Pediatric Speech Language Therapy

You are not alone. Many parents wonder if their child is meeting early developmental milestones. As your child grows, handwriting, fine motor skills, reading, focusing, attention-span, socializing, and transitioning easily from one place or activity to another are important milestones. Astria Health offers pediatric speech therapies to area children who are experiencing difficulties or delays in these areas of development. 

When meeting with your child, the therapist will evaluate your child’s strengths and areas of difficulties in critical developmental areas. This evaluation will serve as an outline for designing interventions that promote the healthy development of success with activities, language and speech, or other concerns. Through meaningful activities and play, pediatric therapists facilitate the development of age-appropriate skills. These foundational skills promote self-confidence in children to help them play, learn, and grow.

Pediatric speech therapists assist children with communication difficulties of any kind, including:

• Speech – sound production
• Understanding language – following directions, understanding stories and sequences
• Using age-appropriate grammar – combining words, putting together full sentences, using many different types of words
• Low expressive vocabulary – knowing how to name familiar objects, actions, people
• Fluency – a disruption in the natural “flow” of speech, such as stuttering
• Social communication skills – participating in conversations, understanding humor, interpreting body language
• Play Skills – using pretend play, multi-step play, and playing with others
• Swallowing – being able to chew and swallow a variety of textures

Discussion of these types of difficulties or potential delays may come up during a visit with your child’s pediatrician, and you may be referred to a pediatric therapist at that time. If you feel that your child may need occupational or speech therapy services, make an appointment with your pediatrician to discuss your observations and determine the next steps.