There are so many reasons children may require the help of a speech therapist. Parents need to understand these situations and ensure their kids get help on time.
We are going to discuss certain things about these professionals here. We advise everyone to keep reading considering that we have one or two things to do with kids around us.
Major Reasons Why a Kid May Need a Speech Therapist
We did explain that many reasons can warrant the need for a speech therapist early on. However, most of these reasons fall under one of the following categories:
Speech Disorder
Speech disorder has to do with any problem that makes the kid unable to produce sound or do so well enough. Some of these problems include:
Fluency Disorder
Stuttering is a typical example of this speech complication. Generally speaking, it has to do with an interruption in speech flow. As a result, there may be unusual repetition or prolonged pronunciation of syllables and sounds.
Articulation Disorder
People that have this problem find it difficult to make syllables out of sounds. It could be so bad that effective communication is affected. As a result, the other party may be unable to or find it difficult to comprehend what is said on time.
Voice or Resonance Disorder
People that have this problem are strongly advised to see a speech therapist as soon as possible. This is because even their comfort is on the line. People with this condition can find sound production painful.
The signs to watch out for are irregularities in the texture of the voice. This could be the volume, pitch, and general vocal qualities.
Language Disorder
This has to do with problems comprehending words. This can also be about problems formulating the right words to express an idea. This can happen in various ways which include:
Expressive Disorders
These are problems that make kids unable to put the right words together or make it difficult to do this. As a result, the language of communication will not be used in a manner that is socially appropriate.
Receptive Disorders
These are problems that make it impossible or very hard for the kid to comprehend the language. As a result, expression is equally affected.
Cognitive-Communication Problems
Communicative skills seem to be lacking with cognitive-communication problems. As a result, problem-solving, regulation, organization, memorization, perception, and attention are not what they should be.
Feeding Disorders
Many people are unaware of how speech therapists can help with feeding disorders. Irregularities, as expressed through persistent coughing, gagging, refusal to eat, swallowing, and chewing, are examples of feeding disorders.
Qualities of a Good Speech Therapist
The job of a speech therapist is a very important one. This is considering how they would help the kid overcome obstacles that affect effective communication.
This is why you need to deal with a professional if it is necessary. But first, identifying a qualified one is essential. Here are some tips to help you in that regard:
Operational License
At the very least, there are state bodies that issue working licenses to professionals. Acclaimed experts without this license are not legally permitted to practice.
We advise that you ensure that the speech therapist that handles your child is licensed to operate. Aside from the fact that this is legal, it also means the professional has met several requirements in the best interest of clients.
Certification from a Pertinent Body
Ensuring that the professional is licensed is very important. However, this is not enough to be used as a yardstick. This is why we suggest your chosen speech therapist is certified and/or accredited by a pertinent association.
Several credible associations do this. ASHA is one of the leading American associations for example. For more information about them, you can visit: https://www.asha.org/
The advice to go for a therapist that is certified by such bodies is because they have higher standards. This means members of such associations are better qualified and good at rendering their services to affected children.
Well Educated
The job of a speech therapist is serious as explained earlier. This is why the professional needs to be adequately prepared by undergoing the necessary training.
We strongly suggest that you deal with a professional that has his/her master’s degree at least. At this stage, they must have been exposed to several practical strategies that will help your child overcome speech, language, or feeding-related disorders.
Experience
Go for a speech therapist that has a wealth of experience. The reason is that such professionals have an edge over others.
The advantage is that they have learned enough on the job. They have experimented with various tactics and know the best. It is even likely that they have come across clients that had your kid’s challenge. All these would help them help your kid.
Good Track Record
This is one of the most important things to consider. You need to research the professional and make sure s/he is capable enough.
One of the ways to go about this is to find out about the professional’s track record. There should be tangible proof that kids have been helped and are now doing fine.
You can also know about this through referrals and positive reviews. However, the reviews have to be from credible sources.
Different Therapy Options
A good speech therapist should have more than one effective therapy that can be used on affected kids. This is very important.
The reason being that some therapy options are more suited for certain disorders than others. Some of the therapy options a good speech therapist should be good at include articulation, oral motor, and language intervention therapy.
Locally Based
We strongly advise that you deal with a professional that is located not too far from where you are. You should also know that some speech therapy professional services have different service centers around.
You can deal with such. This is as long as they are up to the task. You can see SuperTalkers to know more about this.
Wrap Up
Many children require the help of professional speech therapists. Unfortunately, many of them do not get the help they need.
You should not hesitate to engage the services of these professionals if there is a need for it. However, you also need to know how to identify qualified ones. We have discussed these and a few other things here and hope that you make informed decisions going forward.
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