SPEECH DELAYS AND MOTOR SPEECH DISORDERS
Some speech delays and/or sound disorders can be a result of developmental delays, hearing loss or brain, muscular, or skeletal disorders. In some children a combination of factors may affect the child’s ability to acquire normal speech, causing a child to combine sounds incorrectly.
Signs and symptoms may include missing sounds, substitutions, additions, and/or distortions. Children with motor speech disorders can be difficult to understand and should be evaluated by one of our Speech Language Pathologists.
Examples of motor speech disorders include:
LANGUAGE LEARNING DISORDERS AND DELAYS
Children and adolescents with developmental language delays or disorders can often experience academic difficulties as they struggle with reading, listening, speaking, and writing. These language disorders may occur on their own or co-occur with developmental disorders, such as autism, intellectual disabilities, attention deficits, or brain injuries.
When possible, our SLPs will work with schools using evidence-based proven approaches that can maximize your child’s communication potential. If you are concerned about your child, contact us for an assessment. Read more about preschool language disorders here and language learning disabilities here courtesy of the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (www.asha.org).
AUTISM SPECTRUM RELATED LANGUAGE DISORDERS
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive disorder that affects children and adults in a variety of ways. Communication is typically affected and there is a wide range of symptoms, with some more seriously affected than others.
Some children learn to communicate but may later demonstrate challenges in social interactions, understanding others, or in their ability to express thoughts and feelings. Other children may fail to acquire spoken language altogether and may have to rely on alternative or augmentative communication (AAC), such as an iPad. ASD can sometimes co-occur with other developmental disorders, or symptoms can appear on their own. There is a wide spectrum of effects, and early intervention is key.
Many people with ASD become successful communicators and enjoy active, fulfilling lifestyles. Treatment for ASD involves the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI), both evidence-based approaches that aim at changing behaviours so people with ASD can participate and communicate better in activities of daily living.
Our speech therapy plans emphasize:
- Learning and acquiring language in early years.
- Providing academic and vocational support for older learners, including use of communication devices where necessary.
- Targeting an individual’s ability to participate in activities of daily living.
Additional resources:
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Treatment for Autism
If you are concerned about your child’s development, consult with your pediatrician or contact us, and we will refer you.
STUTTERING
Stuttering usually appears in children during preschool or early primary school. For some, stuttering stops, while for others it can be a lifelong issue. There is no known cause, but it can appear because of brain injury or occur with other disorders such as autism.
Stuttering is not something children and adults can “turn off.” Many people who stutter require treatment to manage the bumpiness of their speech as well as the anxiety caused by the stuttering. If you know anyone who stutters, remember to take your time and listen, and not speak for him/her (source: osla.on.ca © 2010).
ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY (ABI)
ABI is not always just caused by a simple blow to the head. Adults and children with brain injuries can develop communication difficulties as a result of brain trauma.
People with acquired brain injuries can also experience trouble at school or work because of difficulty reading, writing, listening, speaking, or interacting with friends. Memory, social skills, decision-making, attention, and fatigue can all be affected as well. We treat these difficulties with a treatment plan that uses client input and life-based functional tasks to get students and professionals back to preferred activities. Read more here.
STROKE: APHASIA AND SWALLOWING
Individuals recovering from a stroke some times encounter life altering communication (aphasia) and swallowing difficulties. Aphasia is an acquired language disorder often but not always resulting from a stroke, typically affecting the left side of the brain.
People with aphasia may have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading and/or writing. Aphasia can sometimes co-exist with other physical or brain impairments, including paralysis, motor speech difficulties (apraxia), decision-making, or swallowing. According to asha.org, more people experience aphasia as they age. Brain injuries can also cause aphasia. With successful therapy, many stroke survivors lead productive active lives and learn to restore skills, strengthen existing ones, or adapt with new forms of communication.
Swallowing and feeding challenges can also occur due to stroke or brain injury. People may have difficulty eating and drinking. Symptoms may include pain/discomfort when eating, slow eating, dehydration or weight loss. In extreme cases, pneumonia may result due to food particles entering the lungs. Swallowing difficulties are carefully managed through a team of professionals, including physicians, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists.
If you or a loved one is experiencing difficulty eating or drinking, consult with you doctor immediately or contact us for a referral.