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Speech therapy is commonly regarded as the way to teach children how to make speech sounds properly. However, speech therapy is not just about teaching speech. Also, speech therapy is not limited to teaching children!
Speech therapy can be helpful in many other areas of communication. This specialised therapy helps with brain development and relationship building. It can also improve the quality of life. Besides, speech therapy doesn’t only benefit children; it can be beneficial for anyone who has difficulty communicating or interacting with others. Here are some of the most important benefits of speech therapy that many London speech and language therapy centres can offer—
- Social skills
Speech therapy is a great way to help children improve their social skills. First, speech therapy can teach children how to match emotions to faces and carry-on conversations. It also addresses abstract skills like understanding nonverbal communication like body language and how to communicate with others in different situations.
This support can help an adult or child build deeper bonds with others and have more fulfilling, long-lasting relationships. Through speech therapy, children can develop social skills and make friends. They will also feel more connected and happier.
- Improved communication
Speech therapy can be used to help children communicate their wants and needs. Communication can also be nonverbal. For example, children may use gestures, facial expressions, and sign language to express themselves. If they aren’t able or ready to communicate in complete sentences, they can be taught simple sounds or approximations. Voice output devices are another facilitator of communication. These devices are an example of how technology can be used to communicate.
Speech therapy continues to enhance communication skills. Individuals with difficulties communicating can be taught to read and respond to statements and questions and to strike conversations. Communication is key to survival. At any stage of development, speech therapy can open up many possibilities and help people become more independent. And that is why it’s important to undergo London speech and language therapy sessions.
- Improve cognitive development
Speech therapy can help improve cognitive development. Speech and language are key components of thinking and reasoning. Most people use language in some way or the other during their day. All of our thinking is in words. We shape our cognitive development by learning speech and language and continuously improving our problem solving and learning skills with our ability to speak.
Speech pathologists teach cognitive-based strategies to improve performance. They are skilled in helping children think and solve problems, increase self-awareness, improve reading comprehension, writing organisation, and a lot more. Speech therapy can go beyond what people are used to expecting.
- Improve reading and writing skills
The primary area of expertise for a speech therapist is helping with literacy (aka writing, reading, and spelling). While it may seem like a general tutor would suffice to support these skills in children, experts in speech therapy London are specifically trained to pinpoint the cause of a child’s difficulties and offer instructions that are systematic and evidence-based. For children aged 4-6 years, a speech pathologist also assists with developing phonological awareness skills. Children learn that words consist of individual sounds. Each sound corresponds to different written letters.
And this way, they develop the skills of reading and spelling. Remember, learning how to read is essential. And once children can read, they must improve their fluency (or speed) and comprehension of what they read.
Speech therapists also help teach writing. This includes the building blocks of writing and how to structure and organise one’s thoughts into narratives and summaries, in addition to informational, opinion-based, and literary notes. They teach different methods for approaching the writing process and help to create a plan of action. These skills do not always come naturally to children. Speech therapy is a way to help them bridge the gaps in these essential skill areas. It is important to find a speech therapist that has had experience with all the above-mentioned areas.
- Improve feeding problems
Did you know speech therapy can treat feeding and swallowing difficulties? Sometimes children have trouble eating because their muscles can’t hold, chew, or swallow food properly. Speech therapists are able to determine where exactly the problem lies. They can help to strengthen the muscles and improve coordination. They can also help with typical eating behaviours like refusal, food selection, and aversions, and negative physiological reactions. It is also important to find a speech therapist who can address feeding concerns.
- Correct tone
Speech therapy can correct a tone that sounds robotic, flat, lacks emotion or intonation, or makes a person sound angry or unusual in any way. Communication is a lot about how we express our thoughts, in addition to the exact words used for communicating. A child may be misunderstood if they use the wrong tone of voice. This can lead to strained relationships with other children. It can be quite isolating. But then, thankfully, speech pathologists can help in this regard.
Communication is vital for life
Speech therapy is more than learning to make sounds and form words. It’s also about language development. Language allows us to learn, grow and connect with others. It helps us communicate our thoughts and make decisions. Not all human beings speak the same language. Besides, some people communicate with others using signs, pictures, gestures, and even technology.
Communication is essential for everything. Understanding how to communicate, thus, helps people lead better lives as social entities. If you have ever opted for speech therapy London, you would know that it doesn’t just involve speech. Speech-language therapists help people connect with the world and realise their true potential.
