Improving skills for effective communication in children

Speech-language therapy improves skills that allow children to communicate more effectively, such as:

• Improving your child’s ability to understand and express thoughts, ideas and feelings.
• Improving speech-language skills so your child is understood by others.
• Improving your child’s ability to follow directions and understand what others say.
• Supporting reading, writing and other academic subjects.

Our speech-language therapists work with children and families to address a range of communication concerns, from speech delays to developmental language and communication disorders, including autism, hearing loss, apraxia, voice, fluency and cleft lip and palate.

Click here to learn more about communication milestones from birth through fifth grade.

Communication Milestones by Age

Communication Evaluations

The first step is to have your child complete a communication evaluation with one of our certified speech-language pathologists to identify the communication delay or disorder and set up an individualized therapy plan. Individualized communication goals may focus on:

• Answering questions
• Following directions
• Building language
• Increasing length of spoken utterances
• Using correct verb tense and appropriate sentence structure
• Improving conversational turn-taking
• Improving articulation
• Improving listening skills, as well as supporting reading and written language development.
• Using alternative methods to communicate, such as sigh language or a computerized device
• Supporting reading and written language development

Communication evaluations and therapy for children speaking Spanish are also available.

Schedule an Evaluation with a Speech Therapist

To schedule your child for an evaluation with a pediatric speech pathologist, please call (531) 355-5087. Appointments are available between 8am-5pm Monday through Friday.

Our pediatric speech-language pathologists work closely with families to ensure children achieve performance expectations.

How Do I Pay for My Child's Therapy?

Children may enroll in therapy sessions based on insurance coverage and availability. Self-pay evaluation and therapy services (without insurance coverage) are also available. Additionally, the Small Steps in Speech grant is also available to provide financial assistance for families with children 3-22 years and a certain income criteria.

Therapy Services for Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing

Evaluations and therapy services focusing on the development of communication skills for children who are deaf or hard of hearing are located at our Downtown Medical Campus. Hospital speech pathologists specialize in the development of skills along the auditory-visual continuum and are able to serve individuals who want to develop their listening and spoken language skills as well individuals who need support developing their visual communications skills, such as sign language. Appointments for services specially designed to meet the needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can be made by calling (531) 355-5087.

Spanish Speech Therapy

Communication evaluations and therapy services are also available for children and families who speak Spanish. Spanish speech therapy services are located at the Downtown Medical Campus. Please call (531) 355-5087 to request a communication evaluation for individuals who speak Spanish.