Speech-language pathologists not only assess and provide treatment of a variety of communication problems and speech disorders, but also can provide families with strategies and techniques to improve the use of and understanding of language at all developmental ages in both an outpatient, private, and school based setting.

Here are a few ways in which a speech-language pathologist can support communication:

• Model for families how to interact and facilitate play with their child

• Increase expressive communication via multiple modalities such as signs, gestures, pictures, words, assistive technology, etc in order to meet the wants/needs of the child

• Increase comprehension by targeting identification of body parts, objects named, following directions, spatial concepts

• Target speech sound errors in order to increase intelligible speech

• Improve fluency via strategies for children who stutter or clutter in spontaneous speech

• Target listening and spoken language in children with hearing loss

• Model appropriate social skills such as eye contact, body language, turn taking, conversational speech, greetings/closures

• Make additional recommendations for families to obtain consults to other related medical doctors or professionals such as an Ear Nose and Throat doctor, behavior therapy, feeding therapy, dentist, or developmental pediatrician.

A speech-language pathologist may work with your child for months or even a few years depending on his/her needs. If you have specific questions about how to support your child’s communication, please reach out to one of the speech-language pathologists on our Panel at alyssa@collaborativecorner.org or kristen@collaborativecorner.org.

Kristen Bencomo, MA, CCC-SLP
Co-Founder/Director of Development
Speech-Language Pathologist
kristen@collaborativecorner.org

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