Speech-Language Evaluation and Therapy

Speech and language are an essential part of a child’s life. It is important that children can communicate with others and understand language so they can communicate effectively with parents, peers, teachers, etc. Making a proper diagnosis is essential to identifying speech-language weaknesses and creating a treatment plan. When there is difficulty communicating with others, it is best to address it with speech therapy as early as possible. The sooner therapy begins, the sooner your child will become conversational with their peers.

Speech disorders fall into the following categories:

Expressive - difficulty communicating with others
Receptive Language - difficulty understanding directions or others’ thoughts and questions
Articulation - incorrect sound production
Voice- atypically high, loud, or low volume
Fluency/Stuttering - difficulty with the flow of speaking or breathing during speech

Some common signs to look for in children include:

Difficulty understanding the child
Difficulty with expressing ideas clearly
Trouble understanding ideas from others
Difficulty putting words together into phrases/sentences
Trouble recalling/using new vocabulary
Inappropriate grammar usage

Reduced vocabulary
Incorrect word usage
Poor social interaction skills
Difficulty understanding the meaning of a word
Difficulty reading and sounding words out
Difficulty answering questions/following directions

Our approach

We believe that parents are key in a child’s success

At Yakos Therapy, sessions are play based and include parent training and participation. Our team works closely with families to ensure they are able to provide support for home practice activities and provides families with resources and materials to ensure speech-language progress.

Information is presented using visual, auditory, tactile and movement activities to help children learn about sound quality and how sounds are produced in speech.

Understanding occupational therapy

A child’s life is made up of “occupations,” or daily activities. These occupations include playing, learning, and socializing. Occupational therapy practitioners work with children and their families to help them succeed in these activities throughout the day. They also help with basic challenges faced by most families, from creating morning routines to choosing appropriate toys. Courtesy AOTA

The two primary areas of pediatric occupational therapy are:

Fine Motor Skills involve the coordination of the small muscles of the fingers and hand to do tasks such as; holding a pencil, tying shoes, picking up beads, etc.
Sensory Processing involves the way the brain receives and responds to information collected by the senses. Some examples include poor balance, issues with clothing (scratchy, itchy, etc.), sensitivity to sound, sensitivity to food textures to the point of gagging.

Cognitive-communication disorders are problems with communication skills
Expressive disorders are problems with putting words together, having
Dysphagia/oral feeding disorders are disorders in the way someone eats
Speech-language pathologists, often called speech therapists

Your role as a parent / caregiver

Speech therapy may be needed for Speech Disorders that develop in childhood or Speech Impairments in adults caused by an injury or illness, such as Stroke or Brain Injury. These are problems with making sounds in syllables, or saying words incorrectly to the point that listeners.

Receptive Disorders are problems with understanding or processing language problems with putting words together, having a limited vocabulary, or being unable to use language.