Children learn to talk at different times and stages in their lives. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether your child has language problems or is simply a late bloomer. However, 1 in 12 U.S. children between the ages of 3 and 17 have a voice, speech, or language disorder.
Fortunately, speech therapy for kids is effective at assisting children with language and speech problems. It helps them to communicate and boost self-confidence and self-esteem.
Check out these 5 advantages of speech therapy and how your child can benefit.
1. Improves Communication
Of course, this is the most obvious and powerful benefit of speech therapy. Being unable to communicate basic needs and wants is extremely frustrating for children. It impedes their quality of life. On a higher level, being unable to hold a conversation or respond to questions causes anxiety and stress in social situations.
Communication is one of the most fundamental aspects of society and daily life. It’s crucial that children are able to take part in social activities or simply let people know what they need and how they’re feeling.
2. Enhances Non-Verbal Communication
Language development is not just about verbal communication. It also encompasses alternative and non-verbal communication methods. These are just as important to effectively communicate.
Children have the opportunity to work on non-verbal communication during speech therapy. This includes body language, gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, and more. This is especially important for children who suffer from extreme speech impediments.
They will be able to use signs, gestures, and short sounds to communicate their needs, wants, and feelings.
3. Encourages Social Skills
Being unable to communicate properly has a seriously inhibiting effect on social skills and social interaction. One of the top speech therapy benefits is that it encourages children’s social skill development.
Speech therapy assists children to understand the relationship between emotions and facial expressions and how to engage in a conversation.
This will help children to create and maintain strong social connections which are imperative for healthy child development.
4. Enhances Reading Skills
Delayed speech not only causes problems with communication, but it affects the ability to read and hinders children when they’re learning how to read.
Understanding phonics and phonemic awareness are important for reading skills. This is why children are taught to read out loud and sound out each of the syllables and words — which is an impossible task for children will delayed speech or a stutter.
Speech therapy can help to improve reading skills in this way.
5. Boosts Confidence and Self-Esteem
If children suffer from stuttering problems or delayed speech it can seriously knock their confidence and self-esteem. This lack of confidence will then affect each part of their life and their personal development. It causes social anxiety and makes many situations uncomfortable for your child.
Speech therapy will improve your child’s communication. In doing so, it will help to boost their confidence and self-esteem. This is a priceless advantage that will benefit many areas of a child’s life.
Improve Many Aspects of Life With Speech Therapy for Kids
Communication is such a vital part of life. This is why speech therapy for kids doesn’t simply improve communication but helps to improve so many aspects of a child’s life — from reading skills to social skills, and confidence. The benefits are priceless.
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