Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy
in San Diego, CA
We Help Children Find Their Voice
At SmallTalk, we believe every child has something important to say, and they deserve the tools and confidence to say it. Whether your child is just beginning to talk or working on refining their communication skills, our experienced team is here to guide and support them every step of the way.
For over 20 years, families throughout San Diego have trusted SmallTalk to provide compassionate, personalized speech and language therapy that’s as fun as it is effective. If you’ve noticed your child struggling to express themselves, understand others, or keep up with their peers, we’re here to help them thrive!
What Is Speech and Language Therapy?
Speech and language therapy helps children become clear, confident communicators. It focuses on building the skills children need to better understand and use language, pronounce sounds, and express their thoughts, wants, and needs.
Our sessions are designed to address each child’s individual strengths, goals, and personality. We combine a variety of evidence-based methods and therapy techniques to provide the delicate balance between unstructured floor play and structured activities that your child needs to succeed in their own unique way.
What’s the Difference Between Speech and Language?
Speech and language are closely connected, but they focus on different areas of communication. Speech is how we say sounds and words, and it features several factors such as articulation of sounds (“wabbit” vs. “rabbit”), volume and pitch, and fluency (the rhythm of our speech).
Language involves the words we use and how they work together so we can share ideas and express ourselves. It includes knowing how to put words together to ask a question or retell a story. Language also includes understanding how others use words, tones, and body language to express their ideas and feelings to us.
Language and speech develop together, and our therapists are experts in determining your child’s strengths and limitations with each.
Who Can Benefit from Speech and Language Therapy?
Speech and language therapy can help your child overcome communication challenges that may be affecting their learning, behavior, or social development. We work with children who experience:
• Speech sound delays or unclear speech
• Late talking or limited vocabulary
• Difficulty following directions
• Struggles with putting words together into sentences
• Social communication challenges
• Stuttering or fluency disorders
• Voice hoarseness or unusual pitch or volume
• Communication challenges related to autism or developmental delays
• Language disorders due to hearing loss or other medical conditions
If your child is experiencing a speech or language challenge that isn’t listed here, don’t hesitate to reach out. Every child is different, and we may still be the right fit to help your child grow and succeed.
What Does Speech and Language Therapy Look Like?
At SmallTalk, we tailor individualized therapy to each child’s personality, strengths and needs.
Younger children learn best through play. You will likely see your child engage in play with a therapist on the floor or at a table. We use motivating toys and movement activities to model new words or sounds and encourage functional communication. We believe in giving children as many ways to communicate as possible. This means you may see us using signs with our hands, picture cards, or app-based communication devices. Therapists will help children find what mode of communication works best for them, and empower families to use these modes at home.
For older children, speech therapy typically involves more in-depth education, more structured practice using flash cards or worksheets, and a larger focus on independence and self advocacy, while still using motivating games and activities to practice skills, of course!
What Can Your Child Learn in Speech and Language Therapy?
Every child’s therapy plan is different, but our goal is always the same: to help your child become a confident, capable communicator. Your child can learn skills such as:
• Saying sounds clearly and fluently
• Expanding vocabulary and sentence structure
• Asking and answering questions
• Understanding spoken directions and stories
• Taking turns in conversation
• Using language in social situations
• Retelling events or stories in a logical sequence
• Expressing feelings, thoughts, and needs more effectively
• Using signs, pictures, or other devices to support communication (if needed)
Why Choose SmallTalk?
When it comes to your child’s communication, you want the very best, and so do we! We help children throughout San Diego achieve their greatest potential.
Our speech-language pathologists are highly trained, passionate, and experienced in working with a wide range of diagnoses and ages. They’re also warm, playful, and great at connecting with kids.
We make therapy fun, family-centered, and goal-driven. From your very first phone call to each session after, you’ll feel supported and heard. We collaborate closely with parents and provide practical strategies you can use at home to help your child keep progressing beyond the therapy room.
How We Partner with Families
At SmallTalk, we know that involving family members in therapy is a vital part of therapy’s success. We are committed to providing education and support to parents, and we encourage them to attend their child’s sessions, practice techniques at the clinic, and incorporate learned skills into their child’s daily routines.
The more a child is exposed to the new technique, whether it is turn-taking, imitation, or practicing that stubborn “r” in a different way, the faster progress will be seen. You’ll be thrilled to be a part of the results!
We train family members so that they can be empowered to affect positive change at home. We know that empowered parents equal joyful kids! We offer seating in all therapy rooms and encourage parents to come in, watch, learn, and try. Because families are unique, parent/guardian education can look different for each family. We communicate therapy successes, practice techniques, and provide a weekly home focus every session.
Frequently Asked Questions about Speech and Language Therapy
Ready to Take the First Step?
If your child is having trouble communicating, now is the perfect time to reach out. The earlier we begin therapy, the greater the progress we can achieve together. Our team is here to guide, encourage, and celebrate every step forward as your child builds their confidence and finds their voice.
Call us now at (619) 647-6157 or fill out our contact form below to schedule your child’s speech and language evaluation. Let’s work together to help your child reach their full potential, one word at a time!