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Speech Therapy
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Therapy & support
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Therapy & support
How can we support communication development in a child with Intellectual Disability?
Support communication in a child with intellectual disability by following the child's lead, using total communication — gestures, signs, pictures and AAC alongside speech — and turning daily routines into back-and-forth exchanges. Every look, sound or sign is real communication to build on, and a speech-language therapist can tailor a plan to your child's pace and strengths.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication with Motor Planning Difficulties
Support communication in children with motor planning difficulties through total communication (gestures, signs, pictures, devices alongside speech), predictable repetitive routines, turn-taking play, and low-pressure practice that celebrates every attempt. Comprehension often outpaces speech, so honouring all communication and partnering with a speech therapist helps build reliable movement plans over time.
Read the answer AnswerSupporting Communication in a Non-Verbal or Minimally Verbal Child
A non-verbal or minimally verbal child is still communicating — through gestures, sounds, gaze and behaviour. Support it by responding to every attempt as meaningful, building daily reasons to communicate, and adding tools like signs, pictures and AAC devices, which help rather than hinder spoken words.
Read the answer AnswerHow can we support communication development in a child with Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
Support communication in a child with ODD by naming feelings, offering choices instead of commands, using short calm language, praising communicated emotions, and protecting daily child-led talk-time. ODD is not a speech disorder, but strengthening expression often eases defiance — and speech therapy plus parent guidance work best together.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Child with Persistent Toe-Walking
Persistent toe-walking is a gait pattern, not a language disorder, and most toe-walkers communicate well. Support communication daily by following your child's lead, narrating movement, using five-second pauses, and responding to every attempt. Arrange a developmental check only if communication or social differences appear alongside the toe-walking.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Preterm Child
Support communication in a preterm child by using corrected age, talking face-to-face all day, taking turns and pausing for responses, sharing books and gesture, and protecting a calm space. Seek a developmental check using corrected age if babble or gesture is limited by ~12 months or words are few by 18 months — early support works alongside home routines.
Read the answer AnswerHow can we support communication development in a child with Rett Syndrome?
Support communication in Rett Syndrome by presuming competence, honouring eye-gaze as the primary channel, and introducing AAC such as eye-gaze devices and partner-assisted scanning early. Build choices into daily routines, give generous response time, and pair communication with motor and regulation support through a coordinated therapy team.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Child with a School Readiness Gap
Support communication in a child with a School Readiness Gap through rich back-and-forth daily talk, vocabulary-building play and stories, turn-taking games, and following-instruction practice. The goal is confident, connected communication — and early, focused speech support closes gaps faster than waiting.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in Selective Mutism
Support a child with Selective Mutism by lowering the pressure to speak, honouring every form of communication (nods, pointing, whispers) as success, and building confidence in small graded steps using the gentle 'sliding-in' approach with home and school working together — never coaxing or bribing for speech.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Child with Self-Regulation Difficulties
Help your child feel calm and safe first — a regulated child is ready to communicate. Use simple, predictable, responsive language in everyday routines, follow their lead, pause to invite a response, and honour every gesture or sound as real communication. Self-regulation and language grow together, and small daily moments matter more than drills.
Read the answer AnswerSupporting Communication with Sensory-Based Feeding Selectivity
Eating and talking share the same mouth, sensory and oral-motor systems, so they develop together. Support communication in a child with sensory-based feeding selectivity by keeping mealtimes low-pressure and language-rich, building comfort through sensory and oral play, and modelling words around food and routines — ideally with a speech therapist and feeding-aware team working as one.
Read the answer AnswerSupporting Communication with Sensory Processing Differences
Support communication in children with Sensory Processing Differences by regulating the senses first, following the child's lead, pairing simple words with enjoyed sensory experiences, and building predictable, low-pressure routines. Reduce noise and clutter during talking time, and honour every gesture or sound as communication. Seek a developmental check if daily life is hard.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication with Separation Anxiety Disorder
Support communication in a child with Separation Anxiety Disorder by lowering anxiety first: use predictable, brief goodbyes, name feelings to build vocabulary, remove performance pressure, and practise small successful separations with warm reunions. Seek a developmental check if anxiety is intense, lasts weeks, or holds back words and play.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in Social Communication Difficulties
Support a child with social communication difficulties by following their lead in play, narrating daily life, building turn-taking, expanding their words by one, and using gestures and visual supports. Steady, joyful practice in real moments grows skills, and a speech and language therapist can tailor a plan — no need to wait and see.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in Specific Learning Disability
Support communication in a child with Specific Learning Disability by separating their ideas from the mechanics of reading and writing: offer multiple ways to express (speaking, drawing, typing, voice notes), grow vocabulary through talk and audiobooks, and celebrate ideas over spelling. Speech and language therapy strengthens underlying language skills.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in Speech and Language Delay
Support communication at home by following your child's lead, narrating and expanding their words, pausing to give them a turn, reading and singing daily, and reducing passive screen time. These everyday habits, alongside a speech-language therapist's guidance, are the strongest drivers of language growth — and a developmental check helps tailor the plan.
Read the answer AnswerHow to support communication in Stereotyped Movement Disorder
Support communication in a child with Stereotyped Movement Disorder by following their lead, offering rich back-and-forth interaction, and treating repetitive movements as self-regulating rather than something to stop. A calm, connected child communicates more — and a speech therapist can tailor everyday strategies and check hearing.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Child with Tourette Syndrome
Children with Tourette Syndrome can build strong communication — tics affect movement and vocalisation, not ideas or the desire to connect. Support means easing pressure to suppress tics, giving extra time, growing language through reading and turn-taking, protecting confidence, and involving a speech therapist where tics affect speech flow.
Read the answer AnswerHow to Support Communication in a Child with Visual Impairment
Children with visual impairment build full communication through sound, touch and rich description rather than sight. Narrate your actions, greet the child by name first, let them explore named objects hands-on, and wait for replies. Early, consistent input builds a strong foundation; a speech assessment helps if language is slow.
Read the answer AnswerHow common is hearing impairment in children?
Hearing impairment is common in children — around 1 to 3 babies in every 1,000 are born with a permanent hearing loss, and many more develop temporary difficulties such as glue ear during early childhood. Early detection through newborn screening and developmental checks means most children can be supported well. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow common is Speech and Language Delay in children?
Speech and language delay is one of the most common early-childhood developmental concerns, affecting roughly 1 in 10 to 1 in 5 toddlers, with boys flagged slightly more often. Many late talkers catch up, but age alone cannot predict which child will, so an early developmental and hearing check is worthwhile. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I check if my child's communication development is on track?
You can check your child's communication development by watching how they understand, express and connect at each age — from cooing and babbling to pointing, first words and short phrases — while allowing for each child's own pace. A gentle developmental check is the right step if milestones are delayed or skills are lost. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I choose the right therapy for a child with Hearing Impairment?
Choosing therapy for a child with hearing impairment begins with audiology — confirming the type and degree of loss and fitting hearing aids or a cochlear implant — then matching support to the child's hearing, age and the family's communication choice, usually combining listening-and-spoken-language work, speech and language therapy and family coaching. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I choose the right therapy for a child with Speech and Language Delay?
Choosing the right therapy for speech and language delay starts with an assessment that identifies why a child is struggling — understanding, expressing, speech sounds or social communication — and a hearing check. The core support is usually speech and language therapy, tailored to the child's profile and paired with parent coaching. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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