Pediatric speech therapists are there to help your children not only learn how to pronounce their words properly, but also to help them learn to communicate. These are critical skills that can help your child to be successful in future schooling, as well as life in general. While any child with speech issues may benefit from seeing a speech therapist, there are certain children that may benefit even more than the average child. This article will discuss 3 types of children that may benefit greatly from pediatric speech therapy. 

A Child With A Cleft Palate

If your child was born with a cleft palate, then the structures within their mouth are often somewhat different than that of a child that had a correctly formed palate. Because of this, they may have a harder time learning how to shape their mouth to say certain sounds and words. Speech therapists are trained to work with children who have cleft palates, and they understand the differences created in the shape of the mouth. This knowledge allows them to better teach your child how to shape their mouth, tongue, and teeth to say sounds and words properly. It is often best to take your child into the speech therapist earlier rather than later so that the therapist can teach them properly from an early age before speech becomes a real problem.

A Child With Autism

Speech therapists not only teach a child how to speak, but they also teach a child how to communicate properly and act properly in social situations. This can really be beneficial to a child with autism. Many children who are on the autism spectrum have some type of trouble socially because they don't understand the emotions of others. Taking your child with autism to a pediatric speech therapist will give them the opportunity to discuss and participate in different social interactions that will help them to slowly become aware of others' emotions and to learn how to react in different social situations. Sometimes it will just be the therapist and your child, and other times other children will be brought in that your child knows. 

A Child With A Head Injury 

Often, a head injury can greatly affect your child's speech and communication skills. If the head injury is severe enough, your child may even need to re-learn several basic skills. A speech therapist is there not only to assess your child in the hospital to see how their speech and communication skills have been effected, but they will also be there afterward to help your child to re-learn these skills and function at the highest level that they possibly can following the injury.