Changing Young Lives Through Pediatric Speech Therapy

By Cornelia White


One of the things that a child is expected to adapt and adopt as he or she grows older is a language, typically that of the society in which the child is being raised. This phase of growth and development accompanied by language acquisition seems fairly logical, simple and effortless for many. This is because in most cases, a child will master the use of a language gradually and develop fluency over time. Sometimes however this can prove challenging and this is where pediatric speech therapy becomes useful.

Therapy to enable better oral communication in children is carried out by specialists who have been trained in the field.This type of treatment often involves an exploration of the potential causes of the challenge. For the most part the causes stem from physical or emotional barriers. A good speech therapist will take this factor into consideration prior to evaluating the patient.

Language use is essentially the result of communication between the brain and the body parts responsible for speaking, namely, the mouth, throat and nose. Speech sounds in essence have their genesis in the mind since they must first be conceived before they can be articulated. It is not hard to see then, how problems in the brain can lead to language deficiencies.

Psychological triggers that lead to impaired language in children may come in a variety of forms. The patient could be reacting to a traumatic situation that has triggered a shutdown of their oral communication behaviors. Some examples of events that can cause this type of trauma are; a violent accident, witnessing a violent crime or physical or verbal abuse.

For some children, a learning or mental disability is the cause of the language barrier being experienced. Some of these conditions include, Autism and Verbal Apraxia. Experts agree that therapeutic care can work wonders for such children by helping them to bridge the gap between their thoughts and their utterances.

The surgeons who carry out corrective work in the oral cavities of children often report that these 'barriers' to speaking are the result of developmental problems that occur while the baby is still in the womb. Sometimes though, they emerge as a result of physical trauma to the mouth, sustained through accidents or other violent force.

For physical problems that lead to speaking barriers one solution may be surgical. Whenever therapists realize this, they refer their patients to professionals who specialize in surgical remedies. After the surgery is completed therapeutic sessions will still be needed to help the child. It is clear to see therefore, why there needs to be close relationship between the therapists and the surgical medical practitioners.

Language acquisition and use is by no means the simple effortless process that many perceive it to be. Parents and care givers of children who display signs of challenges with language use ought to be aware of one critical fact. Pediatric speech therapy can make a remarkable difference in the life of a child who struggles with oral communication.




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