Changing Young Lives Through Pediatric Speech Therapy

By Cornelia White


One of the things that a child is expected to adapt and adopt as he or she grows older is a language, typically that of the society in which the child is being raised. This phase of growth and development accompanied by language acquisition seems fairly logical, simple and effortless for many. This is because in most cases, a child will master the use of a language gradually and develop fluency over time. Sometimes however this can prove challenging and this is where pediatric speech therapy becomes useful.

The professional therapist who is selected to help the child should be one who has been trained and certified in helping children with speech-related challenges. One of the first things that the therapist will do is try to identify the underlying cause for the impediment. This may be something physical or psychological and it is very important that the specialist be able to factor these two variables into any evaluation of the patient.

Language use is essentially the result of communication between the brain and the body parts responsible for speaking, namely, the mouth, throat and nose. Speech sounds in essence have their genesis in the mind since they must first be conceived before they can be articulated. It is not hard to see then, how problems in the brain can lead to language deficiencies.

In some cases, the child was progressing well in acquiring and using the language but suddenly stopped. In these cases traumatic events such as accidents, abuse or death of a loved one are investigated. The investigation often takes the form of an interview with the interviewees being the child as well as the guardians. The therapist, in this case, will apply a variety of coaching methods designed to coax the patient into becoming more comfortable with language use again.

Sometimes the language usage challenge has its roots in learning or mental disabilities. Children with special needs, which include conditions like Autism and Verbal Apraxia are among those who suffer from language deficiencies. Special needs children often need the help of a speech therapist to help them master oral self expression skills and cope with the frustrations of being misunderstood.

The surgeons who carry out corrective work in the oral cavities of children often report that these 'barriers' to speaking are the result of developmental problems that occur while the baby is still in the womb. Sometimes though, they emerge as a result of physical trauma to the mouth, sustained through accidents or other violent force.

For physical problems that lead to speaking barriers one solution may be surgical. Whenever therapists realize this, they refer their patients to professionals who specialize in surgical remedies. After the surgery is completed therapeutic sessions will still be needed to help the child. It is clear to see therefore, why there needs to be close relationship between the therapists and the surgical medical practitioners.

All stakeholders in the development, nurturing and care of children must pay attention to one critical fact of childhood language acquisition challenges. That fact is essentially that pediatric speech therapy may be the solution you need if you are caring for a child with language use problems. It can make a world of a difference in terms of the social development of an individual.




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