Mental health specialists

A speech therapist is a communication specialist who works with people of all ages to improve their speech, language, and communication skills.

When working with children, speech therapists primarily focus on identifying and addressing speech and language development problems, conducting therapy sessions, and providing guidance and support to parents. A speech therapist also assesses various speech characteristics (voice, pronunciation, fluency, etc.), speech-related muscle function and, if necessary, swallowing function.

The development of a child’s speech is linked to the development of their perception, attention, memory and thinking. A delay in speech development therefore affects not only communication skills but also a child’s learning ability – that’s why it’s important to notice speech development problems as early as possible and intervene if necessary. A child who is just starting to speak, as well as a teenager already in school, may need the help of a speech therapist. Early intervention with a speech therapist allows for quicker support of communication skill development, which in turn improves a child’s daily life and learning abilities.

When should you see a speech therapist?

• Problems with pre-verbal communication in infancy or early childhood (lack of emotional communication with the parent, absence or infrequency of babbling, etc.).
• Speech-language delay (including articulation problems)
• Speech problems related to being bilingual

If you suspect your child has a speech disorder, consult our speech therapists. It is never too early or too late to consult a specialist if you have any concerns! If problems are more serious, specialist intervention, continuous therapy and cooperation between all parties are needed.