Reasons Your Child Need Speech Therapy

August 25, 2021
Reasons Your Child Need Speech Therapy

Does your child stammer his/her words or tend to stutter when speaking? Chances are that he or she has speech and/or communication problems and may need to undergo speech therapy to improve their communication with psychologist in KL.


However, if your child’s speech development is slower than his or her peers, it may be time to consult speech therapists to find out what’s hindering the development. In this article, we discuss what is speech therapy, how it works and reasons to go for speech therapy in KL especially for those who lives in Kuala Lumpur.




What is speech therapy?


Speech therapy is the treatment of communication problems and speech disorders. It is often performed by speech therapists or speech-language pathologists (SLPs), using various techniques to improve speech and/or communication problems in children.


Depending on the type of speech or language disorder, the techniques used in speech therapy may include articulation therapy, language intervention activities, and feeding and swallowing therapy.




How does speech therapy work?


It usually begins with an assessment by an SLP who will identify the type of speech and/or communication problem and then decide on the best way to treat it. Depending on your child's communicative problem, the therapy may be carried out one-on-one, in small groups, or a classroom.


That said, the exercises and activities involved in speech therapy may vary depending on your child’s disorder, age, and needs. During the speech therapy, the SLP may use strategies such as:


  • Language intervention activities to build up your child’s language skills. This includes using pictures and books or play-based therapy.
  • Articulation therapy to help model the sounds that your child has difficulty with. This includes demonstrating how to move the tongue to create specific sounds.
  • Feeding and swallowing therapy to strengthen the muscles of your child’s mouth. This includes facial massage and various tongue, lip, and jaw exercises. Different food textures may also be used to encourage awareness during eating and swallowing.




Does your child need speech therapy?


As a rule of thumb, when your child is one or one and a half years old, he or she should know plenty of single words and start saying some of them. As they grow older, he or she should be able to put the words together to form two- or three-word phrases. After a period, your child will be speaking in strings of words.


If your child doesn’t understand what you are saying, there is cause for concern because this can affect his or her speech and language skills. That’s where speech therapy comes in – to help improve your child’s speech and language skills.


However, with the prolonged lockdown in Malaysia and widespread use of face mask, children who are already at risk may be affected the most during this pandemic. And the situation can hamper their ability to acquire proper speech and language skills.


Therefore, speech therapy may be necessary for your child during this pandemic in order to increase their exposure to new vocabulary and improve their ability to differentiate between similar sounds while improving their speech and language skills.


Aside from such limitations, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many families to be separated when a family member becomes ill. As a result, some children have to be separated from their parents to keep them safe. For children whose parents become seriously ill and later succumb to the illness, they might have to face the loss of their parents at a young age.


If their family members fail to explain the situation or they're too young to understand, the chances of falling into depression is high as they long for their parents. When this happens, it can affect the child's growth and language development.




Reasons for your child to undergo speech therapy


As parents, you will want only the best for your child. When your child has trouble communicating with you, he or she is limited in their ability to make choices, interact with others, communicate basic needs and wants, and will be closed off from the world in many ways. Early detection along with speech therapy can help improve your child’s communication skills.


  1.  Improve your child’s communication skills


Speech therapy is more than just improving your child’s speech. It’s also about improving his or her language skills. For example, an SLP may target specific concepts such as comprehension, sequencing, actions, pronoun usage, categorization, grammar, etc. This will allow your child to speak and convey their thoughts better.



  2.   Enhances alternative communication methods


Humans communicate in various ways – speech, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, writing, typing, etc. If your child has communicative problems, a speech therapist can devise alternative communication methods to help your child make sense of their expressions and give meaning to them.


Bear in mind that speech therapy isn’t a quick fix to your child’s speech and/or language problem. It may take months or even years for your child to improve their speech and language. To make the therapy more effective, your involvement in your child’s therapy like practicing the exercises at home may just be one of the most important factors.




Choose Well Rehab as your trusted speech therapy in KL


Ensuring your child’s speech and/or communication improves with therapy drives all of us at Well Rehab.


As Malaysia’s leading provider of speech therapy in KL especially, we are the preferred, qualified, and certified professionals psychologist in KL that are trusted nationwide. For more information about our therapies or services in Malaysia, you may contact us at +60 12 512 8487 or email wellrehabmanagement@gmail.com.

The Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Special Needs Children in Malaysia

By Wei Qing Lee • June 23, 2024
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How Occupational Therapy Supports Special Needs Education in Malaysian Schools

By Wei Qing Lee • June 23, 2024
Special needs education in Malaysia is evolving, with an increasing emphasis on integrating occupational therapy (OT) into the school system. This approach not only supports the educational needs of special needs children but also enhances their overall development. This article delves into how occupational therapy supports special needs education in Malaysian schools, helping both teachers and students achieve better educational outcomes. Integration in Schools Occupational therapy in schools involves the collaboration of occupational therapists with educators to create an inclusive learning environment. Therapists work within the school setting to assess students' needs, develop individualized intervention plans, and implement strategies that support learning and participation in school activities. Support for Teachers and Students Helping Teachers Adapt Lessons One of the critical roles of occupational therapists in schools is to assist teachers in adapting lessons to meet the needs of special needs students. This can involve modifying classroom activities, providing alternative teaching materials, and suggesting strategies to manage sensory and behavioral issues. By making these adjustments, teachers can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. Providing Students with Coping Strategies Occupational therapists equip students with strategies to cope with classroom challenges. This can include sensory integration techniques to help children manage sensory overload, exercises to improve focus and attention, and tools to enhance fine motor skills required for writing and other tasks. These strategies enable students to participate more fully in classroom activities and improve their academic performance. Programs and Initiatives Several programs and initiatives in Malaysian schools incorporate occupational therapy to support special needs education. These programs often involve multidisciplinary teams working together to address the diverse needs of students. For example, schools may have dedicated sensory rooms designed by occupational therapists to provide a safe and controlled environment for children to manage sensory issues. Additionally, collaborative efforts between therapists and educators ensure that each child's unique needs are met through personalized education plans.  Conclusion Occupational therapy plays a crucial role in supporting special needs education in Malaysian schools. By helping teachers adapt lessons and providing students with coping strategies, occupational therapists contribute to a more inclusive and effective educational environment. The integration of OT into the school system ensures that special needs children receive the support they need to succeed academically and develop essential life skills. For parents and educators, recognizing the value of occupational therapy can make a significant difference in the educational journey of special needs children.

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