SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IN SINGAPORE

What is Speech and Language Therapy?

Speech, Language, and Communication are critical areas of development for children. Speech and Language skills are essential to effective communication for day-to-day interactions. Especially for children, developing communication skills helps them understand and express thoughts, feelings, and information. Communicating clearly with their peers, teachers, and family members is vital.

Speech and Language Therapy is the assessment and treatment to help and support children improve overall communication. Some children experience speech difficulties such as articulation, pitch, fluency, and resonance issues.

At Bridging the Gap, our team of speech therapists and professionals conduct thorough assessments to understand your child’s unique needs. From there, we create a personalised programme plan, designed to address specific speech, language and communication goals and support their growth in a structured, compassionate environment.

Our Speech and Language programme will help children feel more confident and less frustrated when speaking to others and in communicating their needs.

Our Approach at Bridging the Gap – Certified Speech and Language Therapists

As part of our “all-inclusive” early intervention programme, our speech therapy sessions are held in a conducive and engaging environment in small groups or mostly one-on-one with our qualified speech and language therapists.

Private speech therapy sessions are conducted on a weekly basis and are reinforced by the early interventionists daily. Speech therapy exercises and activities vary depending on your child’s disorder, age, interests, and needs.

Our Speech and Language Programme includes the following:

• Interactions through play and usage of high-motivating toys/activities as part of speech and language intervention to help stimulate language development
• Modelling correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds
• Provide strategies and homework for the child and parent or caregiver on how to reinforce speech therapy at home
• Ensures that the skills children learn are transferrable out of the therapy room and into the classroom setting or home setting. Communicating strategies with the teachers and the caregivers so that the child’s learning is facilitated across most settings
• Being flexible and refining the goals as the child’s communication profile changes or improves
• Being creative and incorporating the goals into the activities that the children like to play/do to ensure maximum engagement and motivation on the task

Children benefit socially and emotionally by communicating effectively and developing good relationships. Our approach integrates support into your child’s daily routines and natural environments. Using a transdisciplinary team model, speech therapists, early interventionists, and educators work together to empower families.

Who Needs Speech Therapy?

Every child is unique and learns at a different pace. However, some need additional assistance with Speech and Language skills for various reasons. Some reasons children may need speech therapy include speech and language difficulties/disorders, Autism and other learning issues, hearing impairments, swallowing difficulties, etc.

Our Private Speech and Language Therapy helps children develop effective communication skills to form and maintain healthy relationships independently.

What are the Steps involved in our Speech Therapy Programme?

1. Initial Assessment

Our speech and language therapists will conduct informal assessments designed to create a comfortable and engaging environment for the child. Using play and other motivating activities:

• Building Rapport: The child feels at ease, making the assessment more accurate.
• Identifying Strengths and Needs: Therapists observe the child’s communication behaviours, such as their ability to express themselves, understand language, and interact socially.

2. Formal Assessment

Our speech therapists will then conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assessment to determine the underlying conditions affecting the child’s speech and language development. Moreover, to understand a child’s communication profile across different settings.

• Observational Analysis: Speech therapists observe and learn the child in different contexts (e.g., how they behave in the therapy setting, home, and school) to understand how the child communicates across various environments.
• Collaborative Input: Caregivers and educators can provide additional perspectives on the child’s communication profile, enabling a holistic understanding.

3. Goal Setting

Our individualised approach ensures goals are tailored to meet each child’s unique needs:

• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): Goals are set within the ZPD, focusing on skills the child is ready to develop with guidance (the next most achievable goal based on their current level of development).
• Functional Outcomes: Goals aim to improve key areas of the child’s life, such as:

• • Enhancing their ability to communicate effectively with family, peers, and teachers.
  • Supporting academic progress through improved language comprehension and expression.
• Measurable and Achievable Objectives: Specific, realistic targets help track progress over time and ensure success in therapy.

4. Individualised Therapy Sessions

Based on the child’s unique communication needs, our speech therapy sessions incorporate engaging, evidence-based practices:

• Articulation Therapy: Activities to improve clarity of speech by focusing on sound production.
• Fluency and Voice Work: Addressing stuttering or voice modulation concerns, if present.
• Language Development: Strategies to enhance vocabulary, grammar, and sentence formation.
• Social Communication: Interactive exercises to improve conversational skills, turn-taking, and understanding of non-verbal cues.
• Additional therapies depending on the needs of the child.

5. Regular Progress Monitoring and Feedback

Our speech therapists closely monitor the child’s progress to ensure goals are being met effectively:

• Modifying therapy approaches and goals as needed based on the child’s development.
• Regularly updating caregivers on progress and discussing ways to further support the child at home.

6. Parental and Caregiver Involvement in Daily Life

We actively involve parents and caregivers throughout the therapy process to reinforce and support the child’s learning:

• Home Practice Plans: Providing practical activities and exercises to reinforce skills learned in therapy at home.
• Workshops and Informal Training: Equipping caregivers with the tools to support their child’s progress and build confidence in handling communication challenges.
• School Collaboration: Partnering with teachers and educators to create consistent support across all environments.

How Does Speech and Language Therapy Benefit your Child?

Speech Therapy Helps Children:

1. Develop conversational and communication skills to improve interactions with others
2. Communicate and express thoughts, ideas, and needs in a clearer way
3. Increased confidence by empowering children to communicate without frustration or fear
4. Behave in various social situations and settings appropriately
5. Follow the rules for conversation, which includes personal space and choice of words
6. Improve articulation and clarity of words for less confusion and frustration from both communicator and communication partner(s)
7. To understand non-verbal communication skills such as facial expressions or body language
8. Builds the skills needed to form and maintain friendships for strong social bonds
9. Put words together to form a correct sentence structure
10. Understand the meaning of more words and how to use them
11. Use alternative communication devices such as picture exchange communication systems, AAC or text-to-speech programmes
12. Enhances comprehension and participation in school learning activities for better academic performance
13. Equips children with foundational skills that support their personal and professional success later in life

Signs and Symptoms to Look Out for in a Child That May Require Speech and Language Therapy

• Children who struggle to imitate the sounds made by others
• Instead of making more sounds/talking as they age, the frequency reduces
• Makes only a few or poor-quality sounds
• Shows difficulties following commands and instructions
• Slow understanding of new words
• Cognitive changes such as decreased memory or problem-solving skills
• Has difficulties communicating basic needs
• Child not combining words by 18 months of age
• Child stops saying sounds or words he or she had previously mastered
• Has difficulty or is not responding to directions, questions, or conversations with others
• Struggles to or is not able to initiate conversations with others
• Child is not speaking fluently by 3 ½ years
• Child has changed in their communication or cognition following an injury or surgery
• Non-verbal children or hearing impaired

Our Speech and Language Therapists’ Qualifications & Certifications

Our Speech and Language Therapists have attended the following programmes and certifications:

• Picture Exchange Communication System
• DIR Floortime 101
• Social Thinking Framework by Michelle Garcia Winner
• Hanen program – More Than Words
• Lidcombe Program of early stuttering intervention
• Smooth Speech Techniques for stuttering intervention
• O.R.E: Integrating the Mouth with Sensory and Postural Functions
• 3-part treatment plan for Oral Placement Therapy

Your child will be in safe hands with our team of experienced therapists, each with the passion for helping your child reach their maximum potential.

Our Speech and Language Therapy Sessions

Speech, Language and Communication Programme Administration Information

Who is Eligible to for our Speech, Language and Communication Programme in Singapore?

This programme is ideal for children requiring individualised therapeutic support to reach key speech developmental milestones and for families seeking a consistent, customised approach to ongoing intervention.

• Age Range: 18 months to 8 years
  • Case by case basis.
  • Displays signs of development delay: Inability to speak meaningful words at 18 months old, which can be a sign of speech delay.
  • A delay in learning how to speak or a consistent mispronunciation of certain phonetic sounds, lack of reaction to loud noises: These could indicate some form of hearing loss.
  • Slow language processing, stammering and stuttering, struggles with articulation and phonology (phonics), lack of fluency and delayed literacy skills.
  • Has yet to be diagnosed by a registered public health doctor or private paediatrician.
  • Has a specific health condition that will probably lead to a delay (e.g. genetic disorders, birth defects, hearing loss).
  • Is diagnosed with mild to severe developmental, intellectual, sensory, physical, or multiple disabilities.
  • Has been recommended for speech intervention by a registered public health doctor or a private paediatrician.

Begin your journey with our Individualised Speech Therapy Programme to empower your child to achieve their goals, develop essential communication skills, and confidently tackle learning challenges.

What are the admission criteria and details of the programme?

Our Speech Therapy Programme is designed for children who would benefit from structured, targeted support in developing their speech, language, and communication skills. Admission is guided by a combination of assessment outcomes, developmental readiness, and individual goals.

1. Initial Assessment

• All children must undergo a comprehensive initial assessment conducted by our licensed speech and language therapist.
• The assessment evaluates key areas such as articulation and phonology, receptive and expressive language, fluency (e.g., stuttering), voice quality, and social communication (e.g., use of eye contact, conversational skills). Based on the child’s communication profile, we will recommend a therapy plan that includes session format and frequency.

2. Developmental Readiness

• Children should demonstrate the ability to engage in structured tasks for short periods and tolerate adult led interaction.
• For younger or those with regulation challenges, sessions may begin with shorter durations or a parent-coaching model to build readiness.

3. Family Commitment

• Progress in therapy is greatly enhanced by consistent attendance and active family involvement. Families are expected to support home carryover activities and attend scheduled review meetings to align on goals and progress.

4. Age Group

• The programme is typically suitable for children aged 18 months to 8 years, but older children may also be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on developmental goals and the therapist’s recommendation.

Speech Therapy Class Schedules

We offer a weekly/monthly 2-day, 3-day, 4-day or 5-day programme to suit your needs. Bridging the Gap has a morning session running 9am – 12pm, and an afternoon class running 2pm – 5pm.

Speech Therapy Programme Details