Speech and Language Therapy for Children

Children, young people or even adults may have some form of communication disorder. Many children grow out of speaking difficulties on their own but some may need support to improve their skills. There are several centers for speech and language therapy in Abu Dhabi that cater to children with support to develop and improve their communication and language abilities.

Speech therapists formally evaluate children’s abilities and recommend speech therapy or language therapy that should be continued as long as required.

Speech and language therapists assist children with a variety of difficulties, including:

* Language delay
* Speech problems
* Trouble understanding spoken or written words
* Difficulty learning sounds, letters, syllables or words
* Difficulty learning new vocabulary and using it appropriately
* Dyspraxia

What should parents expect?

Parents must opt for therapies when they find their child struggling with any of the above. Your child will undergo a clinical assessment in order to investigate core language skills that may or may not require some sort of assistance or therapy.

Under these therapies, children’s resources include a wide variety of language and speech activities. Children will be engaged with several activities such as sound or word repetition, rhymes, tongue twisters, clapping and singing. Depending on the age of the child, playtime activities or assigned schoolwork may also be undertaken regularly in such sessions.

Some therapies can be carried out by parents themselves, school teachers or Speech and language therapy assistants. The therapist will provide the parents with all the Speech and Language Therapy resources and guide them through. It is imperative that the people involved with the child also carry out the therapy at school or home as given by the speech therapist, if they want to maximize the child’s learning potential.

Speech and language therapists work in a wide range of settings including schools,
clinics, homes, hospitals and child development centers. In hospitals, these therapists usually work with individuals after a surgery at ortho rehab centers.

Speech and Language Therapy Services for children strive to improve children’s language & communication skills by linking scientific research to practice. They also train parents and professionals in identifying and managing children’s language and communication needs.