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Speech & Language Services

Our therapists specialize in communication disorders with focus on engagement to maximize progress by implementing evidence based approaches to develop their skills in the following areas:

​​Children with communication delays/disorders may be experiencing deficits in any of the following areas of communication ​ ​

1. Expressive Language

Expressive language is how your child uses words, sentences, gestures or writes to convey meaning and messages to others. Expressive language skills include being able to label objects in the environment, describe actions and events, put words together in sentences, use grammar correctly, tell a story and answer questions. Expressive language therapy focuses on giving each child the tools and strategies they need to communicate their needs, thoughts and ideas to the world.

2. Receptive Language

Receptive language is how your child listens and comprehends language. It also includes understanding based on visual cues (such as green means go, which colors, shapes and animals are) and associating sounds with words (such as sirens means a fire truck is coming). Children with receptive language disorder may have trouble socializing with other children, answering questions properly, and following directions. They may also have difficulty understanding jokes, or give “off” answers which can make them very frustrated and angry. We help develop their receptive language skills so that they may be able to answer wh questions (ex. who, what, when, where, why), learn about communication without words (such as facial expressions, gestures, signs), and help them with their social skills.

3. Pragmatic Language

Pragmatic language affects how your child uses language within social situations which include different ways to communicate (ex. demand, command, request, greet), and how to meet the needs of a situation (ability to differentiate between talking to an adult versus a baby, or speaking louder or softer when needed). This is how they can build social relationships with other people.

We will help your child learn and use different sounds and gestures, how to make requests, use words for various functions (such as “no” to deny, “mine” to make a statement, engage in verbal communication, and acknowledge their communication partner (responding with “yeah”, “okay”, “no”) amongst many other skills.

4. Fluency

This refers to the flow of sounds, syllables, words and phrases when your child is talking. It affects how others can understand your child based on the rate and flow of their speech so it is important when they are trying to relay information and when they are socializing. Children with a fluency disorder may stutter, or are constantly trying to think of what to say as they still have to plan the sequence of words they will use. We will help develop your child’s ability to speak without stuttering (repeating words and sounds), help them engage with peers, and learn how to phrase sentences.

5. Articulation & Phonology

This affects how your child can be understood by others based on speech sounds. Articulation and phonology focus on the motor process in which the child can produce the expected sounds to produce clear and precise speech. Children who have an articulation disorder may leave out sounds or substitute them. They may have difficulty saying certain vowels and consonants. Phonological process disorder is a pattern of sound mistakes where they may also not be able to pronounce certain letters (ex. Switching consonants, “tat” instead of “cat” or saying only 1 syllable in a word, “bay” instead of “baby”). Our therapists will help them develop the act of producing vowel and consonant sounds. They will also observe any sounds that the child is making wrong and teach them how to properly form those sounds. This can help them practice saying certain words and sounds for better communication.

Department of Developmental Services

www.dds.ca.gov | 916-654-1987