Who needs Speech and/or Language Services?
Services are provided to pediatric population (birth to 21) whose communication performance is adversely impacted in any of the following areas:
· Articulation/Phonology: Children who are difficult to understand when compared with other children their age. They may substitute sounds for others; omit, distort or add sounds; speak unclear or be difficult to understand; display weak oral/motor functions.
· Fluency: Children who have difficulty speaking with ease. They may avoid talking; seem tense when speaking; hesitate sounds, syllables, words or phrases; prolong or repeat sounds, syllables, words or phrases; make inappropriate facial expressions or gestures when speaking.
· Voice: Children whose voice may not be appropriate for their age, gender or stature. They may speak in too high or low a pitch; speak too loudly or softly; sound as if they always have a cold; sound nasal; often have a hoarse or harsh voice; run out of air when speaking; frequently have no voice.
· Language: Children who have the signs of a language disorder may have trouble putting thoughts into words or understanding others; have trouble following directions, answering questions or solving problems; misuse grammar; speak in poorly constructed sentences; have limited vocabulary; find it hard to describe events; have illogical or disorganized thoughts; have trouble with humor, inferences idioms and multiple meaning words; or have literacy limitations.