speech  therapy

What is Speech Therapy?  

Speech therapy is the assessment and treatment that addresses various speech and language disorders. Speech therapy is used to help improve deficits by empowering both children and their parents with strategies to help them be successful in interacting with the world around them.  

  • Improving communication: receiving speech therapy can help your child develop and expand the variety of communication skills used daily. These skills can include words, gestures, facial expressions, sign language, and picture exchange. All these methods improve your child’s ability to communicate wants, needs, feelings, and so much more.

  • Improving intelligibility: Speech therapy will help address any sounds that your child may drop, distort, or substitute with another sound. When sounds are not produced well, a child’s speech becomes difficult to understand, or unintelligible. Working towards correcting these changes could significantly improve your child’s speech intelligibility making it easier for those around them to understand your Childs needs and wants.

  • Improving Understanding: The ability to focus on the complexities of language improves your child’s ability to understand questions, directions, and conversations. These skills are important as your child progresses from preschool to kindergarten and through the school system

  • Improving Social Skills: Targeting social skills can improve your child’s ability to connect with others their own age. Whether it is through play or conversation, speech therapy will give your child the tools to engage with the world around them.

when should we start speech therapy?

The timing of starting speech therapy depends on several key factors such as including the severity of the speech or language delay, the specific needs of the child, and individual circumstances.  

 

Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer for speech problems, here are some general guidelines: 

Use Age-Appropriate Milestones as a Guide 

Early intervention is highly recommended if a child shows significant delays or difficulties in speech and language development. If a child is not meeting the age-appropriate milestones or there are concerns about their communication skills, it is important to seek speech therapy sooner rather than later. 

Look for Red Flags  

Certain red flags may indicate a need for immediate speech therapy. These include severe speech delays, a complete lack of speech by 2 years, limited social interaction, or regression in previously acquired language skills. If you notice any of these signs, it is important to start the process so that the child may receive therapy services.  

Advantages of Speech Therapy

  • ✓

    Improving communication: receiving speech therapy can help your child develop and expand the variety of communication skills used daily. These skills can include words, gestures, facial expressions, sign language, and picture exchange. All these methods improve your child’s ability to communicate wants, needs, feelings, and so much more.

  • ✓

    Improving intelligibility: Speech therapy will help address any sounds that your child may drop, distort, or substitute with another sound. When sounds are not produced well, a child’s speech becomes difficult to understand, or unintelligible. Working towards correcting these changes could significantly improve your child’s speech intelligibility making it easier for those around them to understand your Childs needs and wants.

  • ✓

    Improving Understanding: The ability to focus on the complexities of language improves your child’s ability to understand questions, directions, and conversations. These skills are important as your child progresses from preschool to kindergarten and through the school system.

  • ✓

    Improving Social Skills: Targeting social skills can improve your child’s ability to connect with others their own age. Whether it is through play or conversation, speech therapy will give your child the tools to engage with the world around them.

Meet your therapy manager (west+in home)

Kaila Cisneros

Communication: Key to Connection

As a Speech language Pathologist Assistant I get the chance to meet so many children and their families and I'm able to change lives for the better each and every day. Here at Amenity, we support one another, learn from one another, and strive to constantly provide the best care for our patients and families. I’m proud and blessed to be a member of what I believe to be one of the greatest professions on earth!

My name is Kaila Areli Cisneros-Interiano, I've been an SLP-A for the past 13 years in the Lone Star State. I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Communcation & Speech Disorders from Texas A&M International University in December of 2010. I also have a Masters in Healthcare Administration from West Coast University in December 2020. 


Learning: Never ending 

The field of speech pathology is wide and ever changing. New research is constantly coming out and SLPs have to continually read up on current best practices, attend conferences, and learn new treatment methods to provide the best care to the diverse patients we see. We are lifelong learners!

Amenity: We make a difference! 

One of the greatest things about being an SLP-A is being able to make a difference, whether small or big, in the lives of our patients & there families. There is no greater feeling than to watch a child say their first word and see that parent so excited to hear their little voice for the first time. For these reasons and many more, I will always be thankful to have a job I love where I am surrounded by others who share that same passion for continuous learning and helping others.