Speech Therapy Services for Language Difficulties

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Language difficulties are a hidden but common condition, affecting approximately two children in every classroom. In preschool and school-age children, these difficulties can manifest in various ways, impacting their ability to communicate effectively, understand others, and perform well academically. These challenges may involve expressive language, where a child struggles to use words and sentences to express their thoughts, and/or receptive language, where a child has trouble understanding what is being said to them.

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Some common signs of language difficulties in the preschool years include:

• A small vocabulary
• Using shorter and simpler sentences than expected for their age
• Frequent grammatical errors
• Providing responses to questions that may not make sense
• Difficulty talking about what they did or giving a simple explanation in a clear and organized way

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If there is no known cause for the language difficulties, such as autism or prematurity, and a child continues to have trouble after 4-5 years of age, they may be diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder.

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Language difficulties can impact a child’s social interactions and academic success. In preschool, these challenges might make it hard for a child to make friends, share, and participate in group activities. As children enter school, language difficulties can affect their ability to learn to read and write, understand math problems, and engage in classroom discussions. If left unaddressed, these challenges can lead to a cycle of academic struggles and low self-esteem.

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Fortunately, language therapy and the right kind of support can help children develop the skills they need to communicate more effectively, understand language better, and succeed in school.