Speech and language therapists provide life-changing treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing.
A speech therapist works with people of all ages. From newborn babies to the elderly and everyone in between.
Our Pediatric Speech language therapists have a range of experience and expertise, including but not limited to working with:
- Genetic Syndromes (e.g., Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Turner Syndrome, Angelman’s Syndrome, etc.); Neurological disorders (e.g., Cerebral Palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, seizure disorders); Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); Articulation and motor speech disorders – alone (e.g. Misarticulation, Phonological Disorder) or secondary to other diagnoses (e.g. cleft palate); Receptive and expressive language disorders/delays, and specific language impairment (SLI); Feeding or swallowing issues; Semantic and/or Pragmatic Language Disorders; Hearing Impairments and/or multi-sensory impairments; Auditory Processing Disorders; Cognitive/Attention Impairments; Voice disorders
- Our Speech language therapists are also trained in the evaluation and treatment of adults with traumatic brain injuries, apraxia, stuttering, hearing loss, voice disorders, stroke and other neurogenic communication disorders
- One-to-one therapy sessions and group therapy programs are designed for children based on the individual needs of each child. Group therapy helps children with pragmatic language difficulties who could find it difficult to make friends and socialize.
- Augmentative Alternative Communication [ACC] (low tech or high tech) can also be incorporated in therapy if the child is thought to benefit from it.
People with the following symptoms may benefit from seeing a speech therapist:
- Speech delays/ late talkers
- Learning difficulties
- Hearing impairment
- Cleft lip and palate
- Voice disorders
- Selective mutism
- Developmental language disorder.
- Autism
- Head and neck cancer
- Neurological conditions (e.g Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Dementia)
What communication difficulties can a speech therapist help with?
- Expressive language (early language development, late talkers, expressing needs, correct use of grammar)
- Receptive language (understanding and processing what others say, following instructions)
- Social communication (understanding the meaning of what others are saying, social interaction)
- Articulation and motor speech (pronunciations of words, speech sound errors, slow or slurred speech due to weakness of the muscles used to form speech)
- Voice
- Dysfluency (stuttering/ stammering)
- Cognitive communication (memory issues, problem solving)
What swallowing difficulties does a speech therapist help with?
- Difficulty with the physical aspects of eating (e.g. difficulty chewing, or swallowing)
- Coughing and/ or choking during mealtimes
- Struggle with mealtime routines
- Food aversions