Our Early Intervention Centre employs neurologopedists and speech therapists who diagnose and treat speech development disorders. The diagnosis is made after consultations during which the specialists observe:
- the structure of the articulatory organs,
- feeding and swallowing,
- understanding of speech,
- the level of speech and communication development,
- articulation,
- auditory perception and phonemic hearing.
If any difficulties are found, the consultants give parents advice for working at home, and the child is referred to therapy sessions adapted to their age and abilities.
Speech therapy and neurologopedic therapy include:
- learning correct sucking, biting, chewing and swallowing,
- improving the function of the articulatory, phonatory and respiratory organs,
- developing auditory perception, attention and memory,
- developing receptive and expressive language,
- working on correct articulation,
- developing understanding of speech,
- developing phonemic hearing,
- introducing augmentative and alternative communication.
Together with the consultants, the therapists draw up a therapy plan, which is carried out in individual and/or group sessions.
Individual sessions take place once or twice a week, and their length is adapted to the child’s age and abilities.
Group sessions are run by two therapists as speech rhythmics, a speech-and-movement group, a speech-and-education group and a multisensory stimulation group.
Speech therapy diagnosis and treatment at OWI are based on the latest knowledge of speech development and use all available methods, chosen individually for each patient, to improve their quality of life and ability to communicate.