| Speech therapy - language therapy - age appropriate speech development. Bright Tots - Information on child development - Autism information. www.brighttots.com |
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| Speech Language Therapy |
The purpose of speech-language therapy is to enhance intentional communication via expression of ideas, obtaining desires,
sharing information and interpersonal interaction. Language is the means by which communication is achieved.
Components of language include but are not limited to:
• understanding/verbal expression
• facial/manual gestures
• tone of voice
• body orientation
In order to use our language knowledge of content (vocabulary, concepts), form (how words are linked into phrases/sentences)
and use (what the child wants to get from using his/her language) is necessary. Therefore, speech therapy focuses around
teaching the child what he or she needs rather than the use of language for communication.
For the child who is not currently using words, language is still possible through other means. A child may be taught to use
various ways of utilizing their language skills to convey meaning. These may consist of gestures/signaling, eye contact, facial
expression, vocalizations or manual tools such as communication pictures/boards/books.
Oral-motor skills are also addressed within speech-language services. Since proper structure and function of the oral areas is
necessary for speech and sound production, intervention to improve coordination, strength, movement and placement of the
lips, tongue, jaw and cheeks (both internally and externally) is required.
What causes speech and language problems?
Developmental speech and language disorder is a common reason for speech/language problems in kids. This is a learning
disability that specifically affects five general areas:
• Spoken language—delays and disorders in listening and speaking
• Written language—problems with reading, writing and spelling
• Arithmetic—trouble doing arithmetic or understanding basic concepts
• Reasoning—problems organizing and putting together thoughts
• Memory—problems remembering facts and instructions
These kids may have trouble producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other
people say. Speech and language problems are often the earliest sign of a learning disability or autism.
• Hearing loss is often overlooked, and easily identified. If your child is speech/language delayed, their hearing should be
tested.
• Mentally Challenged is described as below-average general intellectual function with associated deficits in adaptive
behavior that occurs before age 18, common cause of speech and language delay.
• Autism, Developmental Disorders such as PDD, Aspergers
The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in
the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical
age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty
relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar
surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by
impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and
best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett’s Syndrome.
Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited
phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills
are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.
Early Detection of Delayed Speech
Parents of children with autism most often report that the first sign of a problem with their child is either the absence of
language or the loss of language that had begun to develop in the second year of life. Sometimes the initial concern may be that
the child is deaf because they are unresponsive to the voice of others including parents in their environment. In retrospect, many
parents recollect that even during the first 12 months their infants were unresponsive to adult contact, did not engage in turn-
taking games, and failed to develop joint attention. By their first birthday, many infants who later receive the diagnosis of autism
do not respond to their own name and fail to make eye contact. By the end of the second year, toddlers with autism still have no
functional language and are extremely limited in their communication with others, perhaps only engaging another person to fulfill
requests using protoimperative gestures (gestures or vocalizations used to express needs that one cannot fulfill him/herself). For
example pointing to an object one cannot reach.
To some extent, the principal social deficits in autism set the developmental path for deficits in language and communication
there is simply no interest or “appetite” for interacting with others at any level or by any means, including language.
Nevertheless some children with autism, usually those that are less severely impaired overall, do increase the frequency of their
communicative attempts and begin acquiring language before their fifth birthday. Indeed, acquiring some functional language by
age 5 has been found to be the most powerful predictor of a more positive outcome in autism.
A child’s communication is considered delayed when the child is noticeably behind his or her peers in the acquisition of speech
and/or language skills. Sometimes a child will have greater receptive (understanding) than expressive (speaking) language skills,
but this is not always the case. Because all communication disorders carry the potential to isolate individuals from their social
and educational surroundings, it is essential to find appropriate timely intervention. While many speech and language patterns can
be called “baby talk” and are part of a young child’s normal development, they can become problems if they are not outgrown
as expected. In this way an initial delay in speech and language or an initial speech pattern can become a disorder that can cause
difficulties in learning. Because of the way the brain develops, it is easier to learn language and communication skills before the
age of 5.
The use of sign language to facilitate the communication of children with autism has been a topic of interest for many years. On
the one hand, clinicians who teach sign language to children with autism may argue that the child at least is provided with a
means for communication, even if it may be limited in the extent and complexity of information. Further, supporters might argue
that the use of sign language serves as a mediator for the development of oral communication skills once the child recognizes
the social value of language usage. On the other hand, some clinicians may argue that the use of sign serves as a communicative
sustainer for which the child has little practical use, and that teaching children with autism to use sign may conflict with the
development of functional oral language skills required in the social and educational environment.
Just as importantly, the critics also argue that there is no factual evidence that sign language improves communication beyond a
one or two word sign structure, as a result limiting the usefulness of sign language skills to a communication equivalent.
Certainly, they would point out that the efficacy of sign language as a remedial program for children with autism is at best
questionable.
• Extreme environmental deprivation can cause speech delay. If a child is neglected or abused and does not hear others
speaking, they will not learn to speak.
• Prematurity can lead to developmental delays, including speech/language problems.
• Auditory Processing Disorder describes a problem with decoding speech sounds. These kids can improve with speech
and language therapy.
• Neurological problems like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and traumatic brain injury can affect the muscles needed
for speaking.
• Structural problems like cleft lip or cleft palate can also interfere with normal speech.
• Apraxia of speech is a specific speech disorder in which the child has difficulty in sequencing and executing speech
movements.
• Selective mutes are when a child will not talk at all in certain situations, often school.
How can I tell if my child’s speech and language development is on track? If your child is not on track with the following
speech/language development milestones, you should talk to your pediatrician.
Speech-Language Therapy
Speech-language pathologists assist children who have communication disorders in various ways. They provide individual
therapy for the child; consult with the child’s teacher about the most effective ways to facilitate the child’s communication in
the class setting; and work closely with the family to develop goals and techniques for effective therapy in class and at home.
The speech language pathologist may assist vocational teachers and counselors in establishing communication goals related to
the efforts and strengths of student and suggest strategies that are effective for the important transitions throughout the child’s
life.
Technology can help children whose physical conditions make communication difficult. The use of electronic communication
systems allow non-speaking people and people with severe physical disabilities to engage in the give and take of shared thought.
Vocabulary and concept growth continues during the years children are in school. Reading and writing are taught and, as
students get older, the understanding and use of language becomes more complex. Communication skills are at the center of the
education experience. Speech and/or language therapy may continue throughout a student’s school years either in the form of
direct therapy or on a consultant basis.
sharing information and interpersonal interaction. Language is the means by which communication is achieved.
Components of language include but are not limited to:
• understanding/verbal expression
• facial/manual gestures
• tone of voice
• body orientation
In order to use our language knowledge of content (vocabulary, concepts), form (how words are linked into phrases/sentences)
and use (what the child wants to get from using his/her language) is necessary. Therefore, speech therapy focuses around
teaching the child what he or she needs rather than the use of language for communication.
For the child who is not currently using words, language is still possible through other means. A child may be taught to use
various ways of utilizing their language skills to convey meaning. These may consist of gestures/signaling, eye contact, facial
expression, vocalizations or manual tools such as communication pictures/boards/books.
Oral-motor skills are also addressed within speech-language services. Since proper structure and function of the oral areas is
necessary for speech and sound production, intervention to improve coordination, strength, movement and placement of the
lips, tongue, jaw and cheeks (both internally and externally) is required.
What causes speech and language problems?
Developmental speech and language disorder is a common reason for speech/language problems in kids. This is a learning
disability that specifically affects five general areas:
• Spoken language—delays and disorders in listening and speaking
• Written language—problems with reading, writing and spelling
• Arithmetic—trouble doing arithmetic or understanding basic concepts
• Reasoning—problems organizing and putting together thoughts
• Memory—problems remembering facts and instructions
These kids may have trouble producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other
people say. Speech and language problems are often the earliest sign of a learning disability or autism.
• Hearing loss is often overlooked, and easily identified. If your child is speech/language delayed, their hearing should be
tested.
• Mentally Challenged is described as below-average general intellectual function with associated deficits in adaptive
behavior that occurs before age 18, common cause of speech and language delay.
• Autism, Developmental Disorders such as PDD, Aspergers
The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in
the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical
age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty
relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar
surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by
impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and
best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett’s Syndrome.
Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited
phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills
are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.
Early Detection of Delayed Speech
Parents of children with autism most often report that the first sign of a problem with their child is either the absence of
language or the loss of language that had begun to develop in the second year of life. Sometimes the initial concern may be that
the child is deaf because they are unresponsive to the voice of others including parents in their environment. In retrospect, many
parents recollect that even during the first 12 months their infants were unresponsive to adult contact, did not engage in turn-
taking games, and failed to develop joint attention. By their first birthday, many infants who later receive the diagnosis of autism
do not respond to their own name and fail to make eye contact. By the end of the second year, toddlers with autism still have no
functional language and are extremely limited in their communication with others, perhaps only engaging another person to fulfill
requests using protoimperative gestures (gestures or vocalizations used to express needs that one cannot fulfill him/herself). For
example pointing to an object one cannot reach.
To some extent, the principal social deficits in autism set the developmental path for deficits in language and communication
there is simply no interest or “appetite” for interacting with others at any level or by any means, including language.
Nevertheless some children with autism, usually those that are less severely impaired overall, do increase the frequency of their
communicative attempts and begin acquiring language before their fifth birthday. Indeed, acquiring some functional language by
age 5 has been found to be the most powerful predictor of a more positive outcome in autism.
A child’s communication is considered delayed when the child is noticeably behind his or her peers in the acquisition of speech
and/or language skills. Sometimes a child will have greater receptive (understanding) than expressive (speaking) language skills,
but this is not always the case. Because all communication disorders carry the potential to isolate individuals from their social
and educational surroundings, it is essential to find appropriate timely intervention. While many speech and language patterns can
be called “baby talk” and are part of a young child’s normal development, they can become problems if they are not outgrown
as expected. In this way an initial delay in speech and language or an initial speech pattern can become a disorder that can cause
difficulties in learning. Because of the way the brain develops, it is easier to learn language and communication skills before the
age of 5.
The use of sign language to facilitate the communication of children with autism has been a topic of interest for many years. On
the one hand, clinicians who teach sign language to children with autism may argue that the child at least is provided with a
means for communication, even if it may be limited in the extent and complexity of information. Further, supporters might argue
that the use of sign language serves as a mediator for the development of oral communication skills once the child recognizes
the social value of language usage. On the other hand, some clinicians may argue that the use of sign serves as a communicative
sustainer for which the child has little practical use, and that teaching children with autism to use sign may conflict with the
development of functional oral language skills required in the social and educational environment.
Just as importantly, the critics also argue that there is no factual evidence that sign language improves communication beyond a
one or two word sign structure, as a result limiting the usefulness of sign language skills to a communication equivalent.
Certainly, they would point out that the efficacy of sign language as a remedial program for children with autism is at best
questionable.
• Extreme environmental deprivation can cause speech delay. If a child is neglected or abused and does not hear others
speaking, they will not learn to speak.
• Prematurity can lead to developmental delays, including speech/language problems.
• Auditory Processing Disorder describes a problem with decoding speech sounds. These kids can improve with speech
and language therapy.
• Neurological problems like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and traumatic brain injury can affect the muscles needed
for speaking.
• Structural problems like cleft lip or cleft palate can also interfere with normal speech.
• Apraxia of speech is a specific speech disorder in which the child has difficulty in sequencing and executing speech
movements.
• Selective mutes are when a child will not talk at all in certain situations, often school.
How can I tell if my child’s speech and language development is on track? If your child is not on track with the following
speech/language development milestones, you should talk to your pediatrician.
Speech-Language Therapy
Speech-language pathologists assist children who have communication disorders in various ways. They provide individual
therapy for the child; consult with the child’s teacher about the most effective ways to facilitate the child’s communication in
the class setting; and work closely with the family to develop goals and techniques for effective therapy in class and at home.
The speech language pathologist may assist vocational teachers and counselors in establishing communication goals related to
the efforts and strengths of student and suggest strategies that are effective for the important transitions throughout the child’s
life.
Technology can help children whose physical conditions make communication difficult. The use of electronic communication
systems allow non-speaking people and people with severe physical disabilities to engage in the give and take of shared thought.
Vocabulary and concept growth continues during the years children are in school. Reading and writing are taught and, as
students get older, the understanding and use of language becomes more complex. Communication skills are at the center of the
education experience. Speech and/or language therapy may continue throughout a student’s school years either in the form of
direct therapy or on a consultant basis.
| Speech-Language Therapy |
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| Here is a chart for age appropriate speech development. |