Speech therapy comprises proven techniques and activities that work to improve the overall communication style of the concerned person. Therapists are able to do so, by addressing delays and disorders in expressive/receptive language, articulation, oral motor dysfunction, social language, fluency, stuttering, and much more. The training sessions of speech therapy Dubai are quite customized and allows the experts to treat the specific speech disorder and get the desired objectives.
Why Your Child Might Need A Speech Therapist?
Children, undergoing developmental changes, can sometimes face speech impediments. This deters their ability to pronounce and pitch their words correctly, understand other people’s meaning, or even have memory issues. Others face this due to some illness or an injury. Regardless of the reason behind this, speech therapists can greatly work to improve their speech in a manner that is beneficial for them.
Child experts always believe that any sort of speech impediment should be dealt with immediately. This highlights the role of parents in knowing the progress of their child’s development. If at any point, they realize their child is struggling, they should reach out for speech therapy immediately.
While there are numerous advantages of getting timely speech therapy for your child, here is a look at some of the benefits that come along:
Improved Communication Skills
The immediate benefit of speech therapy is to give proper voice to the child for communication. Depending upon the condition, one develops the ability to communicate through unaided or aided communication. With the incorporation of tech communication books, devices, and apps, therapists work on improving and enhancing the child’s communication skills.
Building Social Skills
Speech therapy is quite diverse. And a major benefit is how it helps to build the social skills that are a great component when interacting with others in community. With little or no functional speech, one’s interaction is greatly limited. Speech therapists employ the use of various strategies and tools to develop social skills. Some of the common ones include role-playing, video modeling, social stories, and therapy apps. With this, the child learns the manner and ways of social interaction.
Reading
While speech therapy may sound like a solution to speaking skills, yet it is more than that. Anyone with speech delays can have problems related to listening, reading, and writing as well. All four aspects of communication are important for fluency and literacy skills. Speech therapists work on all four aspects, for flawless communication skills.
Building Social Skills
Speech therapy is quite diverse. And a major benefit is how it helps to build the social skills that are a great component when interacting with others in community. With little or no functional speech, one’s interaction is greatly limited. Speech therapists employ the use of various strategies and tools to develop social skills. Some of the common ones include role-playing, video modeling, social stories, and therapy apps. With this, the child learns the manner and ways of social interaction.
Reading
While speech therapy may sound like a solution to speaking skills, yet it is more than that. Anyone with speech delays can have problems related to listening, reading, and writing as well. All four aspects of communication are important for fluency and literacy skills. Speech therapists work on all four aspects, for flawless communication skills.
Alternate Communication Methods
Communication is quite versatile, especially since it incorporates alternative methods like sign language, gestures, approximations, vocalizations. As humans, we incorporate them all while interacting. We make use of speech, facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, typing, and much more.
In addition to that, children with low speech development and progress are also taught these alternative communication methods. Words like ‘bathroom’, ‘eat’, ‘drink’ can be communicated using gestures and sign language, allowing the child to get attention. Similarly, certain voices can also be used to indicate messages.
Reduces Communication Frustration
Frustration, anger, and anxiety are quite common when someone is struggling to communicate, with little or no results in the end. Speech therapy helps children improve communication skills with other children and adults. It focuses on improving speech muscles through special exercises. These speech exercises involve repeating sounds and imitating the speech therapist.
Speech Therapy Treatment
The treatment for a child’s speech therapy can take place in a different setting. Sometimes, they require individual attention and at others, they require group attention. This comes down to the child’s disorder, age, and needs and using the speech activities and exercises accordingly.
During the treatment, speech therapists interact through talking and playing and using books, pictures, and other objects as part of language intervention. It helps them to stimulate language development and deliver speech fluently.
Another way is to model correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play, thereby teaching the children to make certain sounds. Therapists also provide strategies and homework for the child and parent or caregiver on how to do speech therapy at home.
Practice Materials
There are many resources available to help practice speech therapies at home. It includes speech therapy apps, language development games, and toys, such as flip cards and flashcards, and even workbooks.
Time Duration
The treatment time varies from person to person. Based on the child’s speech and language needs, speech therapists discuss the goals and treatment plans. It also depends on:
- child’s present levels of functioning in all areas of development
- child’s specific type of speech/language impairment
- The severity of that impairment
- any co-existing issues your child has
It takes a minimum of three months to a year to achieve the goals. Therefore, as a parent, make sure you stay patient and work on your child’s speech for great results.
The Takeaway
Speech therapy is a timely process, therefore, experts believe that it should be treating as soon as diagnosed. This reduces the possible damages and allows the child to get back to their routine life really quickly. Along with this, seeing the best psychologist in Dubai will also help you to get mentally strong and boost morale as your child becomes confident, capable, and fluent in delivering their message.
