Child speech therapy

Today, children face many issues related to speech and communication. Common problems include speech delays, speech sound disorders, language disorders, fluency in spoken language, and social communication difficulties. These communication issues often have immediate or long-term impacts on children’s abilities and academic performance, emotional behavior, social communication, and personality development. Therefore, early detection and timely intervention for speech and language issues are extremely important.

Signs that parents should take their child for a speech and language evaluation?

Signs to recognize:

Age milestones	Language and cognitive developmental delays
6 month	not babbling ‘mama’, ‘baba’ yet
9 month	Not yet pointing, greeting, or waving
12 month	Not yet babbling melodic sound sequences (e.g., ‘chachacha’,…) or a single word
18 month	Not yet able to say any clear single words Not yet able to understand simple commands (e.g., ‘Where is the ball?’)
24 month	Able to say less than 50 single words, unable to combine two words together (e.g., ‘more cake,’ ‘mom hug’)
	Anytime you feel concerned about your child’s development or notice signs of delays compared to their peers.

Speech and Language Therapy Programs & Services at Minh Tri

Creating multidisciplinary intervention packages tailored to each child’s needs.

Consultations with pediatric speech-language therapists.

Personalized speech and language therapy for each child.

Evaluation and development of a comprehensive intervention program for each child, coordinated by a multidisciplinary team of speech-language therapists in collaboration with special education, clinical psychology, and parents, using targeted and intelligent intervention goals for each child.

Specialized programs for children under 6 with communication, language, play, hearing, speaking, and feeding/swallowing disorders, provided in hourly sessions.

Individualized training for parents of children receiving therapy.

A collaborative approach involving speech therapy, special education, elementary education, with parents and children at the center.

Parents or caregivers can also register for intensive intervention packages based on the evaluation and recommendation of Minh Tri’s specialists.

1. Pre-Language Skill Development Program

• This program is designed for children with speech delays, language disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders who lack or have limited pre-language skills.
• The program helps children improve skills such as attention focus, imitation, turn-taking, choice-making, and listening compared to their pre-intervention abilities. It also enables parents or caregivers to understand and assess the child’s current abilities, strengths, and challenges in pre-language skills. This understanding allows for more targeted intervention plans for 3 to 6 months and equips parents with basic techniques to continue pre-language interventions at home.
• Intervention duration: 48 hours (3-5 hours per week), with 50% of the intervention sessions involving the participation of parents or caregivers.

2. Play and Communication Skills Development Program

• This program is designed for children with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, speech delays, and language disorders who have basic pre-language skills but exhibit limited or underdeveloped play and communication abilities compared to their peers.
• Through this program, children will improve their play skills, which in turn supports the development of language, cognitive abilities, and social skills. The program plays a crucial role in enhancing the child’s communication and social interaction abilities. It also helps parents and caregivers understand the child’s current play milestones, the strengths and challenges they face in play, and the expected play skills for their age. Additionally, the program provides parents with basic intervention strategies they can apply at home, such as organizing play spaces, toys, and play strategies.
• Intervention duration: 48 hours (3-5 hours per week), with 50% of the sessions involving the participation of parents or caregivers.

3. Language Development Program (Receptive and Expressive Language)

• This program is designed for children with speech delays, autism spectrum disorders, language disorders, and delays in receptive and expressive language skills. However, children participating in this program must already possess basic pre-language and play skills that are relatively appropriate for their age.
• Through this intervention, the program will help children improve their receptive language (ability to understand and process information through auditory input) and expressive language (using verbal, non-verbal, or written communication) to effectively interact with those around them. The program also aims to help parents understand their child’s current language development levels, identify both strengths and challenges, and receive guidance on how to support their child’s language development through strategies and techniques that can be implemented at home.
• Intervention duration: 72 hours (3-5 hours per week), with 30% of the sessions involving the participation of parents or caregivers.

4. Speech Sound Development Program

• This program is designed for children who have speech sound issues after the age when physiological speech errors typically resolve (usually after 2 years old), children with speech sound disorders of unknown origin, and those with speech sound disorders that developed during the course of their development. It is also suitable for children with cleft lip or cleft palate who have undergone surgical repair.
• Through this intervention, children will improve their articulation skills, becoming more proficient in coordinating their speech organs to produce clearer and more understandable speech. This will lead to better success in communication and social interactions.
• Intervention duration: 72 hours (3-5 hours per week).

Who carries out the intervention/therapy?

The Speech-Language Therapists at Minh Tri are certified and qualified to carry out professional work in the field of speech-language therapy. Some of the specialists have been trained with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, specializing in Speech-Language Therapy at Danang University of Science and Technology, while others have received advanced training through a 12-month program at Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and TRINH Foundation Australia.

Additionally, if a child has other issues, the speech-language therapist will refer or collaborate with other specialists at Minh Trí, such as specialized doctors, clinical psychologists, special education professionals, and others.