What does this mean?

A child may have difficulty being understood by others because of how they say their sounds, words, or sentences.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

New functional speech concerns due to diagnosed or undiagnosed speech delays and disorders, including: articulation, phonology, functional concerns of unknown etiology, motor/neurological (e.g. dysarthria, childhood apraxia of speech, brain injury), structural (e.g. cleft palate, orofacial anomalies), sensory perceptual (i.e. hearing impairment).

What does this mean?

A child’s voice may sound harsh, hoarse, or too high or low pitch. It may seem like they are 'talking through their nose.'

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Voice and resonance; voice disorder; hypernasality; hyponasality.

What does this mean?

A child may have difficulty talking or being understood due to stuttering.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Fluency, dysfluency, stuttering or cluttering.

What does this mean?

A child may have difficulty with different parts of communication, such as babbling or using words, sentences, and grammar; understanding directions; answering questions; or using language to interact with others.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Receptive or expressive language delay or disorder in the child’s primary/first language; sometimes referred to as 'developmental language delay or disorder' or being a 'late talker'.

What does this mean?

Children may be helped to communicate by using strategies and equipment such as pictures, picture or word boards, tablets, or speech generating devices or computers.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC); facilitate communication access through no-, low-, and high-tech devices; using 'AAC'.

What does this mean?

When a child has difficulty with daily activities such as dressing, toileting, playing, doing chores or sleeping.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Self-care, productivity, leisure; functional needs as a result of (un)diagnosed developmental delay or motor impairment.

What does this mean?

A child may have difficulty feeding, eating, or swallowing foods and liquids. They may struggle with behavior at mealtimes, avoid having foods or liquids in their mouths, have a limited diet, and may cough, gag, or have difficulty gaining weight.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Eating, feeding and swallowing; needs related to efficient and safe oral consumption; often referred to as 'dysphagia'.

What does this mean?

A child may have difficulties with moving, such as head control, sitting, crawling, walking, coordination, holding objects, playing with toys, or has pain or stiffness.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Functional mobility, movement, and motor skill development (gross and fine motor); as a result of (un)diagnosed developmental delay or motor impairment.

What does this mean?

Children who may not be responding to sounds, voices or words, or developing speech and language as expected can have their hearing screened to find out if there are any problems with their hearing.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Hearing screening; screening when there is a hearing concern or a need to rule out hearing loss as part of a differential diagnosis; point of entry to Audiology services.

What does this mean?

Different methods are used to assess a child’s hearing. If a child has a permanent hearing loss, technologies such as hearing aids, cochlear implant, or implantable bone conduction hearing devices may be used to manage the hearing loss.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Audiological assessment and management; hearing health, hearing loss; includes standard assessments, Diagnostic Pediatric Auditory Brainstem Response, Auditory Evoked Potentials; follow-up for children with permanent hearing loss.

What does this mean?

An infant’s head shape may be screened to see if it is having an impact on the baby’s health and development. If cosmetic treatment is suggested, a referral to private services will be provided.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Head shape screening; screening for medical needs associated with head shape concerns.

What does this mean?

A change in a child’s development or how they manage day to day after an injury, surgery, or medical intervention.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Acute change in function or new functional needs resulting from surgery, medical intervention or injury.

What does this mean?

Using splints or casts to help improve a child’s range of motion, strength, or muscle tone, or reduce pain to support participation.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

Splinting, orthosis, serial casting; functional needs related to underlying or newly identified medical or neurodevelopmental condition.

What does this mean?

Using assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walking aides or adaptive equipment to support a child’s ability to move about and participate in activities.

Words that your doctor or therapist may use

New functional needs related to underlying medical or neurodevelopmental condition, requiring therapeutic equipment. Equipment related to wheelchair, seating, positioning equipment may include wheelchairs and cushions, standing frames, mobile standers, walkers, gait trainers, feeder seats.