At Legma Speech and Language Therapy Centre we provide all the services that may be needed to deal promptly and effectively with any difficulties your child may be experiencing.
Parents are the first to notice their child's difficulties. Often, either out of fear, ignorance or negligence, they let considerable time pass hoping that the difficulties will overcome themselves. The age of 3-5 years is considered the most critical age for the development of a child's language skills. By not acting early and proactively, we do not take advantage of this critical age and often the problem becomes exacerbated. Just as, for example, I don't ignore a cold that my child may develop and wait for it to develop into pneumonia to visit the pediatrician, I should also act when I notice a difficulty in his/her expression. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
So parents should work with prevention in mind, rather than fire-fighting the difficulties their children have.
Initially, a meeting with the parents takes place where the description of the difficulties is made and the child's developmental history is completed. This is followed by 1-2 meetings between the child and the speech and language therapist where the child's language skills are assessed through informal and weighted tests.
Immediately after the evaluation, the Speech and Language Therapist creates an individualized intervention program, adapted to the needs and difficulties of each child. Every three months, a written report is given to parents detailing the areas worked on, the child's progress and the goals for the next quarter.
In order for a child's difficulties to be addressed successfully and comprehensively, the therapist must work with the family. Thus, alongside speech therapy, parents are provided with instructions/guidelines on how to manage their child's difficulties
For your convenience, here are some frequently asked questions from parents and our answers. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
Based on the typical stages of development, a 2.5-year-old child should have an expressive vocabulary of 50-250 words. At this age, a child should typically be able to use simple complete sentences (e.g. "Mommy wants to go for a walk"), say his/her name, answer simple questions and name familiar objects (not necessarily with clear articulation).
At this age we are very interested in the child's perception (perception comes before expression) and then we need to test his/her language ability. Therefore the child should:
You should therefore be concerned when your child's vocabulary remains stable (< 15 words), does not enrich as they approach 3 years of age and struggles with the above skills.
Based on typical developmental stages, a 4.5-year-old child is able to clearly pronounce all the consonants of the Greek language, with the exception of some complexes. In cases where the child has great difficulty in mastering the sounds and his speech is unintelligible, it is advisable to be evaluated by a speech and language therapist.
It should be noted that not all children follow the same developmental path. Each child has his or her own chronological milestones for the acquisition of phonemes and clusters which may differ from those mentioned above. Parents should pay particular attention to the age of 5 to 5.5 years, which is crucial for the child's later development. At this age the child should produce all phonemes and complexes clearly so that his/her later learning process is not affected and his/her oral difficulties are not transferred to the written word.
In cases where there is no organic cause (e.g. short halter), the acquisition of the /r/ phoneme is usually expected at the age of 5 - 5.5 years. In some cases it can be acquired at a younger age and in some cases it can be acquired by the age of 7 years. It would be advisable for the child to have mastered the /r/ vowel before entering primary school, thus avoiding "teasing" by peers as well as the chances of consolidating the difficulty in our child's oral speech. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Many children at the age of 2-3 years show symptoms of stuttering. This is a period of 'normal' or 'developmental' stuttering, i.e. it is a developmental phase in speech development where the child repeats words or syllables. This is because the child's requirements for fluency, with his or her potential, are not the same. In this case the symptoms subside without therapeutic intervention.
However, in cases where the symptoms of stuttering last more than 3 months and instead of subsiding become persistent, it may be more than just a developmental phase in speech development that may develop into a speech flow disorder.
It is therefore necessary for any child who has persistent traumatic symptoms lasting more than 3 months to be evaluated by a Speech and Language Therapist as early as possible in order to diagnose the nature and extent of the stuttering in time.
Early assessment of the child and early intervention significantly increases the chances of restoring spontaneous flow in the child's speech. Thus, the child will not have to experience the unbearable emotional pressure of being different or the reactions of his peers during his academic progress.
The language readiness of preschool children is a predictor for their smooth adaptation to school and for the easier learning of first writing and first reading. Therefore, a speech disorder that is not treated in time is very likely to affect their school performance.
Response to school readiness
Autism is a developmental disorder whose symptoms usually become apparent by the age of 30 months. It is characterised by reduced social interaction and communication, as well as restricted and stereotyped behaviour. Over time, as the symptoms become more apparent, the child fails to develop verbal and communication skills.
Although autism cannot be cured, there are therapeutic interventions that help people with autism develop social and communication skills to improve their quality of life. Early intervention significantly increases the chances of a child's functioning.
the centre cooperate with all insurance funds. Through the insurance funds it is possible to cover all or part of the cost of the treatments. The procedure to follow is as follows:
With early intervention, children aged 2-5 years can relatively easily recover from their language difficulties with proper and methodical intervention. This is because the age of 2-5 years is considered the most timely and critical for intervention, due to the plasticity of the brain. Early intervention allows the child to assimilate the stimuli received more easily and effectively.
In general, parents should work with early intervention in speech and language problems in mind before they become exaggerated and valuable time is lost.
Based on this general rule, parents as well as teachers of young children should be able, as soon as they identify some difficulties, to refer a child for evaluation to a Speech and Language Therapist. In this way they act effectively, proactively and particularly beneficial for the child's future
Many children may show 1 or 2 symptoms without this indicating any difficulty in speech development. However, if your child is exhibiting any of the above symptoms and this worries you, see a speech and language therapist and ask for an assessment of their difficulties.