Changing Young Lives Through Pediatric Speech Therapy

By Cornelia White


When children encounter problems expressing themselves verbally, parents naturally become concerned. Parents and caregivers are well aware of the importance of fluent oral communication in the social professional and emotional growth of the individual. This is why they do not hesitate at the first sign of trouble:they promptly seek the assistance of expert pediatric speech therapy professionals.

The first step in the treatment process is discovering the root cause of the impediment. This is the first step that a trained and experienced juvenile therapist will take in addressing the child's speech-related issues. The therapist may do this by interviewing the parents or guardians and the child being treated.The factors that cause reticence in children are usually either physical or psychological.

Language use is essentially the result of communication between the brain and the body parts responsible for speaking, namely, the mouth, throat and nose. Speech sounds in essence have their genesis in the mind since they must first be conceived before they can be articulated. It is not hard to see then, how problems in the brain can lead to language deficiencies.

Psychological triggers that lead to impaired language in children may come in a variety of forms. The patient could be reacting to a traumatic situation that has triggered a shutdown of their oral communication behaviors. Some examples of events that can cause this type of trauma are; a violent accident, witnessing a violent crime or physical or verbal abuse.

Sometimes the language usage challenge has its roots in learning or mental disabilities. Children with special needs, which include conditions like Autism and Verbal Apraxia are among those who suffer from language deficiencies. Special needs children often need the help of a speech therapist to help them master oral self expression skills and cope with the frustrations of being misunderstood.

For many children who face this condition, there is a physical reason for the problem. This is sometimes remedied through surgical procedures that range from minor to severe depending on the severity of the physical condition. Impediments such as abnormally shaped lips, teeth and oral cavity can all hinder a child's ability to use spoken language. Sometimes these conditions emerge during the fetal development. In other cases they are the result of violent force sustained during abuse or accidents.

Often, in cases where it is suspected that physical conditions hinder speech performance, the therapist will refer the patient to a facility that offers the surgical correction for evaluation. After the physical issue has been addressed, therapy may begin. This is why it is so important for surgeons and therapists to work closely together.

Language acquisition and use is not as simple as most people perceive it to be.If you are a caregiver for a child who shows signs of slow or impaired adjustment to language use, you are no doubt well aware of this fact. There is, however, one additional piece of information that you must consider. That piece of information is the fact that pediatric speech therapy is a crucial aspect of the recovery process for any child who faces a speech impediment.




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