Important Information About Speech Therapy For Toddlers Tucson Parents Should Know

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By Tammie Caldwell


Children learn how to speak and communicate at their own pace, however it can happen that sometimes a child finds this particularly challenging due to a developmental delay. Timely intervention is essential to successfully overcoming this obstacle. When contemplating speech therapy for toddlers Tucson AZ parents should have a good understanding of the following guidelines.

Between the ages of one and three, also known as the toddler years, a child who is having trouble speaking may exhibit certain signs which parents should watch out for, besides the obvious which is minimal or no vocalizing and failure to respond to sound, the child may not use gestures, have difficulty imitating sounds, struggle to understand and follow simple verbal requests, and produce very few or no words or phrases.

Any concerns about the child's verbal development should be discussed with the family doctor or pediatrician who will most likely recommend a consultation with a speech-language pathologist, also known as a "speech therapist". These professionals specialize in the study of the development and disorders of human communication and hold at least a master's degree and certification from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, ASHA.

Being competent and experienced in their field is certainly important, but so is having a great way of communicating with young children. The therapist one chooses must not only be knowledgeable, but also someone kids will enjoy spending time with and feel comfortable around.

The proposed approach to therapy should be one that has been proven through years of research. It may be helpful to talk to some other parents whose children have worked with this particular therapist. Parents should involved in the treatment program, continually kept abreast of their toddler's progress, and feel free to share their concerns at any time.

The first meeting with the speech therapist serves as an opportunity for the toddler to become familiar with him or her and an evaluation will also be done at this time. Standardized tests to assess the child's expressive and receptive language skills, tone and clarity when talking, and any abnormalities of the oral structures. Any anomalies should be apparent during this assessment.

Based on the therapist's findings, a treatment plan will be devised if a problem is noted. Sessions may be delivered either in a one-on-one, group, or class format, in all cases parents should be welcome to participate or simply watch. Toddler-friendly games, songs, books, pictures, and other suitable objects are integrated used to create a fun atmosphere. Articulation therapy, which teaches sound through imitation, and oral strengthening exercises may also be practiced.

It is important for parents to continue to build upon at home, what their child has learned and accomplished with the therapist. Frequent and purposeful use of language such as "narrating" one's activities, feelings, and surroundings, or sharing a book and involving the toddler in naming familiar pictures etc. Help further development and establish the parent as part of the "team".




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