Speech Therapy
SUPPORTIVE & ENGAGING
What do we work on in speech therapy?
ARTICULATION
Articulation therapy focuses on fixing speech sound errors by supporting speech subsystems to teach children how to produce sounds correctly. Articulation therapy is hierarchical in nature in that sounds are taught in isolation, then syllables, then words, all the way up to general conversations. Foundational oral-motor concerns such as oral rest posture may be targeted prior to targeting speech, or in tandem, for optimal outcomes.
PHONOLOGY
Phonological therapy supports children in mentally organizing sounds. These disorders are characterized by incorrect speech patterns that tend to appear consistently in conversation. The goal of this therapy is to correct the incorrect speech patterns, so that sounds are used appropriately in oral conversations and through appropriate letter-sound connections when learning to read.
STUTTERING
Fluency therapy focuses on strategies to manage stuttering moments, shape smoother speech, and build confidence in individuals who stutter. The goal of fluency therapy is never to eliminate the stutter, but to manage stuttering symptoms and attitudes in a client-centred way. Approaches to stuttering may include “fluency shaping” techniques or may focus on parent-child interactions in younger children who stutter.
VOICE
Voice therapy supports children in improving the quality, function and overall health of their voice. Broad targets of therapy include teaching children/families how to care for their voice, reducing traumatic voice behaviours, and improving overall voice efficiency in day to day conversations. Various approaches including resonant voicing, stretch and flow voicing, and vocal function exercises are assigned to strengthen and improve vocal economy.
HAVE A QUESTION?
What can I expect in speech intervention?
ASSESSMENT
A comprehensive assessment is completed to assess all speech subsystems and determine areas of strength and need in a child’s speech/voice production. A family interview and conversation with your child will provide information for which areas to target in a comprehensive assessment. Goals for therapy are developed according to assessment findings and target the earliest developing speech/voice skills in a hierarchical manner.
TREATMENT
Treatment for speech therapy is highly individualized and will look different depending on the age, stage and area of speech/voice affected. A combination of drills and play-based activities are typically facilitated in live therapy sessions to provide multiple opportunities for practice and provision of helpful cues. Home practice makes up a significant portion of speech/voice therapy and will have a large affect on clinical outcomes. Your therapist will work with you to support practice of skills at home between live therapy sessions.
