Pediatric Speech-Language Therapy

What Is Speech Therapy?

Pediatric speech therapy is a specialized treatment for children who struggle with their speech or language skills. Your child will work with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) on different activities and exercises that can help them improve their ability to speak clearly, share their ideas, understand others, and much more. And for children who are nonverbal or have a condition that limits their speech, our SLPs can teach them to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methods such as electronic devices or sign language to empower their ability to communicate.

What Are Speech Skills?

Your child’s speech skills enable them to pronounce words properly, speak without stuttering or pausing, and use their voice without strain. Children who have a speech delay may struggle with one or more of these areas. This can lead to trouble making friends and doing well in school, which is why early intervention is so important. Some common signs that could indicate a speech delay include:

You can understand your child, but other people can’t
Your older child speaks or translates for your youngest child
Your child gets frustrated because they aren’t understood
They stutter, pause between words, or take a long time to speak
Their voice sounds raspy, nasally, breathy, too loud, or too quiet

What Are Language Skills?

Your child’s language skills enable them to share their ideas, understand what others are saying to them, read, and write. Children who have a language delay may struggle with one or more of these areas. The ability to communicate is essential for success in life, which is why early intervention is so important. Your child may have a language delay if they:

Have a hard time following directions
Are behind their peers in reading or writing
Struggle to phrase their ideas clearly
Have trouble socializing with other children
Leave out or substitute words in a sentence

What Are the Benefits of Speech Therapy?

When your child participates in routine speech therapy sessions, they can experience a ton of great benefits such as:

Improved self-confidence
Refined pronunciation and fluency for clearer speech
Stronger understanding of language
Better ability to socialize with other children
Improved academic performance
Reduced stress, anxiety, or upset about communication
Increased independence
Improved ability to share ideas with AAC as needed

Pediatric Hearing Screenings

Your child’s ability to hear can impact their speech and language skills. That’s why our clinics in College Station, TX and Huntsville, TX provide pediatric hearing screenings. We can determine if your child has any level of hearing loss or struggles with auditory processing, which means they can hear but have trouble understanding speech sounds.