Speech and language pathology (SLP) therapy is designed to improve the communication and feeding skills of children who demonstrate difficulties. Therapy sessions are conducted by the speech-language pathologist in 45-minute sessions. Goals are typically centered on improving a child's ability to communicate, understand others, and interact with peers and adults.
Speech and language therapy program services
Our pediatric speech and language therapy program provides services to children with a wide range of diagnoses—including, but not limited to the following:
- Prematurity
- Developmental language delay
- Articulation disorder
- Auditory processing disorder
- Apraxia
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Expressive language delay
- Hypotonia/hypertonia
- Oral motor weakness
- Genetic syndromes
- Cerebral palsy
- Learning disabilities
- Conductive/sensorineural hearing loss
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Cognitive rehab
The primary focus of speech and language therapy is to allow children to communicate to the best of their abilities. Therapy activities are tailored to the individual child, using play-centered activities and structure-based routines as needed. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with children and adults on all aspects of communication.
As children grow, they are expected to achieve certain language milestones. What children understand is referred to as receptive language and what they say through words, signs, or gestures is referred to as expressive language.
Articulation skills refer to children's ability to produce specific sounds in speech and their overall speech intelligibility.
When to refer
A child may need a speech/language screening, evaluation, and/or ongoing treatment if one or more of the following is observed:
- Difficulty being understood by others
- Limited spoken words
- Poor social skills
- Difficulty using different language concepts
- Delays in acquiring new sounds and/or words
- Regression in language skills
- Frustration due to inability to communicate
- Lack of imitation skills
- Rapid rate of speech
- Inappropriate volume/poor vocal quality
Our Locations
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MedStar Health: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Road NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center (PHC), 3rd Floor Washington, D.C., 20007
MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Bel Air – Neurorehabilitation and Pediatric Services
12 MedStar Blvd. Ste. 255 Bel Air, MD 21015
MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Irving Street – Neurorehabilitation Center
102 Irving St., NW MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital First Floor Washington, DC, 20010
MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Mitchellville
12158 Central Ave. Mitchellville, MD 20721