Aphasia is a communication disorder that affects the ability to express or understand language. It can occur suddenly after a stroke or head injury, or it can develop slowly over time due to a brain tumour, infection or dementia. 

Aphasia can impact any aspect of language, including speaking, understanding and reading. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the child’s age and severity of the condition. They may include difficulty thinking of the right words, putting words in the correct order, or switching the sounds of words. 

Aphasia can have a negative impact on a child’s quality of life, and can also lead to social isolation and depression. But with early intervention and therapy, most children can make significant improvements in their ability to communicate. 

Common Misconceptions About Aphasia in Children 

When it comes to supporting children with aphasia, there are a few misconceptions you may have heard. The first is that aphasia affects only adults. While this is often true, it can also affect children. A second misconception is that aphasia affects intelligence levels—it doesn’t. Aphasia affects language and communication, not intelligence.  

It’s important to remember that speech therapy has been proven to help improve the communication abilities of individuals living with aphasia and related issues. With the right support from professionals at The Spring Forward Centre, your child can develop the skills needed to communicate more effectively and confidently in their day-to-day life. 

Benefits of Speech Therapy for Children 

Your child’s speech therapist can help them in many ways. 

Most importantly, their therapist can help improve your child’s self-esteem and independence. They will be able to do this by teaching your child how to communicate effectively—whether that’s through verbal or non-verbal means of communication. With therapy, your child will be better able to express themselves and understand language.  

Therapy can also provide a sense of community for your child. They’ll be surrounded by people who understand what they’re going through and can offer support. This is crucial, as it can help reduce feelings of isolation and frustration. 

Assessing Progress in Children’s Speech Therapy at Spring Forward Family Centre 

At Spring Forward, we take a holistic approach to assessing the progress of your child’s speech therapy. We focus on assessing, improving, and developing their expressive and receptive speech, language, and social/pragmatic skills. Our assessment criteria include looking for improvements in your child’s ability to communicate thoughts and ideas clearly, express themselves easily and naturally, and use increasingly more morphemes—grammatical words like “ed” or “ing” at the end of nouns or verbs. 

We also carefully assess your child’s daily progress in areas such as social communication skills and pragmatic development. We use these assessments to identify areas of strength and pinpoint areas where coaching may be needed to encourage more advanced communication techniques. 

How to Choose the Right Speech Therapist 

When it comes to choosing the right speech therapist, you should look into the therapist’s qualifications, experience and references. Additionally, make sure they are certified in the areas you are interested in. You might also want to ask questions such as: What specific type of speech therapy treatments do they offer? What is the approach they take? Will their treatment plan be tailored to meet your child’s specific needs? 

Also, consider if their style of therapy works with your child’s personality and learning style. Lastly, make sure that your therapist’s goals are aligned with yours for your child’s success. 

At Spring Forward, we understand that a diagnosis of aphasia can be daunting for families. We provide individualised supports to ensure that families feel supported every step of the way. Our team strives to ensure that the best possible advice and support is provided in meaningful ways. If you have any questions or concerns about speech therapy for your loved one, reach out to us! 

Conclusion 

No matter where you are in the world, if you’re a parent of a child with speech therapy needs, we want to offer our support. There are many ways in which you can help your child, and we’re here to give you the tools you need to make the biggest impact. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. 

The post Expert Advice for Children’s Speech Therapy and Aphasia first appeared on Spring Forward Family Centre.