The old smile and nod…. We all know it. You do it when you don’t really know what someone is talking about, but you don’t want to bother them to repeat it or talk further about it. I often see that when people ask me what I do, and I respond with “I’m a Speech Language Pathologist”. When I see the smile and nod, I then clarify, “I’m a speech therapist” or “I do speech therapy”. Typically, the next response is “Oh, so you teach people how to talk?”. Well, yes, but I also work on a lot of other things people often don’t realize fall under the category of “speech therapy”. So, what is speech therapy? The visual below gives a brief overview of the different components of what Speech Language Pathologists (SLP’s) are capable of addressing:
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SLP's can be found in many different settings as speech therapy covers all stages of life from birth to death.
Another question I often get asked is “Does my child need speech therapy?” Every child develops at a different pace and there is a wide range of “typical”. Below are some red flags that may indicate your child could benefit from speech therapy:
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People also tend to ask about their children’s articulation skills. Below is a visual of speech sounds and when they should be mastered. If your child is not using the sounds correctly by the age listed, intervention would be beneficial:
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If you would like more in depth information regarding speech and language developmental milestones, head on over to www.forgoodnessspeech.com, enter your email address, and I will send it to you!
Keep an eye out for my next article in April which will dive deeper into language development!
CREDIT: Information obtained from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association.
This article/content was provided to Macaroni Kid as part of a paid editorial sponsorship campaign. As a reminder, Macaroni Kid does not endorse or recommend any particular medical advice, therapy or treatments. This article has been included for educational and informational purposes only. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with their pediatrician directly to address any specific medical condition, developmental delays or illness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashley Maturo
Founder of For Goodness Speech, LLC
M.Ed. CCC-SLP
Licensed in CT, NY, NJ, CA
Certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA)
Received B.S. and M.Ed from the University of Virginia - WAHOOWA!
Certifications: PROMPT Level I, AEIOU Systematic Approach to Pediatric Feeding
My name is Ashley Maturo and I am a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. I have known from a young age that I wanted to be in the helping profession, and what better way than to help children find their voice, communicate effectively, obtain adequate nutrition and help families enjoy meal times together. Being unable to communicate your wants and needs and difficulty with mealtime can be frustrating not only for the child, but also the families/caregivers. I work together with families and professionals to improve your child's ability to communicate effectively and increase their confidence and independence! I work on a variety of skills that are essential to child development. Check out the services page at www.forgoodnessspeech.com and contact me to set up a consultation!
