Join the 1,000+ children who’ve grown more confident connecting, requesting, and sharing what they have to say.
Join the 1,000+ children who’ve experienced an improvement in their development
What is Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy supports the way children understand and use language, produce speech sounds, and connect with the people around them. Rather than “fixing” a child, our work helps each child become more confident in their own voice – however they communicate.
Techniques Used by Speech Language Pathologists
practicing speech sounds
using pictures or other visual aids to help with communication
using sign language or gestures to supplement speech
working on speech rhythm and fluency
teaching breathing exercises to help with speech production
practicing word combinations to expand sentence length
teaching vocabulary to build receptive and expressive language skills
using a strength-based approach to support your child’s speech, language and communication development
Speech therapy can be beneficial for all children, but it is especially important for those who have difficulty communicating or being understood by others. Speech therapy can help children express themselves, interact and connect with others, share their thoughts and feelings, and has even helped support academic development.
Parents are often the first to notice when their child is not meeting speech and language milestones. If your child is not making speech sounds, is not using words by 18 months, or is not putting words together by 2 years, he or she may benefit from speech therapy. Other reasons that your child may need speech therapy include difficulty understanding what others are saying, trouble following directions, and difficulty expressing needs. If you are concerned about your child’s speech and language development, talk to your child’s doctor or a speech-language pathologist. They can help you determine whether speech therapy is necessary and develop a plan to meet your child’s needs.
You might be wondering about support if your child…
Is developing language on their own timeline, and you’d like guidance along the way
Communicates more through gestures, actions, or sounds than words right now
Is building back-and-forth connection and shared moments with others
Finds transitions or changes to routine harder, and could use support navigating them
Experiences big emotions and is building ways to move through them
Is working to be understood when producing speech sounds
Is finding ways to express needs, wants, feelings, and ideas (to request, greet, comment, ask and answer, and more)
Is exploring play in their own way and may enjoy new ways to expand it
How does Speech Therapy help?
Develops and increases the understanding and use of nonverbal and verbal communication skills
Improves how your child is using words to communicate thoughts, needs, wants, feelings and ideas
Provides multiple modalities for communication and expression so that your child feels heard and understood in the world
Provides opportunities for generalization of skills with peers and in a variety of settings
Increases focus and attention to tasks
Develops and increases play skills
Frequently Asked Questions
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It’s not always easy to tell when a child might benefit from speech therapy. Some children start therapy early, around age 18 months or 2 years of age, while others don’t begin until they’re school-aged. Many factors can influence the decision of when to start speech therapy, including the severity of the child’s speech delay, the presence of other developmental delays, and family preferences. Ultimately, the decision of when to begin speech therapy should be made by a speech-language pathologist in consultation with parents and other professionals. Early intervention is often ideal, the sooner you and your team are able to support your child, the better. Working with a qualified speech therapist can help you make the best decision for your child.
Seeing your child, not a label
Autistic children often experience the world through a rich sensory and perceptual lens. We get to know each child as an individual – their strengths, their interests, and the ways they already communicate – and build from there.
Creating a treatment plan that draws on your child’s strengths
Before starting treatment, we conduct a comprehensive assessment so that we can deeply understand your child’s strengths and what areas require some more love, support, guidance and empowerment from us. Then we create functional and meaningful goals with you in order to help you and your child connect and communicate in ways that feel just right.
Supporting the whole family, because you are your child’s greatest teacher.
Our work supports not just your child but your whole family, so the connection and communication you build together continues at home.
Sholeh and the team at Valued Voices have been amazing. Kind, compassionate, supportive and incredibly organized. We have seen immense growth in our daughter’s speech and conversational abilities in the last six months with Valued Voices and would recommend the program to anyone and everyone.
– Katie O
