Speech-language pathologists specialize in evaluating and treating children who have difficulty communicating effectively for a variety of reasons including difficulty understanding others, expressing thoughts and ideas, and pronouncing sounds.
What is the difference between speech and language?
Speech
Speech involves the production of sounds needed for communication.
Articulation Disorder: Difficulty producing specific speech sounds or sound patterns, such as substituting “w” for “r” or omitting the sounds such as “tar” for “star.”
Voice Disorder: Pitch, volume or quality of sound that is atypical for the individual’s age and gender
Fluency Disorder: Difficulty producing smooth speech. Speech may sound stuttered or bumpy, the individual may get stuck on certain sounds or words drawing the sounds out longer than they need to or putting their tongue and lips in the correct position but struggle to begin saying the word
Resonance Disorder: Difficulty with oral-nasal airflow. The child may sound hypernasal as if sounds is coming out their nose, or hyponasal as if sound is unable to come out of their nose
What is the difference between speech and language?
Speech
Speech involves the production of sounds needed for communication.
Articulation Disorder: Difficulty producing specific speech sounds or sound patterns, such as substituting “w” for “r” or omitting the sounds such as “tar” for “star.”
Voice Disorder: Pitch, volume or quality of sound that is atypical for the individual’s age and gender
Fluency Disorder: Difficulty producing smooth speech. Speech may sound stuttered or bumpy, the individual may get stuck on certain sounds or words drawing the sounds out longer than they need to or putting their tongue and lips in the correct position but struggle to begin saying the word
Resonance Disorder: Difficulty with oral-nasal airflow. The child may sound hypernasal as if sounds is coming out their nose, or hyponasal as if sound is unable to come out of their nose
Language
Language involves using/understanding words or gestures for communication. This may involve both expressive and receptive language skills and may impact an individual’s ability to read and write.
Expressive Language Disorder: Difficulty with age appropriate vocabulary, word recall, using limited number of words for age, poor sentence structure, and/or poor use of grammar
Receptive Language Disorder: Difficulty following instructions, identifying objects, acting confused, or not paying attention while others are talking
Pragmatic Language Disorder: Difficulty understanding social situations and using socially appropriate language
If you are concerned about your child’s communication development please contact us for an evaluation. An evaluation session is comprised of testing designed for all ages; for a younger child the SLP may use play-based assessment measures, while for an older child assessment may give insight to the child’s overall academic language skills. The test(s) administered will reveal how your child performed in comparison to a normed population of children their age. The SLP takes parental concern, the results, and observations on your child’s communicative strengths and weaknesses for their age into consideration when determining if therapy is recommended. If speech-language services may be of benefit to your child’s communication, the SLP will develop an individualized set of goals specific to your child. As therapy sessions take place, the SLP will invite parents/caregivers to get involved, collaborate in the process, and offer creative suggestions to support communication at home.
Language involves using/understanding words or gestures for communication. This may involve both expressive and receptive language skills and may impact an individual’s ability to read and write.
Expressive Language Disorder: Difficulty with age appropriate vocabulary, word recall, using limited number of words for age, poor sentence structure, and/or poor use of grammar
Receptive Language Disorder: Difficulty following instructions, identifying objects, acting confused, or not paying attention while others are talking
Pragmatic Language Disorder: Difficulty understanding social situations and using socially appropriate language
If you are concerned about your child’s communication development please contact us for an evaluation. An evaluation session is comprised of testing designed for all ages; for a younger child the SLP may use play-based assessment measures, while for an older child assessment may give insight to the child’s overall academic language skills. The test(s) administered will reveal how your child performed in comparison to a normed population of children their age. The SLP takes parental concern, the results, and observations on your child’s communicative strengths and weaknesses for their age into consideration when determining if therapy is recommended. If speech-language services may be of benefit to your child’s communication, the SLP will develop an individualized set of goals specific to your child. As therapy sessions take place, the SLP will invite parents/caregivers to get involved, collaborate in the process, and offer creative suggestions to support communication at home.
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