When we setup an initial consultation and/or evaluation, we will assess your child’s speech and language skills and determine if there are speech language delays. Our analysis will target where your child is having difficulty with their speech and language development. Pinpointing the underlying difficulties is critical for effective treatment. In addition to language therapy, we provide speech therapy for all ages.
STATEN ISLAND BABY TODDLER PRESCHOOLER SPEECH-LANGUAGE DELAY
EARLY STAGES OF COMMUNICATION
Before a child speaks, he/she child relies on non-verbal communication, e.g. pointing, reaching, and handing an object to a parent. Babies and toddlers with communication delays- who are not ready to speak- first need help learning how to communicate non-verbally and some babies and toddlers need help with their social focus, called joint attention. Therapy focuses on increasing the frequency and improving the quality of the child’s communicative gestures and improving their focus during social games/activities.
EARLY EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Early expressive language development is characterized by the quantity and quality of the child’s vocabulary, and the manner in which a child combines words before speaking full sentences. Once the child is speaking in full sentences, his/her development is characterized in terms of how well words are used to convey more complex ideas/thoughts.
Delays in early language development are characterized by slower acquisition of sounds, words, combining words, less frequent social communicative attempts, and difficulty understanding cognitive/linguistic concepts, e.g. big vs. small, under, vs next to, some, vs all, or first, vs. last.