FAQ

Speech disorders

• Articulation – the way we say our speech sounds
• Phonology – the speech patterns we use
• Apraxia – difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed to make speech sounds
• Fluency – stammering
• Voice – problems with the way the voice sounds, such as hoarseness

Language Disorders

• Receptive Language – difficulty understanding language
• Expressive Language – difficulty using language
• Pragmatic Language – social communication; the way we speak to each other

Other Disorders

• Deafness/Hearing Loss – loss of hearing; therapy includes developing lip-reading, speech, and/or alternative communication systems
• Oral-Motor Disorders – weak tongue and/or lip muscles
• Swallowing/Feeding Disorders – difficulty chewing and/or swallowing.

Our clinicians work 1:1 with the child to help maximize his/her communication. Young children will be immersed in a therapy environment that will facilitate an easier approach to speech production. Children of motivated and systematic hard working parent will show noticeable improvements during their initial sessions itself.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex condition that impacts normal brain development and affects a person’s social relationships, communication, interests and behaviour. Studies indicate that ASD affects one in every 150 children. ASD usually appears early in life, often before the age of three, and is four to five times more common in boys than in girls. Regression of language and social skills are strong indicator of ASD. Studies suggest regression occurs in ASD typically between 18 to 24 months of age.

There are highly effective treatment and intervention methods available that can help individuals and their families address the characteristics of this disorder. Early interventions are intended to help children with ASD develop skills, learn to communicate effectively, share in family life and enjoy success at school.

For many children, symptoms improve with treatment and with age. People with an ASD usually continue to need services and supports as they get older, but many are able to work successfully and live independently or within a supportive environment. The Center for Speech and Language Pathology treats people of all ages with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Treatment approaches and goals vary based on the age of the person.

Risk factors commonly seen are

• Family history of stammering – a parent, sibling, or other family member who still stammers.
• Age at onset – after age 3
• Time since onset – stammering for 6-12 months or longer.
• Gender – It has been found that males are at a much greater risk of stammering compared to females.
• Other speech production concerns – speech sounds errors or trouble being understood.
• Language skills – advanced, delayed, or disordered.

Children who begin stammering before age 3 and a half, are more likely to outgrow stammering. If your child begins stammering before age 3, there is a much better chance she will outgrow it within 6 months. However if the stammering persists beyond six months at a stretch – expert advice may help. Stammering can sometimes be quite stubborn if left to itself over the years. Tackling it in the early years with verbal therapy can ease this speech disorder altogether.

An articulation problem sometimes sounds like baby talk because many very young children do mispronounce sounds, syllables, and words. But words that sound cute when mispronounced by young children interfere with the communication of older children or adults. Older children and adults have so many severe errors that their articulation problems are very different from “baby talk.”

Articulation problems may result from Oral structure deformity seen in;
Cerebral palsy,
Cleft palate. or
Hearing loss,
Dental problems.
However, most articulation problems occur in the absence of any obvious physical disability. The cause of these so-called functional articulation problems may be faulty learning of speech sounds.