditory difficulties may find it hard to follow conversations or remember spoken instructions. Our speech therapy helps a child understand and recognise different sounds to improve conversational skills. To helps us measure how their brains respond to sound, our therapists run a series of advanced listening tests where your child will listen to different sounds and respond when they hear them.

2. Basic rules of grammar

Grammar forms the basis for spoken and written communication. Grammatical errors can lead to misinterpretation and unclear message. We use therapeutic exercises such as modelling and recasting which require the child to repetitively use correct grammatical formation in his sentences, improving his use of verbs, nouns and pronouns.

3. Conversation Facilitation

This involves the use of open-ended questions to encourage longer responses and allow a child to share creative ideas and thoughts. Furthermore, naturalistic language intervention strategies such as inferential talk during small-group interactions motivate a child to use abstract language.

4. Categorisation

Children with speech difficulties generally find it hard to organise and remember words. Categorisation teaches a child how to group their thoughts, process information, store, organise and retrieve those information.

5. Vocabulary building

Effective vocabulary teaching methods involve the use of definitional and contextual information to help children gain a deeper understanding of these stylistic words. Through child-friendly definitions, contextual clues and semantic mapping, our therapists help children interpret the correct meaning of those vocabulary and the appropriate context to use them.

6. 'Show and Tell' and prompting

‘Show and Tell’ encourages optimal engagement and learning for children with communication difficulties. It sets the stage for children to become more comfortable when speaking in public, teaching them how to organise and convey their thoughts effectively.

APPROACHES TO SPEECH, LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION THERAPY

(Not limited to)

• Oro-Motor (and Oral-Placement) Therapy

• Orofacial Functional Massage and Activities

• Play Therapy

• Behavioural Modification Techniques

• Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy

• Speech Facial Massage

• Functional Breathing Treatment

MILESTONES FOR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

All children vary in their development of speech and language skills. Some children’s development may be a little delayed compared to their peers. However, most children follow a natural progression for mastering the skills of language.

BOOK A CONSULTATION

We offer a general Pre and Post evaluation test where we assess your little one’s milestone delays for speech and language development. Drop us an enquiry or book a consultation now!