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Speech-Language Pathology

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Sometimes known as a "Speech Pathologist" or a "Speech Therapist," Speech-Language Pathologists (S-LP) are highly trained professionals who deal with all aspects of communication disorders.  S-LPs work closely with family members, teachers, and professionals to help prevent, detect, and treat communication disorders.

S-LPs assist parents, caregivers, and teachers to plan communication goals and strategies appropriate for their child. S-LPs help parents facilitate their children's language learning within everyday conversations, daily routines, and play activities. S-LPs can help preschool teachers learn how to maximize interaction and language learning, and how to facilitate peer interaction and emergent literacy.

S-LPs’ work environment includes work in the Child Development Centre, in homes, in community preschools, and in the community.

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Communication Disorders

Here is a list of common communication disorders that an S-LP can diagnose and treat.
 

Phonological/Articulation Disorders: Child has difficulty making speech sounds correctly

Language Disorders: difficulty in planning, sending and/or understanding messages; and/or difficulty in building sentences

Fluency Disorders: Disruptions in the smooth flow of speech

Voice Disorders: problems with the loudness, quality or pitch of speech

Resonance Disorders: problems with nasal resonance

Hearing Disorders: recurrent middle ear infections and hearing loss

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The Benefits of Early Referral

Early identification and early intervention of speech and language difficulties are essential for a child's optimal learning, social development, and emotional health. Early speech and language abilities are strong predictors of later school performance. As well, early parent involvement in a home-based intervention program has positive effects on a child's communication development.

The following are guidelines representing different stages of a child's speech to determine if a child should be referred.

Birth to Twelve Months
 
• vocalizes "ooh" and "ah"
• makes eye contact, smiles, and laughs
• imitates speech sounds
• babbles "buhbuhbuh" and "dada"
• at 12 months, one word stands as a "sentence"

Refer if child does not engage in vocal play, or does not seem responsive to sound or other distractions.

One Year to Two Years
 

• uses one- to three-word "sentences" and "phrases" with or without jargon
• a few word vocabulary at 16 months, to about 200 words by 24 months
• understands simple questions (e.g., "Where's your mouth?")
• follows one-step directions
• sounds made with the lips (e.g., "p", "b", "m", "w")

Refer if the child does not talk at all (important to refer immediately), or has a limited vocabulary.

Two to Three Years
 

• uses two- to three-word incomplete sentences
• approximately 1000 words by 3 years of age
• beginning to have short conversations with adults and peers
• follows two-step directions
• by 3 years speech is about 80% intelligible
• commonly used words are recognizable

Refer if the child shows some frustration trying to communicate, is not understandable, or does not combine words or shows signs of stuttering (e.g., repetition of words or sounds).

Three to Four Years
 

• uses three- to four-word simple sentences
• asks many questions
• is able to pretend play and role play
• may not pronounce endings of words completely

Refer if the child is unintelligible, continues to use short and simple phrases (e.g., "Daddy go"), is unable to follow directions, or is echolalic (e.g., inappropriate mimicking of speech)

Four to Five Years
 

• tell simple stories
• speech is almost 100% understood
• sentence structure is complex
• follows three-step directions
• adult-like grammar
• sound errors may still be present on "r", "ch", "sh", "l", "th", and a lisp on "s"

Refer if the child is unable to engage in conversations with adults or peers, produces incomplete sentence structure, is unintelligible, cannot follow directions