Communication is an essential part of building relationships and social interactions among children. As such, it can be frustrating for a child not to be able to communicate their thoughts and feelings properly. This can negatively impact their self-confidence as well as develop negative reaction against speaking and interacting.
Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy is a popular support option for children whose communication skills are compromised due to a variety of factors. However, you may be surprised by how impactful this therapy is for your child’s overall development as well as the skills that your child will be able to learn along the way.
Ready to upskill your little one? Then read along!
Paediatric Speech and Language therapists work with children with a variety of disorders and difficulties—ranging from mild speech delays to more complex conditions such as autism, Down’s syndrome, stuttering and hearing impairment, among others. Our highly qualified and experienced Speech and Language therapists are trained to help children develop and enhance a wide range of skills, including but not limited to:
- Articulation Skills – articulation, also called ‘sound production’ is the ability to physically move the tongue, lips, teeth and jaw to produce speech sounds. Speech and Language therapists can help children with compromised articulation skills by teaching and training them how to produce specific speech sounds, syllables, or sound patterns that they are having difficulty with. Improved articulation in children will also help with overall speech intelligibility or how well people can understand your child’s speech.
- Expressive Language Skills – expressive language in children is the ability to communicate what they think, want, need or feel. This includes requesting, describing events, asking or answering questions. However, some children find it difficult to achieve this level of communication which may lead to frustration. Speech and Language Therapists are equipped to help children to develop their expressive language and to learn new words and put them together to form phrases and sentences which will allow your child to communicate with the people around them.
- Listening Skills/Receptive Language – receptive language in children is the ability to listen, understand and comprehend language. A Speech and Language Therapist can help your child to gain new vocabulary and use this to follow instructions/directions, answer questions, understand gestures and stories and identify objects and pictures, among others.
- Stuttering – stuttering (also called stammering) in children is a communication disorder characterized by breaks in the flow of speech and often involves primary behaviors such as repetitions, prolongations, interjections and blocks. Paediatric Speech-Language Therapists can help your child by introducing strategies that would help them manage this behavior, which could also improve overall speech fluency and intelligibility.
- Social/Pragmatic Language – social or pragmatic language skills cover three major areas, namely (1) using language to communicate in different ways; (2) adjusting language based on people and places; and (3) following rules for conversation. Speech and Language Therapists work with children to help them improve their social language skills to allow them to participate in conversations better.
- Cognitive-Communication Skills – cognitive-communication disorders in children refer to the impairment of cognitive processes including but not limited to attention, memory, orientation, awareness, abstract reasoning and executive function. These disorders can be caused by developmental problems or injuries. A Speech and Language Therapist can help your child build these general cognitive skills and introduce therapeutic methods that can assist with the child’s difficulties.
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication – augmentative and alternative communication (also called AAC) in children refers to all forms of communication other than oral speech that are used to express one’s feelings, thoughts, needs and wants. This is especially beneficial for children who have severe language delay/disorder in which traditional oral speech and communication is not possible or practical. A Speech and Language Therapist can help children by applying various AAC methods which either act as a formal replacement to oral speech or simply a bridge or additional support to speech.
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Paediatric Speech-Language Therapy may be the best solution for your child to improve their overall speech, language, and communication skills.
Sensation Station Centre is one of the most reputable paediatric intervention and therapy centres that provide bespoke Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy in Dubai. Our highly qualified, experienced, and multi-cultural team of DHA-licensed therapists will work with your child to help them get a better grasp of skills that will empower them to communicate with others with confidence and independence. Our paediatric speech and language therapy services are performed through evidence-based practices and are conducted in a supportive and motivating environment.
We need to remember that treatment options and duration of therapy will vary for each child. For specific questions about our services or to book a consultation with our therapist, reach out to us and we would be happy to assist you. Call us today at +971 4 277 6769 or WhatsApp us at +971 56 123 5002. You may also visit us at Ibn Battuta Gate Offices, Ground Floor, G-03, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE.
If you want to learn more about our other services, here are some helpful links:
- Click here to learn about our Paediatric Occupational Therapy services
- Click here to learn about our Able-Me Early Intervention Day Programme