Toddler Speech Therapy
Parents that are concerned that their child, between the ages of birth to three years, might have a developmental delay in the areas of communication, physical development, social-emotional development, self-help and cognitive are encouraged to contact:
Nassau County Early Intervention Program Phone: 516-227-8661 Website: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/3899/Early-Intervention If your child does not qualify for speech therapy through the 0-3 Early Intervention Program but you would like to receive private speech-language therapy, please contact us at (516) 669-0434. |
Articulation Therapy
Having difficulty pronouncing speech sounds and words correctly can have serious consequences. Frustration of not being understood, embarrassment, low self-esteem, bullying, and the adverse effects on job and career are just some of the consequences. Children and adults can have difficulty speaking clearly. Problems with articulation can be as a result of a variety of circumstances, such as having a foreign accent, childhood apraxia of speech, problems with mouth muscles and structures, incorrect movements of oral structures, hearing impairment, and extended thumb sucking and pacifier use. Before a therapy program can begin, the client must be evaluated to help learn about what might be contributing to the articulation problem and if there are specific sounds that are difficult to make. Progress is dependent upon the amount of home practice completed. Therapy and practice for an articulation problem or for accent modification involves listening activities and practice correctly saying the speech sounds individually, in words, and in longer contexts.
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Literal/Inferential Language
Individuals that have difficulty answering questions and responding appropriately in conversation sometimes have difficulty understanding the difference between literal and inferential language. This is abstract language, and is the most difficult for to understand and requires flexible, higher level language abilities.
What is Literal Language?
Literal language is straightforward. The answer is easy to find if you are reading (i.e. What happened to the boy's dog? He ate his food) and makes sense ("It's a beautiful day!" When the sun is shining).
What is Inferential Language?
Inferential language involves use of background knowledge, logical reasoning, and the ability to identify relevant clues from the environment or text. Understanding idioms ('Going on a wild goose chase') or metaphors ('She is a shining star') can throw kids off and confuse them. This also affects their ability to have conversations and comprehend what they are reading.
Speech therapy can teach individuals with difficulty in this area how to tell the difference between literal and inferential language as well as how to make an inference.
Literal language is straightforward. The answer is easy to find if you are reading (i.e. What happened to the boy's dog? He ate his food) and makes sense ("It's a beautiful day!" When the sun is shining).
What is Inferential Language?
Inferential language involves use of background knowledge, logical reasoning, and the ability to identify relevant clues from the environment or text. Understanding idioms ('Going on a wild goose chase') or metaphors ('She is a shining star') can throw kids off and confuse them. This also affects their ability to have conversations and comprehend what they are reading.
Speech therapy can teach individuals with difficulty in this area how to tell the difference between literal and inferential language as well as how to make an inference.
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism affects many aspects of a person's life. Therapy may focus on expressive language, receptive language, pragmatic language, and executive functioning, and cognitive communication. Speech therapy at home is helpful to bridge the gap between skills learned at school and applying them to communication within the home. Depending on the severity of the Autism diagnosis, assistive communication may be utilized to help communicate. Speech therapists evaluate and teach the most effective mode of communication. This may be using picture symbols on a low-tech device or using a high-tech device such as a Dynavox or even iPad applications.
What Are Some Signs My Child Has Autism?
The link below consists of six video clips that compare toddlers with no signs of ASD to toddlers with early signs of ASD and includes an explanation of how the specific behaviors exhibited by each child are either suggestive of ASD or typical child development. Learn more about the video at http://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/patient-care-centers/center-autism-and-related-disorders/outreach-training/early-signs-of-autism-video-tutorial
Autism affects many aspects of a person's life. Therapy may focus on expressive language, receptive language, pragmatic language, and executive functioning, and cognitive communication. Speech therapy at home is helpful to bridge the gap between skills learned at school and applying them to communication within the home. Depending on the severity of the Autism diagnosis, assistive communication may be utilized to help communicate. Speech therapists evaluate and teach the most effective mode of communication. This may be using picture symbols on a low-tech device or using a high-tech device such as a Dynavox or even iPad applications.
What Are Some Signs My Child Has Autism?
The link below consists of six video clips that compare toddlers with no signs of ASD to toddlers with early signs of ASD and includes an explanation of how the specific behaviors exhibited by each child are either suggestive of ASD or typical child development. Learn more about the video at http://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/patient-care-centers/center-autism-and-related-disorders/outreach-training/early-signs-of-autism-video-tutorial