Important Skills That Can Be Improved and Acquired Through Speech Therapy

​Speech therapy is known for addressing articulation difficulties such as stammering. It can also address other important skills.

​Read on to know more.

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Important Skills Addressed by Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is also called Speech-Language Therapy because it can address both speech-related difficulties and non-verbal communication issues. The therapy usually starts with an evaluation conducted by a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). Through the evaluation, the SLP will be able to identify a person’s communication challenges as well as strengths.

After the evaluation, the SLP can then determine the areas to work on and the type of treatment that will best address the concern. The therapy can be done in a day care setting, in a small group, or in a one-on-one session. And, depending on the child’s need, the therapy may last for months, years, or longer.

Children who undergo speech therapy become more confident in talking to others and building lasting relationships.

Skills Addressed by Speech Therapy
Commonly, speech-language therapy is sought when a child has articulation problems such as not being able to make speech sounds clearly, or she stutters or stammers. But, aside from this, there are actually other important skills that are improved or developed by speech therapy. Here are some of them:

1. Creating more comprehensible speech sounds. The SLP can teach the child how to properly articulate words by modeling how the tongue should move in order to produce sounds correctly.
   
2. Ability to better control the muscles in the mouth, jaw, and neck. Oftentimes, vocal fluency issues in kids are caused by underdeveloped muscles in the oral area. Hence, speech therapy teaches kids to better control oral muscles which also addresses issues in swallowing, drooling, and difficulty in eating.
   
3. Body language familiarity. Abstract skills such as recognizing body language, as well as matching the facial expressions with the correct emotion, are also addressed in speech-language therapy. Language drills, pictures, books, or play may be used during the treatment to enhance this skill.
   
4. Answering questions. Children who undergo speech therapy are taught to better understand conversation flows and how to answer questions. They can also communicate more effectively and will know how to prolong a dialogue with others. This skill will help kids find new friends and build lasting relationships with others.
   
5. Reading and writing skills. Cognitive development is also one of the goals of speech therapy. The kids' vocabulary is expanded, and they will also show improvements in reading and writing. With these improved skills, the children will already be more confident in talking to others and expressing what they want through non-verbal cues.

Speech Therapy in Colorado Springs

If you are looking for a pathologist who can expertly conduct speech therapy in Colorado Springs, visit WellCare Pediatric Therapy Specialists. We are a group of pediatric specialists in Colorado Springs who offer different services for pediatric care. We aim to make a difference in the lives of others, not just for children, but for their families as well.
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We offer the best treatments with love and care, making use of advanced technology and proven, traditional methods. We can also address requests for pediatric home care in Colorado. If you are interested or know someone who can benefit from the services that we offer, you may contact us at (719) 598-5555.