As a new parent, beginning your journey into speech and language services can be overwhelming. There are many components to therapy, and you may hear your child’s Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) use unfamiliar terminology. You know your child is struggling, but you may not know whether your child’s deficits are in speech or language. To start our blog series, let’s break down the differences between speech and language.
What is speech?
Speech refers to the way we produce sounds and words. Several different components make up speech. These include:
Articulation refers to how we use our mouth, lips, tongue, and jaw to produce sounds. For example, we need to say our “r” sound correctly to say the word “red” correctly.
Voice refers to how we use our breath and vocal folds to make sounds. Our voices can change in pitch or loudness. We can easily damage our vocal folds by talking, yelling, or coughing too much.
Fluency is the rhythm of our speech. When someone repeats sounds, words, or phrases, it disrupts the outward flow of speech, causing a stutter.
What is language?
Language is governed by rules that tell us which words to use and how we can use them to share our thoughts and ideas.
Receptive language refers to how we understand language. This includes what we hear and what we read.
Expressive language refers to how to use language to express ourselves. This includes speaking and writing.
Your child may have deficits in speech, language, or both. If you notice that your child is difficult to understand when speaking, it could indicate a deficit in speech and, more specifically, in articulation. If you hear your child repeat sounds, words, or phrases, it could mean your child is stuttering.
Your child could have deficits in receptive language, expressive language, or both. If your child has difficulty identifying objects, following directions, or answering questions, it could indicate deficits in receptive language. If your child has a problem naming things, asking questions, expanding vocabulary, or using correct grammar, it could indicate deficits in expressive language.
The truth is, as a parent, you know your child best. When your child is struggling with communication, seek an evaluation from an SLP. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Comentarios