Children make big leaps in communication between the ages of five and seven. However, delays in speech and language development can make achieving these milestones more challenging. If you think your child is struggling, now is the best time to seek children’s speech therapy and support.
With early intervention, your child can build the skills they need to succeed in school, boost their self-esteem, connect with friends, and thrive in every aspect of life. If you’re curious how speech therapy for kids works, read on for our guide and learn how Brighter Futures Allied Health can support your child’s development with tailored therapy plans addressing their specific needs.
Children’s speech therapy, also called children’s speech pathology, is a specialised intervention that aims to treat and support kids with speech and language disorders. It can also benefit children with feeding disorders or those who have trouble feeding, swallowing, or using their mouth muscles properly, allowing them to consume food and drinks safely.
Speech disorders occur when a child has trouble producing clear and smooth sounds. Common types of speech disorders include:
Language disorders occur when a child has difficulty understanding or using words to express their thoughts and ideas. These can show up in different ways and include:
Feeding and swallowing disorders (also called dysphagia) happen when a child has difficulty eating or drinking. They may have trouble chewing or swallowing, experience frequent coughing or gagging during meals, or refuse certain foods altogether.
We assess your child’s speech, language, and communication skills to identify their strengths and areas of difficulty. We then create a personalised plan to address their specific needs.
Our speech therapists are primarily bilingual or trilingual, with staff conversational in English, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Thai. This makes our speech therapy sessions more efficient, and we find that children are more comfortable conversing with us in this setting.
We work closely with families and provide training so children can continue building their communication skills beyond our centres. In addition to our clients' homes, we also offer services to preschools, schools, and day programs.
Children’s speech therapy is facilitated by speech pathologists, also called speech therapists. They can work with kids one-on-one, in a small group, or even during class activities to support your children’s communication and learning.
Speech therapy for kids often feels like play. Speech pathologists or therapists may use fun activities, such as sequencing games, storytelling, or language-based board games, to help children build their communication skills while having a good time.
For kids with feeding disorders, speech pathologists may utilise activities such as positioning and the use of modified utensils to help with eating, drinking, and swallowing. They may also introduce various food tastes, textures, and temperatures to increase your child’s swallowing and oral awareness.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our services. Simply request an appointment via phone or contact form on our website.
Apart from tailored children’s speech pathology sessions, you can also collaborate with your child’s speech pathologist for at-home activities supporting their therapy goals. At Brighter Futures Allied Health, we work closely with families to provide family training, enabling children to continue building their communication skills beyond our centres and make steady progress while feeling safe and supported.
BFAH can also conduct home or school visits (with a minimal travel fee) to provide therapy based on your child’s needs and goals. Continuing children’s speech therapy at home or in school allows children to learn and apply skills in a naturalistic and functional setting, while modelling to families how to use resources they already have at their disposal to support their child.
