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StoreySmith Pediatric Clinic

StoreySmith Pediatric Clinic

SSPC Maine

  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech & Language
  • Summer Groups

Falmouth, Maine • 207-781-0022

Does My Child Need Speech & Language Therapy?

Signs To Look For

If your child is experiencing 3 or more problems on the checklist, Speech & Language Therapy intervention may be helpful.
Infant & Toddler

  • Difficulty sucking/tongue thrusting
  • Difficulty transitioning from bottle/sippy cup to open cup
  • Difficulty accepting solid foods or mixed textures (picky eater)
  • Reflux history/vomiting
  • Inconsistent stool
  • Limited attention to name or simple directions
  • Limited babbling
  • Does not imitate speech or sounds by age 12 months
  • Does not play with toys or plays with toys inappropriately
  • Inadequate lip seal during breast/bottle feeding
  • Choking/coughing during feeding (liquids and/or solids)

Preschool (3-5 years)

  • Has low muscle tone; seems weak or floppy; difficulty sitting upright at circle
  • Bumps into furniture or people, has trouble with body awareness or judging space around him/her
  • Does not enjoy jumping, swings or having feet off of the ground
  • Appears clumsy, falls frequently, poor balance
  • Avoids playground activities; seems fearful or coming up or down the stairs
  • Needs more practice than other children to learn new skills
  • Has high muscle tone; muscles seem stiff
  • Has difficulty walking up and down stairs
  • Seems to have less endurance than peers

School Aged

  • Poor grammar (confuses pronouns, gender, “I” vs. “Me”, etc.)
  • Difficulty using language to make needs known or for social purposes
  • Difficulty organizing ideas when talking; tough time explaining an incident or retelling a story
  • Difficulty understanding spoken information
  • Difficulty recalling auditory information
  • Speech is difficult to understand
  • Pre-reading skills not emerging
  • Overall difficulty in school
  • “Missing” what a teacher says in a noisy classroom, even though hearing is good
  • Having difficulty following complex directions
  • Using a limited vocabulary; trouble learning new words
  • Not remembering complex directions
  • Grappling with descriptive language
  • Struggling to remember or retrieve words

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