Speech Therapy Services in North Jersey
Speech Therapy Services in North Jersey
Speech therapy is an important component of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), as communication is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. Speech-language pathologists play a crucial role in helping individuals overcome communication challenges, such as stuttering, articulation disorders, language delays, voice disorders, and more. SLP’s also specialize in evaluating and treating swallowing and feeding disorders to improve an individual’s ability to swallow safely, as well as, develop skills for eating and drinking. By working with an SLP, clients can improve their ability to express themselves, understand others, and participate in social, academic and professional settings. Our therapy techniques use a variety of activities and strategies to encourage your child to communicate at his/her highest level, while still having fun!
Please remember “The earlier a child receives the help he/she needs, the better his/her language and communication development outcome will be.” Some parents are advised that their child will likely “grow out of it,”and they simply wait for the child to catch up. However, the “wait and see” approach means that precious time can be lost during this critical learning phase.
Rather than “waiting and seeing,” PRISM Learning Center says, “Let’s do something about this.” We don’t want a habit to form; at that point, it will be even harder to address and fix. Our goal is to give children the tools they need to speak, communicate, and express themselves clearly. Oftentimes, that starts with speech therapy.
Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
A common question parents ask about speech therapy is whether or not their child needs it in the first place. Speech delays and certain speech impediments are relatively common in children, affecting about 5% of those between the ages of 3-17. While some do grow out of it, many seek outside support in the form of speech therapy.
Noticing speech delays, a detectable lisp, a stutter, or other communication issues in your child could be an indication that it may be time to seek professional help from a speech-language pathologist.
Reasons to See a Speech-Language Pathologist
The following are some of the telltale signs that it may be time to explore speech therapy for your child:
- The child has not combined words by 18 months old.
- Difficulty imitating sounds made by others.
- Limited variety of sounds.
- Poor quality of sounds.
- Difficulty understanding new words.
- Difficulty following commands.
- A noticeable lisp, stutter, or other speech impediment.
- Language delays.
- The child stops saying words that were previously within his/her vocabulary.
- Issues starting conversations with others.
- Speech is unintelligible to those who do not know the child well (apparent after 24 months of age).
- Not speaking in sentences by 36 months.
- Not speaking fluently by 3 ½ years old.
- Lasting communication changes following an injury or surgery.
This is not an exhaustive list of when to seek help from a speech-language pathologist. If you have any concerns about the development of your child and their ability to become an effective communicator, it may be a good idea to seek out the advice of a professional.
Getting an evaluation on how your child is progressing with their speech development can put you at ease no matter what the outcome is. The great thing is that for whatever you need, PRISM Learning Center is here to help. Our speech therapy programs pair qualified speech-language pathologists with clients based on their individual needs. We work one-on-one to develop the skills needed for clear, effective communication. This is what fosters greater independence both now and in the future.
To get started with speech therapy in Northern New Jersey at PRISM, contact us today.
