Friday 3 January 2014

The True Value Of 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 first step in the treatment process is discovering the root cause of the impediment. This is the first step that a trained and experienced juvenile therapist will take in addressing the child's speech-related issues. The therapist may do this by interviewing the parents or guardians and the child being treated.The factors that cause reticence in children are usually either physical or psychological.

Linguists agree that language is the result of a collaborative effort between the brain and the body parts that allow speech to occur. At times there are hindrances that disrupt the message. These are classified as psychological or mental challenges and a part of the speech therapist's job is to ensure that the patient is equipped with the skills necessary to handle the challenges they face.

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.

For some children, a learning or mental disability is the cause of the language barrier being experienced. Some of these conditions include, Autism and Verbal Apraxia. Experts agree that therapeutic care can work wonders for such children by helping them to bridge the gap between their thoughts and their utterances.

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.

Often, in cases where it is suspected that physical conditions hinder speech performance, the therapist will refer the patient to a facility that offers the surgical correction for evaluation. After the physical issue has been addressed, therapy may begin. This is why it is so important for surgeons and therapists to work closely together.

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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