Acorns to Oaks Centre

Speech is the way words are formed using the sound system (phonology) and the coordinated movement of the speech structures (lips, tongue, jaw, soft palate, velum, teeth, voice and diaphragm).

 

In instances where the child lacks clarity in his speech, the Speech Pathologist will examine speech production skills. Fluency disorders such as stuttering have many causes and should be treated as early as possible.

 

Language

 

Language development is extremely important in young children and their schooling.

 

Language is the entire system of receiving, processing, and producing information.

 

Language involves communicating with another person. Language forms are verbal, non-verbal, and written.

 

• Components of Language

• Content: Meanings and semantic relations

• Form: Sentence structure, morphology (inflectional markers), phonology (sounds)

• Use: Social Language

• These may be measured in the following domains:

  • Receptive language

  • Expressive language

 

It is essential that a child with delays or difficulty in language undergoes a hearing test, as even a minimal hearing loss can affect speech and language development as well as learning.

 

Children identified as having Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) will be assessed and referred for medical evaluation in order to accommodate their particular auditory and learning needs.

 

ATOC offers Speech Therapy resources for children from 18 months to 18 years, in English and Thai where we deal with the assessment, diagnosis and management of swallowing disorders and a range of communication disorders.

 

 

The Role of the Speech Therapist

 

A Speech and Language Pathologist/Therapist is a trained allied health professional who evaluates and treats communication and feeding disorders. These may include articulation, phonological difficulties, dysfluency, voice problems, receptive and expressive language delay or disorder, and weak social communication skills.

 

A child may be able to use language appropriately but not be easily understood due to poor speech, or the reverse may be happening e.g. the child has a poor understanding of language and expression, yet has adequate speech.  Some children have disordered speech and language development where both systems are affected.

 

 

Disorders and Concerns

 

• Language - Difficulty in understanding or using spoken or written messages.

• Speech - Difficulty with the production and/or pronunciation of sounds.

• Voice - Disorder of the voice resulting from vocal misuse or abuse.

• Stuttering - Disorder of fluency where there is an interruption in the flow of speech characterised by repetition of sounds, words or by complete speech blocks. 

• Swallowing - Difficulties in chewing/swallowing solids or liquids.

• Hearing Impairment - Speech and language difficulties associated with a hearing impairment. 

 

Treatments

 

• Children have more success when they receive frequent (3-5 times per week) and intensive treatment.

• Children seen alone for treatment tend to do better than children seen in groups.

• Group Therapy - as the child improves, they may need treatment less often, and group therapy may be a better alternative.

• Isolated exercises designed to "strengthen" the oral muscles do not help with speech. 

• To improve speech, the child must practice speech.

• Practice at home is very important. 

• Treatments take time and commitment.

• Children need a supportive environment that helps them feel successful with communication. Treatments should be scheduled in a way that does not make the child too tired and unable to make the best use of therapy time.