Is your child struggling to say words clearly?
You’re not alone, and we might be able to help.
We provide evidence-based, family-centred, personalized therapy to support children’s speech development so they can thrive.
Who we help
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can work in many different settings (such as schools, hospitals, community centres, and private clinics) and help people of all ages who have difficulty communicating, for a wide range of reasons.
The SLPs at our clinic work with children ages 2+ years old whose main communication challenge is saying words clearly. The children we work with might:
• Leave out some sounds (such as “puh-ee” for “puppy”); and/or
• Substitute different sounds (such as “tea” for “key”); and/or
• Distort sounds (such as a ‘lisp’ or a ‘slushy-sounding S’); and/or
• Mix up the sounds (such as “aminal” for “animal”); and/or
• Sound like they are “mumbling” or “unclear” when they speak in sentences; and
• Have trouble being understood by others (or, they might not).
This type of difficulty is called a speech sound disorder (SSD). There are many different types of SSDs, and they can go by different names. Our SLPs are experienced and well-equipped to help with all of them, including:
• Articulation delay or disorder
• Phonological delay or disorder
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
• Childhood Dysarthria
• Motor Speech Delay (MSD)
• Speech Errors
• Speech Delay
What we do
Our SLPs start with an assessment to help you and your child understand their speech sound disorder and learn what to do to help them experience success as a communicator.
We help them develop and practice their speech in a variety of activities, including games, stories, crafts, role-playing, and drills. We design each session based on the best current evidence about how children learn to speak in new ways – that is, by using principles of motor learning, carefully choosing functional words and phrases to work on, and collaborating with families.
We pay special attention to how children move different parts of the mouth (the lips, jaw, and tongue) as they try to copy and say words and sounds. We use this information to develop cues that help them say words in new ways.
How it works
The type of therapy we offer is a good fit for some, but not all, children with a speech sound disorder (SSD). Some children might have a SSD plus other developmental needs that also contribute to their communication challenges. For them, we usually suggest a more comprehensive therapy program elsewhere that can address all of these needs together, in an integrated and functional way.
Our program might be a good fit for a child who has one or more of the speech difficulties described above and:
• Is already consistently trying to communicate – not only to ask for things they want, but also to point out interesting things and ask questions; and
• Can follow an adult’s lead to share a focus on the same thing (“joint attention”) in a variety of activities; and
• Understands others’ spoken questions, directions, and comments (as expected for their age); and
• Tries to copy an adult’s speech (even if their try is not accurate); and
• Tries to change the way they say words, when an adult gives them some help (even if their try is not accurate).
Who we are
Our SLP team members share a passion for their work and offer decades of experience in helping children with speech sound disorders.
Recognizing our unique and extensive skillset, The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has designated The Speech & Stuttering Institute (SSI) as a Centre for Training and Development. SSI carries out this role by conducting research projects and leading training programs in evidence-based therapies for motor speech disorders (and stuttering) for publicly funded clinicians all across Ontario.
Our SLPs draw on a variety of approaches to provide personalized therapy. We are all trained in a therapy method called PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) and stay current in developments in our field through ongoing continuing education.
Frequently Asked Questions
We wish we could give you a specific answer to this question! But each child is so very different, there are many factors involved, and it takes time for children to change their speech patterns. We usually recommend starting with an 8-week block of therapy. That way, we can set goals with that amount of time in mind. At the end of the 8 weeks, the SLP and parent can determine the next steps together. This might include a break, another block of therapy right away, or something else.
You can find details about our fees here.
- As a non-profit clinic, The Speech & Stuttering Institute offers subsidies to help families with the cost of speech therapy (if qualifying, based on household income). For details, please refer to our Fees page.
- Some third-party insurance plans offer coverage for speech therapy. Be sure to ask your own insurer to find out:
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- If you need a referral from a physician before starting services (most plans don’t require this)
- If there are any annual or lifetime limits on your child’s coverage
- If there are any other eligibility criteria
- Some private foundations may offer financial support to help children in need access private speech therapy.
- For costs not covered by insurance, you may be able to claim these as a “medical expense” on your personal income tax return.
Your most important role throughout this whole process is to be your child’s “parent”! The SLP’s job is to help you learn what helps your child the most right now with their communication development, so you can focus on those things at home and feel confident about it.
Sometimes parents expect the SLP to be like a “mechanic” who can somehow “fix” their child’s speech. But SLPs are really more like a personal trainer – we’ll work on new things together during our sessions, but the real and lasting change happens when you and your child keep practising together between visits.
Some ways to do that:
- In conversations throughout the day, respond to what your child is trying to tell you rather than correcting their speech. Connect, don’t correct!
- Show your child how you say words that are tricky for them, without asking them to copy. It’s most helpful if they watch your face while you say just one word at a time, slowly and smoothly.
- Once your child’s therapy starts, observe and join in the sessions so you can learn what activities and strategies are helpful. Your SLP will work with you to come up with ideas of what and how to practice at home. 5-10 minutes a day of focussed practice can make a big difference.