Early Intervention Speech Therapy

**The realization that your child has a speech delay or verbal Apraxia can be unexpectedly hard for any parent to confront.  In no way does this make you a bad parent. When a parent is told by their child’s pediatrician, the news can be a bit disheartening to hear for anyone. More so for the very people who obviously want their children to live out long successful lives with minimal educational obstacles.

Most Popular Pages: Speech Apps, Speech Evaluation

For most parents the uneasiness starts when their child only speaks a few words at 12 months of age, possibly a ma-ma or da-da, and then suddenly stops.  Progress in speech is not made; you notice his or her peers progressing faster during play dates.  And with parents with more than 1 child, they begin to see a difference in language development from their siblings.  Questions and suspicions arise; the parents think he or she is just a late talker because they excel in everything else or that their child is just too stubborn.  Most parents go through these stages before coming to a realization that their children may need professional help to coax their child to speak up.

A crucial age is around 24 months of age when an explosion of words and the beginning of sentences emerge.  If the words don’t happen now and your instincts are telling you something isn’t right – contact your state’s local Early Intervention program or talk to your child’s doctor about one.

For a child who needs and gets the appropriate therapy, it can mean many years saved down the line in therapy.   Especially since some educators say that 1 year of early intervention equals to 10 years of education in the later years.

If the child qualifies for a state program it can be free before the age of 3, putting your paid state taxes directly to work for your family.  Check with your state or pediatric doctor for options as they vary state to state.

Warning Signs / Red Flags:

Some children are considered higher risk than others and should be evaluated.  Those risk factors include children from neonatal intensive care units, children with chronic ear infections, those diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, genetic defects such as Down syndrome, Neurological Defects such as cerebral palsy or developmental disorders.

Children with no risk factors should be seen when their speech and language are not similar of their peers.

What is a Speech Evaluation?

Evaluations may include a number of tests, depending on the type of problem suspected.  A speech therapist may observe the child at play and collect speech samples while asking the parents a variety of questions.  In some cases, several sessions may be needed to obtain enough information to make a diagnosis by a variety of professionals such as an audiologists, psychologists and neurologists.

How to get a Speech Evaluation?

Call your child’s pediatric doctor for a recommendation for a speech therapist to evaluate your child or call your local Early Intervention program, typically run by the county.  Of course, speech therapy programs vary depending on state.

Questions to Ask a Speech Therapist

• Are you a licensed speech therapist?
• What type of age groups do you work with?
• How soon can my child be seen?
• Is there a waiting list?  How long is that list?
• Do I need to be referred by a particular program?
• How long will be treatment be needed?  And how long will the sessions be?
• What is your charge and do you accept insurance?  What types of insurance are accepted?
• Can I get more sessions if I pay out of pocket?
• If you cannot work with me, whom do you suggest I contact?

Helpful Tips for Parents:

• Learn and Use Sign Language – An amazing way to help them use words to tell you what they want.  Help them build sentences
• Speech Therapist Videos – Baby Babble or Signing Times are some favorite ones
• Use toys recommended by Speech Therapists (see list of speech therapy toys)
• Strengthening of Jaw Muscles
  • Blowing Bubbles,  Blowing out a candle, Blowing a cotton ball off your hand
  • Eating Crunchy and Chewy Foods – i.e. fruit snacks, small pieces of chicken or beef, raw carrots
  • Strengthening of Tongue
    • Licking – i.e. Licking a popsicle, trying to touch tongue to chin
    • Continually talk to toddlers – till it makes you exhausted.  Give your child choices (Want milk or juice?); talk about what you’re doing in the kitchen; point out planes and cars…
    • Sometimes an older sibling talks for their sibling.  Discourage this and try to get the information from the toddler trying to communicate.
    • Don’t assume what the child wants.  Ask the child what they want.  If they say “more”, say “Tell Mommy more juice”.
    • Speech Therapy Omega 3

Page maintained by Susan Suarez