May is Speech Therapy Month
To mark Speech Therapy Month, we introduce some of the faces behind our partners in health, Renfrew Educational Services Stoney Team.
Meet the team. Shabnam is the speech-language pathologist and Erika, the resident speech-language pathology assistant. Together, they support families and children in developing their speech and language skills.
What is speech and language therapy? How does it work, you ask? Great questions! A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is someone who works with all things communication! SLPs support the development of speech, language, and communication skills. In striving to create the best environment for a child’s health and well-being, they recognize no two children and families are alike. Speech-language pathologists collaborate with families, using a play-based approach, to provide services that are inclusive and meaningful. As a pediatric speech team, they work with kids up to 21 years old and offer all services free of charge and no referral is necessary. In fact, walk-ins are welcome!
Pediatric SLP’s can support areas such as:
- Speech Sounds – Producing sounds clearly to help your child be understood when they communicate their message.
- Language and grammar skills – Increasing vocabulary, putting words together and using language in a socially appropriate way.
- Understanding language – Helping children understand and process language in their environment. Learn skills like understanding basic concepts and following simple/complex direction.
- Literacy Skills – foundational skills to encourage fluent reading.
- Fluency/ Stuttering- Provide strategies and coaching to manage stuttering and disfluencies.
- Speech and language assessments to help identify a child’s unique skills and abilities.
- Provide support using alternative communication (communication devices, visuals)
- Provide hearing screenings
- Assist with feeding and swallowing concerns.
- Developing play and social communication skills.
The Renfrew team is available to support kids and families of the Stoney Nakoda Nation. Visit the 2nd floor of the Bearspaw Youth Centre, message them on Facebook, main line (403)-881-2775, or call/text the team cellphone at (403) 701-4181.
