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INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNICATION DISORDER

A Speech and Language EvaluationCan your child benefit from early intervention by a speech-language pathologist? The best way to tell is tohave a complete developmental assessment, preferably in your familys home language.The assessment should consist of:

Determining your concerns and priorities Identifying your childs existing communication strengths and weaknesses Evaluating the effectiveness of your childs attempts at communication Evaluating your childs environments to find out what supports or interferes with effective

communication

Reasons to Intervene EarlySpeech-language pathologists recommend early intervention if there is atypical or delayed development ofcommunication skills, or the potential for it. There are five reasons for implementing interventions. Theyinclude:

Prevention of a disorder Elimination of a disorder Modification or remediation of a disorder Teaching strategies that help a child compensate for a disorder Modification of the environment to aid the child

Here are ways to better understand each of these types of intervention.

Prevention of a disorder.If prevention is stressed, there may be a means for delaying or avoiding theonset of a disorder. Federal legislation encourages prevention by stressing early identification and treatmentof communication disorders. An example is the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program.This is a national initiative to screen the hearing of all newborns by one month of age. The program hasgreatly enhanced early detection of hearing loss, allowing for earlier intervention and better outcomes.

Elimination of a disorder.A child may be able to develop normal speech or language, although this isdifficult to predict for most young children. We often dont know the cause of late talking and cant predictthe course of development. Manyarticulation disordersare the result of an error pattern that thenbecomes the habitually used incorrect sound. With intervention, these speech sound disorders are oftenquickly eliminated, especially for school-age children.

Modification or remediation of a disorder.This involves improving communication skills and functioning.It is the most common outcome expected from speech and language intervention for young children withcommunication delays. Becoming a more effective communicator helps a child to advance developmentally.It also can prevent other problems, such as behavior problems.

Teaching Strategies to help a child compensate for a disorder.These are strategies used to develop a

functional means of communication for a child. Compensatory strategies can reduce a childs frustration withcommunication difficulties. For example, a young child with Down Syndrome can learn and effectively use

many signs (Baby Sign or American Sign Language signs) or gestures (pointing to a desired item) to expresstheir needs while they are also working on developing their speech. A non-verbal child with autism may usePicture Exchange Communication System(PECS)as a strategy to help develop a functional means ofcommunication. These strategies may also be used to give the child an immediate way to communicatewhile also working on more long-term strategies to develop other speech and language skills. For youngerchildren, teaching simple attention-getting or cause-and-effect work best. For example, When I hit theswitch, the toy lights up and makes music. Older children with greater cognitive maturity can benefit moreoften from these strategies. They are able to explore alternative communication strategies.

Modification of the environment to aid the child.This can mean many things and is usually combinedwith one of the other more direct strategies. These are all the factors outside of the child, including

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communication partners. If changed in some way, these may facilitate the childs ability to communicate.For example, by reducing background noise and visual distractions, such as by turning off the television ormusic, a child with sensitivity to distraction might be better able to concentrate on communication. Or aspeech-language pathologist and occupational therapist might work together to treat a child to deal withissues likesensory integrationor body stability issues. By changing position, support, seating, or roomlighting, for example, a child can become more comfortable and more able to take turns with

communicating.

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