- What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?
- What is an Orofacial Myologist?
- At what age should I seek help for my child?
- Is my child developing speech and language at a normal rate?
- What are red flags for a communication disorder in my young child?
- How can I improve my child’s communication skills?
- What happens during an evaluation at Erskine Therapy?
- What do the test scores mean?
- What does this Speech Therapy term mean?
- How do I cancel an appointment?
What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?
A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) assesses and treats children and adults with speech, language, voice, fluency, and feeding/swallowing problems.
What is an Orofacial Myologist?
Orofacial Myologists can improve facial muscle tone, posturing, and dental bite through Myofunctional therapy. Barbara is the only certified orofacial myologist in Vancouver.
At what age should I seek help for my child?
Children of all ages can be treated for communication challenges. You may get a referral from your pediatrician or simply call for an evaluation or consultation.
Is my child developing speech and language at a normal rate?
There are expected ages for children to reach certain milestones, but children greatly vary depending on many factors! Here is a site from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) on developing communication skills. There are also ages by which a child can be expected to ‘master’ a specific sound. See the handout here.
What are red flags for a communication disorder in my young child?
There are many things that can indicate a communication (whether speech or language) disorder. Some of these include:
- Developmental delays
- Medical complications
- Lack of response or interest in sound or speech
- Limited eye contact
- Limited vocalizations or vocabulary
- Lack of interest in socializing
- Oral-motor problems (such as drooling, trouble with solid foods, dental malocclusion, tongue thrust, open-mouth resting posture)
- Easily distracted
If you are seeing these symptoms in your child, they may be considered for a speech evaluation.
How can I improve my child’s communication skills?
There are many things you can do to improve communication skills at home.
- Give them ‘wait time’ when speaking: wait for 5-10 seconds after you speak to respond.
- Don’t over correct your child: children are expected to make certain mistakes when they are learning to speak. The more you correct them, the worse it may get. You don’t want talking to be a negative experience – try to keep them talking!
- Be a good model: practice articulate speech yourself!
- Read, read, read: Read everything you can get your hands on. Reading aloud to children is vitally important to learning language skills! Even 15 minutes each day can make a difference.
- Ask open ended questions: Instead of saying “Did you go to the park?” ask, “Where did you go?” This will encourage children to sort through their vocabulary and reason for themselves.
- Repeat words: Repetition is an important learning tool. Think about Dora the Explorer – they repeat the word “map” 12 times in the map song. This is another reason why nursery rhymes are great, they often repeat the same words or phrases.
- Praise your child for talking: Speaking and being understood is a great feat! Encourage more of this by saying “nice talking” or “you are talking so well!” Don’t praise them for every utterance – space it out.
For more suggestions that are age-specific, see ASHA’s activities that stimulate speech.
What happens during an evaluation at Erskine Therapy?
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire, and submit medical history. During the evaluation, you will be interviewed regarding your concerns and the child’s history. A variety of methods will be used to assess speech, language, cognition, and other skills. This includes testing, observation, and play-based activities. After the evaluation, we will go over results with you and discuss goals. A report will be sent to you and your child’s physician, if requested.
What do the test scores mean?
There are a number of tests that your child may take. Of these, you may receive scores from a standardized test. Standardized test scores are only used if your child is within the denoted range for the test’s criteria. Here is a handout that can explain standardized test scores and the bell curve.
What does this Speech Therapy term mean?
There are a number of terms that may be new to you. Here is a list of commonly used terms that may be useful for you to know.
How do I cancel an appointment?
If you need to cancel an appointment, please email us at office@45.79.92.180, or call us at the location you use. If you notify the clinician at an appointment, you must still call or email so that it is properly documented.
Information for this page gathered from: