The ability to communicate our needs, wants, and feelings is one of our most essential abilities. When children are struggling with this or if some aspects of speech and communication cannot be mastered, that’s when pediatric speech therapy becomes vital.

Our goal is helping children gain all the skills they need to achieve independence and enjoyment of life as they mature. At Little Hands at Play Therapy in Fort Smith & Fayetteville, AR, we excel in helping children overcome barriers to effective and comfortable communication.

Who Needs Pediatric Speech Therapy?

Who Needs Pediatric Speech Therapy in Fort Smith & Fayetteville, AR

Speech and other forms of expression develop gradually as a child grows up. You might consider a speech assessment if you notice these indicators:

  • A baby of six months is not babbling.
  • A one-year-old only makes a few sounds and does not yet use words.
  • A two-year-old points and makes noises to convey their wants and does not combine words.
  • A three-year-old has a vocabulary of less than fifty words or cannot be understood when they speak.
  • A four-year-old stutters or can’t follow simple directions.
  • A child has poor social skills.
  • A child gets frustrated because of an inability to communicate effectively.

How We Help with Speech Therapy

Speech therapy can reduce or resolve communication struggles and make school, home, and life more enjoyable for everyone. We also help children learn to use augmentative and alternative communication devices.

Your young child’s speech therapist may help your child with therapeutic activities like these:

  • Playing with the child while talking about toys and books
  • Demonstrating correct mouth and lip function for correct pronunciation
  • Using exercises to improve mouth, lip, and tongue strength
  • Offering massage to relax muscles of the face
  • Demonstrating new sounds in the process of interacting with games, stories, and toys

Adolescents and young adults up to age twenty-one can benefit from speech therapy to help them overcome stuttering, lisping, difficulty being understood, trouble expressing their needs, or an inability to pronounce certain letters or words. Even nonverbal children can be taught to express themselves effectively.

Pediatric Speech Therapy Evaluations

Pediatric Speech Therapy Evaluations in Fort Smith & Fayetteville, AR

It’s natural for parents to become concerned if their child is unable to communicate. A child who doesn’t speak or can’t articulate their feelings can’t make themselves understood, which leads to frustration.

We work with our parents to ensure their child can get the pediatric therapy care they need. We keep our schedule flexible to help parents cope with work or transportation limitations. We help our parents understand how to work with their insurance plans and offer different methods of payment. We want every child who can benefit from speech therapy to receive it.

We can offer parents looking for a pediatric speech therapy clinics in Fort Smith and Fayetteville, AR, professional evaluations of the child’s need for pediatric speech therapy. To schedule an assessment for your child, please call us at 479-226-3409.

My son started speech therapy in February. I love how welcoming and understanding the staff was with him considering it took him a little bit to warm up to the environment. I’ve seen so many improvements already and he is always so excited for Fridays! Thank you LHAP!

- A.H.

My Daughter Briseis Truly Loves Speech I’ve Seen Such A Big Change Into Her In Just A Few Months She Adores Miss Kayci LHAP Is Wonderful

- G.H.

Contact Us to Schedule an Appointment Now!

To get started, fill out the form below or give us a call at (479) 398-2957.

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