Who it is for
- children with autism, ADHD, genetic conditions
- your child is 3 and does not use speech to communicate: this is the first reason to see a speech therapist
- at 4, your child cannot pronounce the later-developing sounds
- your child has trouble understanding what is said to them, has few words, cannot put a phrase together
- mixes up similar-sounding sounds, for example "dom" and "tom" in Russian
It is better to come early rather than wait until the difficulties become obvious.
What we do in sessions
- we develop speech comprehension and vocabulary, and teach the child to build phrases and tell a story coherently
- we work on grammar: correct word forms and agreement
- we get speech started, establish sounds and reinforce them first in words and sentences, then in spontaneous speech
- we train speech breathing and exhalation: soap bubbles, a candle, a cotton ball
- we develop phonemic awareness, which pronunciation, reading and writing depend on
- we give thinking tasks, for example sorting fruits, shapes and colors into separate groups
- we do speech therapy massage when the child is ready for it
What a session looks like and the role of parents
With little ones, the speech therapist does not "correct" but plays, helps and supports. We use ABA techniques in our work: they reduce anxiety and make the session predictable for the child.
We do not hold a child down or make them put up with something through tears. We once had a child who would not accept massage in the therapy room. We moved the adaptation home: the parents learned simple techniques and sent videos, and the specialists reviewed them and gave corrections. Yes, it takes longer, but the child keeps their trust and comes to sessions calmly.
Parent reviews
FAQ
At what age should we see a speech therapist?
The earlier, the better. If at 3 your child does not use speech to communicate, or at 4 cannot pronounce the later-developing sounds, that is definitely a reason to come in.
Does a speech therapist only work on sounds?
No. It also covers understanding speech, vocabulary, phrases, grammar, connected speech, speech breathing and getting speech started.
My child cries and resists. Will they be held down?
No. We choose gentle adaptation, even if it takes longer. It matters to us that the child feels safe.
What is phonemic awareness and why does it matter?
It is the ability to tell apart the sounds that change the meaning of a word. Correct pronunciation, reading and writing all rely on it.
Photos from sessions
Videos and photos from sessions
The center's videos on Instagram.