One of the most important skills for success in life is the ability to communicate. This involves both sharing your thoughts and feelings in a way that others can understand and being able to understand what other people are saying to you. For children with speech and language difficulties, communicating effectively can be hard. At Pediatric Therapy Partners, our goal is to help children develop the speech and language skills they need to be successful, independent, and maintain good relationships their whole life.
Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
It’s natural to worry about your child’s speech and language development. The good news is there is something you can do about it! If your child is behind on their developmental milestones, you can call us at (318) 746-1199 and ask about our free developmental screening. Our therapists will be happy to go over your child’s difficulties and advise you if speech and language therapy will benefit them.
The following are signs that your child may benefit from speech therapy:
- Difficulty completing tasks.
- Difficulty communicating their needs and wants.
- They have a cleft lip, palate, or other physical condition that inhibits their speech.
- They struggle to pronounce certain sounds or stutter.
- They have autism.
- They have a learning disorder or developmental delays.
- They have a genetic condition like Down syndrome.
- They’ve suffered from a traumatic brain injury.
What Is a Speech Therapy Session Like?
Our speech and language pathologists will work with your child to help them develop the skills they need to be able to effectively communicate. Many of the activities and exercises we do will look and feel like playtime, and that’s the point! We want your child to enjoy their therapy sessions because when they’re having fun, they’re more willing to keep trying!
The activities our therapists will do with your child are specifically chosen to target their needs, goals and interests. Some of these activities may be practicing certain sounds, games to improve cognition and social skills, storytelling, and memory games. We also model the correct pronunciation and behavior for children because much of learning comes from mimicking what we see around us.
With routine therapy sessions, lots of practice at our clinic and at home, and lots of encouragement, your child will improve their communication skills. This will help them become more confident not only in talking to friends and family but also in understanding what others are asking of them in daily life. These skills are important for interpersonal relationships, school, work, and all of life — and they can be learned and improved!
How Do I Schedule a Speech Therapy Evaluation?
Our pediatric speech therapists will need a referral from your child’s pediatrician to evaluate and treat your child. If you don’t have one, don’t worry! Our staff can help coordinate this and get you a referral so your child can receive treatment.
When you’re ready to make an appointment for your child, call our office at (318) 746-1199 to speak to our Intake Coordinator. She will be able to answer your questions, and she will send you an email with online forms to fill out.
Once you have completely filled out the forms, including your insurance information, our Intake Coordinator will contact you to schedule your child’s initial evaluation appointment and go over any other important details with you.
Ready to get started? Call us at (318) 746-1199 today!