What Is Speech-Language Therapy?
Speech-language therapy is the most common treatment for children with speech and/or language disorders. It helps
children strengthen communication skills, build confidence, and overcome barriers that affect learning and social
interaction.
What Are Speech Disorders?
Speech disorders involve difficulties with producing sounds correctly.
Common types include:
- 🗣 Articulation disorders – trouble making sounds in syllables or saying words clearly
- 🔄 Fluency disorders – interruptions in speech flow, such as stuttering or prolonging sounds
- 🎤 Resonance/voice disorders – issues with pitch, volume, or voice quality that may distract listeners or cause discomfort when speaking
What Are Language Disorders?
Language disorders affect a child’s ability to understand or use words to communicate ideas.
These may include:
- 📖 Receptive disorders – difficulty understanding or processing language
- ✍️ Expressive disorders – limited vocabulary or trouble putting words together appropriately
- 🧠 Cognitive-communication disorders – challenges with memory, attention, organization, or problem-solving in communication
What Are Feeding Disorders?
Some children also experience feeding and swallowing disorders (dysphagia), which can involve:
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Coughing or gagging during meals
- Refusing certain foods or textures
SLPs provide specialized therapy to strengthen oral muscles and improve safe, effective feeding.
What Do Speech Therapists Do?
SLPs work with children one-on-one, in small groups, or in classroom settings.
Therapy may include:
- 📚 Language intervention activities – play-based learning, modeling vocabulary and grammar, repetition exercises
- 🗣 Articulation therapy – practicing correct sound production through age-appropriate activities
- 🍎 Oral-motor/feeding therapy – exercises to strengthen mouth muscles, introduce food textures, and improve swallowing
Why Do Some Kids Need Speech-Language Therapy?
Children may need speech-language therapy for many reasons, including:
- Hearing impairments
- Developmental delays
- Weak oral muscles
- Chronic hoarseness
- Cleft lip or palate
- Autism
- Motor planning problems
- Articulation or fluency disorders
- Respiratory conditions
- Feeding and swallowing difficulties
- Traumatic brain injury
Early intervention is key—children who begin therapy before age 5 often make faster progress. Older children can still
benefit, though therapy may take longer as learned patterns are gradually changed.
Our Approach
At North Florida Therapy Services, our speech-language pathologists create individualized treatment plans tailored to
each child’s needs. We focus on building communication skills that support success at home, in school, and in the
community—while boosting confidence and self-esteem along the way.
Speech-Language Therapy (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth
