The way in which we produce speech sounds using our lips, teeth, tongue, jaw and vocal folds is referred to as articulation.

Different sounds are expected to develop at various ages and it is not abnormal for young children to make some speech errors whilst they are developing their language. However, if continuous mistakes are observed around a specified sound or group of sounds past the expected age or the child is difficult to understand in comparison to children of a similar age, the child may have a speech sound delay.

There can be a range of contributing factors that result in speech sound delay such as hearing, recurrent ear infections, the quality of their learning and family history. A range of intervention options are available under the direction of a qualified Speech Pathology, which can lead to significant improvements in a child's articulation.

The way in which we comprehend and utilise words to share ideas, feelings, desires, thoughts and information is referred to as language.

Our skills in this area can dictate how we;

- Understand the meaning of words

- Use grammar to create meaning

- Formulate sentences by joining words together

- Analyse a situation to utilise appropriate language

Language is two-fold, both receptive and expressive, and a child may present with difficulties in understanding and processing the spoken and written word (receptive language) or utilising language to express themselves and share meaning orally and in writing (expressive language).

A formal language assessment can assist in identifying areas of development for your child.

Your ability to read, write and spell is referred to as literacy.

As a baby, you learn how to say sounds and use them to produce words, which further develops into meaningful verbal expression. A child will use these early speech and language skills in learning to read, write and spell.

A child who is experiencing literacy difficulties may present with the following;

- Mispronunciation of letters/words

- Confusion or difficulty distinguishing similar sounds

- Comprehension and remembering what they have read

- Guessing a word based on the shape or the first letter

- Skipping words whilst reading

- Difficulty spelling familiar words

- A dislike or tendency to avoid reading and writing

Unfortunately, without intervention children who don't seek support can experience ongoing difficulty in their learning at school. We can offer a range of skills and strategies to assist children in developing their literacy.

The way a child expresses their needs, wants, preferences and feelings in a way that those around them can understand is referred to as functional communication.

Functional communication skills are paramount in developing independence and autonomy as a child learns how to make choices and express themselves effectively in life and learning.

Functional communication begins early in life and usually follows the pathway of gestures, spoken words and forming basic sentences. As a child grows, functional communication can vary in its' expression, encompassing gestures, verbalisations, signs, pictures, words, communication devices, etc. Each individual's strengths and preferences as it relates to functional communication varies, therefore developing an individualised communication system may be required to allow your child to thrive.

Social interaction, social understanding, language processing and the rules that we follow when we talk, are referred to as social communication.

The concept of social communication can be broken into three parts;

- Using language for different reasons (e.g. requesting… “I would like to go outside please”)

- Adjusting language for the listener or situation (e.g. talking differently in a in a quiet room than in the playground)

- Following rules for conversations and storytelling (e.g. not interrupting someone when they are talking).

Whilst it is common for children to break some of these rules as they learn and develop their communication skills, some may struggle to identifying and understanding the rules, which can result in social isolation. Intervention has proven effective in assisting the client navigate varying social situations and developing skills that they can apply to effectively communicate and develop relationships with their peers.

The smoothness with which sounds, syllables, words and phrases are spoken is referred to as fluency. An interruption to the smoothness of speech is referred to as stuttering and may include repeating, prolonged and blocking of sounds.

Speech Pathologists can assist with developing a normal rhythm of speech.

Emotional control, behavioural management and cognitive regulation is referred to as executive functioning.

Emotional and behavioural management covers impulse control, flexible thinking, self-monitoring, and self-control. Children with difficulties in these areas may present with challenges coping with change, difficult situations, thinking before acting and making good choices for example.

Cognitive regulation relates to a child's ability to demonstrate analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. A child who struggles in this area may present with difficulties following instructions, comprehending and completing their schoolwork, remaining focused, planning and managing their time and finding solutions to problems, for example.

Occupational Therapists utilise multi-sensory, skill-building approaches to improve a child's executive functioning and avoid the development of the social and personal concerns that can arise from ongoing deficiencies in this area.

Sensory experiences are comprised of all the things we see, hear, touch, smell and taste on a daily basis. How the brain receives, registers and organises all of these experiences is referred to as sensory processing. Difficulty in this area may result in a disruption to how a child is able to focus and complete daily activities.

Filtering all incoming sensory information to focus only on the necessary is an important skill that facilitates a child's ability to perform optimally in their daily activities and particularly in a learning environment.

Children can be hyper or hypo-sensitive to sensory input, both of which can present unique challenges. An Occupational Therapist can assist in assessing a child's sensory processing and develop a plan to assist the child in completing daily tasks and optimise classroom engagement.

The engagement of small and controlled movements to complete precise actions relies on an individual's fine motor skills.

A child may rely on fine motor skills to perform relevant everyday activities and play such as fastening buttons on a shirt, going to the toilet, handwriting, playing with lego, or cutting paper, for example. Fine motor skills can also extend to eye and mouth movements, meaning everyday tasks for children can be hindered, such as sucking, chewing, reading and playing sports.

Our role as Occupational Therapists is to work with our clients to develop their fine motor skills, with the goal of enhancing participation in everyday activities.

The ability to perform whole body movements that engage large muscle groups (such as the arms, legs and core) are referred to as gross motor skills. The development of gross motor skills as a child is imperative to allow the performance of everyday activities, such as walking, jumping, playing sports, maintaining a seated position and dressing ourselves, for example.

Our role as Occupational Therapists is to assess where a child may be having difficulties and prescribe activities and exercises that allow for targeted development of the client's gross motor skills.

Handwriting is a foundational academic skill which involves the complex coordination of motor, visual, sensory and cognitive skills. A child who experiences difficulty with handwriting may fall behind at school, and therefore it is important to identify if this may be a concern for your child.

Developing pre-writing, paper-pencil skills such as colouring in and drawing prior to progressing to handwriting is important in mastering the relevant fine motor movements to enable to the child to progress to writing and/or writing ideation.

Our Occupational Therapists work closely with parents/guardians and teachers to develop home and in-class activities that can assist with developing the child's handwriting.

The way in which the brain makes sense of what we see, including distinguishing colours, shapes and dimensions, is referred to as visual perception.

Visual perception plays an important role in doing puzzles, sequencing letters and numbers and keeping track of where you are on a page for example, and therefore acts as a foundational skill for more advanced academic pursuits such as reading, writing and understanding mathematical concepts.

Our Occupational Therapists can identify a child's challenges in this area and prescribe activities focused on building these skills.

A child's ability to manage their emotions and behaviours in upsetting, exciting or stressful situations is referred to as emotional and behavioural regulation.

Children who demonstrate tantrums or strong emotional outbursts may indicate they exhibit emotional and behavioural regulation difficulties and can be disruptive to the child's learning or participation in social activities.

Our Occupational Therapists work with the child and family to develop strategies to assist them in maintaining a regulated state in challenging environments.

The daily tasks a child performs to take care of themselves independently require self-care skills. Activities such as getting dressed, going to the toilet, feeding and grooming can be impeded by challenges with motor skills, sensory processing, attention and executive functioning.

Our Occupational Therapists aim to assess where the child may be experiencing difficulties and prescribing strategies to address the root of the concerns.

Children's primary occupation is play and it is imperative in their growth and development of social, language and cognitive skills. Through play, children are able to develop the motor skills necessary in completing everyday tasks as well as exploring their creativity and imagination.

The development of social skills is important for a child to successfully engage in play and develop positive relationships with others.

Sharing, managing conflict, understanding social cues, problem-solving and adapting to differing social contexts are examples of skills that children may experience challenges with that can hinder their engagement in play.

An Occupational Therapist can assist a child in developing their play and social skills and foster their ability to build positive relationships with others.

For children, eating can be a complex task which requires hand-eye coordination, core and oral strength as well as being a multi-sensory experience involving taste, sight and smell.

If a child is experiencing challenges in building these skills, mealtime can become stressful for families and result in a child consuming less, becoming fussy, refusing to eat or eating with their hands for example.

An Occupational Therapist can partner with a child and their family to make mealtime more manageable, through the assessment of a child's challenges and the provision of targeted assistance, allowing a child to view mealtimes more positively.

The maintenance of optimal health and wellbeing is reliant on quality sleep at any age. Poor quality sleep can negatively impact a child's thinking and processing speed, patience and result in increased stress levels and 'brain fog'.

Barriers to sleep that can be identified and addressed with the help of an Occupational Therapist include sensory difficulties, fear, behavioural issues, difficulty self-soothing and needing a parent to help them fall asleep.

Occupational Therapists can develop strategies to address these issues with a focus on developing improved sleep patterns. Where necessary, an Occupational Therapist can identify if a client requires more specialised assistance, e.g. with the assistance of a Psychologist.