Speech sound disorders are commonly due to either articulatory or phonological errors. Articulatory errors involve difficulty in physically making the sound e.g., a lisp. Phonological errors are patterns of sound errors which are expected to stop by certain ages e.g., ‘wing’ for ‘ring’.

This happens when a toddler is slower to start using words or combining them into short sentences. Some children catch up on their own, while others need support to build a strong language foundation.

Early speech therapy helps boost communication, reduce frustration, and set your child up for future learning success.

Before using words children develop certain skills like joint attention, turn taking, imitation, gesture and play. These skills set them up for success in building communication skills such as speech.

Stuttering interrupts the natural flow of speech through repetitions, prolongations, or blocks. For children, these disruptions can make speaking physically effortful and impact confidence in everyday communication.

Receptive language is the ability to understand and interpret spoken or written language. Expressive language is the ability to express thoughts, ideas, feelings and more through speech and writing.

Children with receptive language difficulties may have trouble following directions or answering questions.

Children with expressive language difficulties may have trouble telling stories, describing how to do something, or telling you about their day.

Social skills are the abilities we use to connect and communicate with other people in everyday life. They include things like taking turns in conversation, understanding body language, and building friendships.

Literacy is the ability to read, write, and understand written language. It involves basic skills like letter-sound knowledge but also the ability to understand, interpret and effectively use written language in daily activities.

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) helps children communicate if talking verbally is hard. It can be simple, like using pictures or gestures, or high-tech, like an iPad or specialised device that speaks.

Our Autism services provide individualised support for Autistic children and their families using a neuroaffirming approach. We focus on celebrating each child’s strengths, fostering self-awareness and positive self-identity, and supporting communication and self-advocacy in everyday life.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. When a child has CAS, they may know what they want to say, but they have trouble planning the mouth movements needed for clear speech. This can make their speech sound unclear, inconsistent, or difficult to understand.

Sometimes, a child’s voice may sound breathy, strained, or rough. This can be due to a variety of reasons. At Evergreen, we use evidence-based techniques to build healthy voice patterns and restore comfort, clarity, and confidence in speaking.

Unsure whether your child needs speech therapy? We can help you identify your child’s strengths, challenges, and next steps through an initial consultation.