Logopaedics
Logopaedics is the science of shaping proper speech during its development and improving it later.
First of all, it helps identify and remove barriers to language communication that may impair a child’s development. We are talking mainly about:
- intellectual
- emotional
- social
A speech therapist, who diagnoses and then treats speech defects, should have a broad knowledge of various fields, because he or she analyses speech understood as the transmission and reception of information, i.e. communication, as speech disorders arise from different backgrounds. The therapist's knowledge should not be limited only to medicine, but also psychology and pedagogy. It is worth remembering that parents of children with stammering, hearing impairment, bilingualism, Asperger's syndrome and autism, as well as dyslexics, also seek help from a speech therapist.
Speech therapist – when
is help needed?
There are a few symptoms that should give parents a pause. One should never wait until a child grows out of a speech defect on their own. This happens very rarely, and delaying proper treatment can lead to significant problems in the future. It is worth consulting a doctor if you notice any abnormalities in your child’s speech:
- abnormal structure of the tongue, malocclusion, dental abnormalities
- pronunciation of the child is not adequate for their age
In addition, you can also come to a speech therapist with a newborn to find out if it is breathing, swallowing and sucking correctly.?
How to recognize,
that the child needs a visit to a speech therapist?
There are several ways to do this. First of all, as a parent or caregiver, compare the child's skills with the age standards:
A 3-year-old should be able to pronounce:
- all vowels, both oral (a, o, e, u, i, y) and nasal (ą, ę);
- hard and soft labial consonants (m, m’, b, b’, p, p’);
- hard and soft labiodental consonants (f, f’, w, w’);
- alveolo-palatal consonants (ś, ź, ć, dź, ń);
- velar hard and soft consonants (k, k’, g, g’, ch, ch’)
- dental-alveolar consonants (t, d, n);
- hard and soft dental-alveolar consonants (l, l’)
- semi-vowels (ł, j)
A 4-year-old should be able to pronounce:
- the s, z, c, and dz sounds gradually stabilize;
- the sz, ż, cz, and dż sounds are still being replaced by s, z, c, dz or ś, ź, ć, dź.
A 5-year-old should pronounce:
- the sz, ż, cz, dż sounds start to stabilize;
- the r sound should be realized.
On the other hand, a 6-year-old should already learned all sounds, but their pronunciation may still be far from perfect.
How does the therapy with a speech therapist work?
What is its result?
Once the speech therapist diagnosed the patient, they prepare an action plan and starts therapy. A standard appointment lasts about 45 minutes and includes:
The speech therapy results depend, among others, on the type of defect, the time of starting treatment, and the patient’s commitment and perseverance. The child itself should feel the need to exercise. Parents’ cooperation is also important and may be invaluable. They’re the ones that should be doing the recommended exercises with the child. Do not exercise if your child has a sore throat or feels uncomfortable.
A good speech therapist
– how to find one?
A good speech therapist is the key to success in working with your child. They should have the appropriate preparation and be able to adapt classes to the child’s psyche and age so that they find the class interesting. Communication between the speech therapist and parents is also essential. Without this cooperation, it will be more difficult for the child to achieve the intended goal.
In our facility, we cooperate with the best specialists in Poland - if you think that your child needs a speech therapy consultation, you can make an appointment +48 123 456 789 or by going to the tab to make an appointment online.
Once you have completed the form, we will respond within 60 minutes during clinic hours.
- Opening hours
Mon-Fri: 8:00 - 21:00
Saturday: 8:00 - 15:00
- st. Grzybowska 85
00-844 Warsaw