‍Speech Therapy is much more than it may sound like! Licensed speech-language pathologists (SLP) provide evaluation and intervention for people of all ages - across the lifespan in many different educational and medical settings. Pediatric SLPs specialize in working with children who may have a variety of communication challenges from delays in talking; mispronouncing speech sounds; putting words together; social communication or interaction with others; using communication devices; to feeding and swallowing difficulties. Experienced SLPs will assess your child in the areas of concern and identify the need for intervention.

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What Areas of Development May Require Intervention?

• Language Delay or a Developmental Language Disorder
  • difficulty naming objects, people, putting words together 
• Speech Sound Disorder
  • difficulty forming or pronouncing sounds or words
  • decreased clarity of message 
• Fluency disorder
  • stuttering 
  • cluttering 
• Voice disorder
  • vocal quality
• Feeding and/or swallowing disorder
  • picky eating 
  • sensory aversions
  • non-oral feeding 

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When Should Parents/Caregivers Seek Help from an SLP? 

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Communication begins at infancy with eye gaze, smiles, cooing and variations of sounds as well as learning to eat all before the age of one year! Milestones are important to watch as a parent to make sure your child is on the right track. 

If you notice your child is not: 

• Babbling by 6 months
• Accepting puree foods 3-6 months
• Beginning to drink/taste from a first cup 6-8 months 
• Eating first finger foods by 10 months
• Accepting table foods; variety of textures and tastes
• Saying 1-2 words by 12 months
• Using at least 50 words by 24 months 
• Understanding one-step verbal directions by 24 months
• Combining 2 words by 24 months
• Combining 3 words by 27 months 
• Making 4-5 words sentences by 3 years 
• Being understood by others 100% of the time by 4 years  
• Expanding vocabulary, using grammatically correct and longer sentences by 5 years 
• Answering questions and telling a simple story by 5-6 years,

please seek a speech-language screening or evaluation. 

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Where every child is unique in their development and there is a range of development it is important to get help earlier to avoid further learning difficulties. Getting help sooner can improve your child’s learning potential and may result in more positive behaviors, reduced frustration, and improved academics and social communication.

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Ladder Health focuses on helping young children and their families through telepractice or speech teletherapy. Whether your child is delayed in talking, has a medical diagnosis impacting the development of speech, connecting words or trouble eating, it is important to seek help. Teletherapy is a great way to get professional help right at home! We recognize that you know your child best and it is our job to help you find ways to support their communication and learning within every day, natural opportunities. When you work with your SLP, it is a team effort. Speech therapy is engaging, fun, practical and is accomplished through routine-based intervention. SLPs will provide direct therapy and coaching to maximize progress toward the communication goals you have set with your SLP. 

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