Language Delay and Disorder in Burlington

What is Speech Therapy for Children with Language Delay and Disorder?

Pillars of Wellness, located in Burlington, Aldershot, specializes in the use of pediatric speech therapy to treat children affected by language delay and disorder. Nurit Nadler come with 20 years of experience in pediatric speech therapy

There is a difference between the word “delay” and “disorder”. A delay is when children have speaking and comprehension difficulties that are unusual for their age. A disorder means that a child is not developing language as one would expect, or is developing it abnormally.

Benefits of Pediatric Speech Therapy

Speech therapy can benefit children with language delay and disorder in a number of ways:

  • Improved overall communication at home and school
  • More confidence and reduced anxiety
  • Better attention and listening
  • Improved play and social skills

Common Symptoms and Causes of Language Delay

If your child has a language delay, they won’t reach language milestones at the typical age. Their specific symptoms and missed milestones depend on their age and the nature of their language delay. At Pillars of Wellness, our pediatric speech therapist can help mitigate a number of symptoms:

  • Not babbling by the age of 15 months
  • Not talking by the age of 2 years
  • An inability to speak in short sentences by the age of 3 years
  • Difficulty following directions
  • Poor pronunciation or articulation
  • Difficulty putting words together in a sentence
  • Repeatedly leaving words out of sentences

In most cases, the causes of language delay are unknown. In some instances, more than one factor can contribute to language delay. It can also be genetic.

Some common causes include the following:

  • Hearing impairment: It’s common for children who have a hearing impairment to have a language impairment as well. If they can’t hear the language, learning to communicate can be difficult
  • Autism: While not all children with autism have language delays, autism frequently affects communication
  • Intellectual disability: A variety of intellectual disabilities can cause language delays. For instance, dyslexia and other learning disabilities lead to language delays in some cases
  • Several psychosocial issues: These can cause language delays, as well. For example, severe neglect can lead to problems with language development
  • Children who have family members with a history of language or communication disorder
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Pediatric Speech Therapy for Language Delay and Disorder at our Clinic in Burlington

Speech therapy treatment is different for everyone. After conducting a thorough medical assessment, your child’s doctor will refer you to a speech-language pathologist.

Here at Pillars of Wellness, our speech-language pathologist will perform a comprehensive assessment of your child’s expressive and receptive language to determine if your child has a language delay. The exam will focus on various forms of verbal and nonverbal communication and use standardized and informal measures.

After completing a speech and language evaluation, the speech-language pathologist may recommend other exams. For example, a hearing exam can help them determine if your child has a hearing impairment. Your child may have hearing problems that have been overlooked, especially if they’re very young.

If your child is diagnosed with a language delay, it’s important to start treatment quickly. Early pediatric speech therapy can help prevent other problems from developing, such as social, learning, and emotional problems.

It may not be possible to prevent all language delays. Hearing impairments and learning disabilities may not always be preventable.

Follow these tips to encourage language development in your child:

  • Talk to your child from the time they’re born
  • Respond to your child’s babbling when they’re a baby
  • Sing to your child, even when they’re a baby
  • Read aloud to your child
  • Answer your child’s questions

Why Choose Pillars of Wellness?

At Pillars of Wellness, in Burlington, Ontario, we are proud to provide a truly integrated care approach that employs a variety of treatments to achieve faster recovery. Our clinic offers different services such as chiropractic, naturopathy, counselling, speech therapy, occupational therapy, yoga therapy, acupuncture, and holistic nutrition.

With multiple diverse services and specialities in one place, you’ll get the best care possible — without having to look elsewhere. Pillars of Wellness is your one-stop-health solution, located right here in Burlington.

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