Infant & Toddler Speech Development
During the first 3 years of life, your baby makes many gains in the area of speech and language development. If you suspect a possible developmental gap during this critical time, the professionals of RISE Pediatric Therapies can help. We offer in-home and community early intervention services for children and families, as well as therapy clinics for developmental disabilities (TDD). We serve Mesa, Surprise, Tucson, and their surrounding areas in Arizona. Contact us at (480) 295-4925 for more information or get started now.
Infant & Toddler Speech & Language Therapy
At RISE Pediatric Therapies, we provide AzEIP services in the context of a team-based model, and we use a parent/caregiver coaching interaction style. We understand that while we’re the experts on child development, you’re the expert on your child. Our providers come alongside your family to incorporate therapeutic techniques into real-life routines and activities—like mealtime, playtime, or bedtime. We explore what’s working well, identify challenges, and collaboratively develop strategies that make sense. In this context, we work on the following skills:
- Language-Based Therapy: During this therapy, we focus on supporting your child’s expressive language or receptive language skills, as appropriate for their young age. For example, a 4- to 6-month-old will vocalize during play, while a 10- to 12-month-old will attempt to imitate sounds you make.
- Early Listening Skills: For the very young, we focus on sound localization, sound discrimination, auditory attending, as well as following directions and sound-action association for toddlers.
- General communication skills: Our routine-based therapy focuses on the building blocks of expressive and receptive language skills, such as communicating through signs, words, gestures, babbling, and identifying pictures.
As the child grows into the preschool years and beyond, voice therapy, articulation, and fluency become more of a focus. These are areas that we work on in our speech and language therapy program in TDD.
Augmentative & Alternative Communication
AAC includes any form of communication that supports or replaces spoken language. In early intervention, for example, we may teach simple sign language gestures to babies and toddlers to help them communicate with their families, especially if their verbal language skills are developing more slowly than their peers.
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Explore Milestones and Hearing First Before Assuming Your Child Has a Speech Delay
To see a more complete list of milestones, view our Speech & Language Therapy Milestones page.
Regarding language development in infancy and early childhood, it’s important to remember that children develop at their own rate. If your child is behind on a milestone, it may simply mean they have not yet matured enough to have achieved that milestone.
- Our communication milestone chart applies to children who speak only one language and gives a timeframe for when most of them will reach that milestone.
- By the time your child reaches the top of the age range, it’s recommended that they will be close to reaching each milestone.
- Your child does not necessarily have a speech and/or language delay if they are missing one milestone.
If you have any concerns about your child not meeting age-appropriate milestones, consider consulting with your pediatrician.
It is common practice for hospitals to check a newborn’s hearing during the first few days of life.
- If your child does not pass the initial screening, they will be referred to a pediatric audiologist for more in-depth testing.
- If you receive a referral but believe your child has normal hearing, it’s important to follow through with a professional evaluation.
- Repeated ear infections can cause hearing loss in children. Consult an audiologist for an evaluation.
RISE Pediatric Therapies is happy to provide recommendations of local audiologists if you have further concerns about your child’s hearing.
Infant & Toddler Feeding Therapy Services
Sometimes, a child may not meet age-appropriate feeding milestones. Our therapist can schedule an evaluation to identify possible delays or disorders. We will evaluate the following skills:
- Ability to consume both solids and liquids. We will assess your child’s oral structure and oral motor skills.
- Evaluation of feeding position, behavior, and oral movements to ensure your child is safe for oral eating.
- If necessary and with physician clearance, we can conduct safe oral trials to develop alternate methods of eating and facilitate a positive relationship with food and eating.
Feeding Red Flags
If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, they could benefit from therapy:
- Doesn’t latch well and/or consistently to the breast or bottle
- Frequently leaks a large amount of milk from their mouth during feeding
- Coughing or choking with breast or bottle feedings
- Frequent and large spit-ups, projectile vomiting, or spit-up coming out of their nose
- Refuses the bottle (if you need your baby to take a bottle)
- Takes more than 30 minutes to feed
- Falls asleep at the beginning of the feeding
- Trouble sleeping
- Hard to hold, crying, or arching (during or especially after feedings)
Our Services
Early Intervention for Birth to Age 3
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Developmental Special Instruction
- Service Coordination
- Caregiver & Parent Coaching
Therapy for Developmental Disabilities (TDD)
- Speech & Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Certified Dynamic Movement Intervention
RISE Pediatric Therapies can also assist with psychological evaluations and therapy, as well as provide social work services for families needing support or dealing with trauma or crisis. For more information, contact us.
Why Choose Us
Compassionate, family-oriented care.
Person-focused programs led by your child’s coordinated care team and designed alongside family and caregivers.
Exceptional caregiver and parent coaching for the best outcomes for your child.
In-home, in-community, and in-office services with flexible scheduling.
Infant & Toddler Language Therapy
The experts at RISE Pediatric Therapies have helped numerous families with speech development and feeding therapy. Would you like to be next? We offer in-home and community early intervention services for children, as well as clinics for TDD. We serve Mesa, Surprise, Tucson, and their surrounding areas in Arizona, including Chandler, Phoenix, and Glendale. Our TDD clinics are conveniently located in Mesa and Surprise. Contact us at (480) 295-4925 for more information or get started now.