Speech therapy centers on children who have delays in reading, receptive language, expressive language, articulation, fluency and social skills. The speech therapist helps children develop essential communication skills enabling them to successfully interact with others in their environment. Other aspects of therapy might include alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), oral motor abilities, swallowing and feeding skills.

Speech and language therapy includes the following areas: Language

• Therapy – Language therapy addresses children who struggle with expressing themselves and/or understanding others. The speech therapist teaches children how to develop their communication skills through verbal language, eye contact, gestures, and computers.
• Articulation – Articulation concentrates on the intelligibility of speech. The speech therapist uses activities that help children increase coordination in their tongue and jaw muscles to improve their speech sound. Oral control improves their ability to pronounce words making children easier to understand.
• Feeding – Feeding therapy develops oral-motor skills and concentrates on the ability to chew, swallow and drink safely without coughing, choking or fatigue. Feeding therapy also helps children who exhibit behavioral feeding difficulties with no apparent medical issues.