Pediatric Speech Services

 Language delay occurs when a child develops communication skills more slowly than expected for their age. It may affect expressive language (speaking and using gestures), receptive language (understanding words and following instructions), and/or social communication skills. 

 Articulation disorders affect a child’s ability to produce speech sounds clearly and correctly. It may involve sound distortions, such as lisping, sound deletions, where sounds are omitted from words, or sound substitutions, where one sound is replaced by another. These difficulties can affect speech clarity and overall communication.

 It is a condition that affects a child’s ability to plan, coordinate, and control the movements needed to produce clear speech sounds and words. The severity and causes can vary, ranging from mild to severe. 

 Some speech disfluencies, such as repeating words or phrases, are common in young children around the age of three. However, frequent sound or syllable repetitions, prolonged sounds, blocks, or visible tension may indicate stuttering (stammering), a fluency disorder. 

 (CAS) is a neurological speech disorder that impacts a child's ability to plan and organize the precise movements required for speaking. Children with CAS may struggle to produce sounds and words consistently, combine sounds in the correct order, and maintain natural speech rhythm, stress, and intonation.   

 A voice disorder occurs when a child experiences changes in voice quality, pitch, or loudness, such as hoarseness, a harsh voice, or voice loss. It may result from medical conditions, vocal misuse/abuse, or psychological conditions.  

It is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect a child's social communication, interaction, language, play skills, sensory processing, and behavior. The child will learn and use the appropriate strategies, including multi-modal communication: spoken language, gestures, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). 

 Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) involve improper oral muscle patterns and habits that can affect oral rest posture and function. These may include persistent habits such as thumb, tongue, or lip sucking, keeping the mouth open with a low or forward tongue resting position, and tongue thrusting during speech or swallowing.