Speech therapy services can be a great benefit to kids. Speech pathologist services make a difference in your child’s ability to communicate. Effective communication is necessary, as it allows children to bond with the people around them in addition to getting their needs met. Communication affects their learning. They are more likely to understand new information or express themselves if there is something they don’t understand. Good communication skills can decrease behavior problems and help children to thrive in their environment.

Stuttering is one clear sign that speech therapy for kids is beneficial. Stuttering is also known as stammering. It is when a child has difficulty getting their words out and ends up repeating sounds in an effort to do so. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders claims that around 5-10% of all children will at one time in their life stutter. 

Some children may suffer from apraxia of speech. This occurs when a child has difficulty getting out the words that they want to say. It is a neurological disorder that impacts motor planning and results in the inability to properly plan and sequence the required speech sound movements.

Dysarthria is when there is weakness or difficulty controlling the muscles used in the production of speech. It is a result of damage to the muscles or nerves that are involved. These areas can include the mouth and vocal cords or even the diaphragm.

Lisping is a very recognizable speech impediment. The sounds in words do not come out correctly due to the poor positioning of the child’s tongue. Speech pathologists are good at deciphering what is happening in the child and addressing their needs.

Spasming dysphonia is what it sounds like. There is spasming in the vocal cords. This causes the sounds to not come out as they should (i.e., dysphonia). Sounds can present as trembling, shaky, or hoarse.

Cluttering, not to be confused with stuttering, presents as difficulty with the fluency of speech. Words come out unorganized and often very fast. To be considered cluttering, the child’s speech would need to include words that are repeated such as ‘um’, ‘so’, or ‘like’.

Sometimes a child may be mute and not talk at all or have a delay in speech development. Aphasia can be another disorder that is caused by damage to the brain like in a traumatic event.

Whatever the case may be, perhaps you find yourself looking for services for your child. You may search online specifically for speech therapy for toddlers near me. Milestone Therapy Group can help. Their speech therapists know the value of a child being able to communicate with their world. Their speech therapists can assess, diagnose and treat common speech disorders. They can address things such as difficulty producing sound, disconnect in thoughts vs sound production, auditory disorders, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, and more. So, don’t delay and give your child the gift of communication so that they can thrive and be part of the world that they so desire to interact in.