Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy

Benefits of Individual Therapy

Speech therapy and Occupational Therapy can be very beneficial for children with cerebral palsy. Individual therapy is beneficial because it can help:

  • Encourage learning and education
  • Improve ability to problem-solve
  • Increase independence
  • Improve literacy
  • Improve ability to express thoughts and ideas
  • Improve socialization
  • Boost self-esteem
  • Reduce shyness
  • Improve quality of life
  • Improve swallowing function and safety

Speech therapy can help individuals with CP with the following:

  • Articulation
  • Pronunciation
  • Fluency/stuttering
  • Sound and word formation
  • Listening
  • Pitch
  • Language and vocabulary development
  • Speech volume
  • Word comprehension
  • Word-object association
  • Breath support and control
  • Chewing
  • Swallowing
  • Speech muscle coordination and strength

The benefits of speech therapy go beyond improving a child’s ability to understand and use language. Communication is very important to other areas of development, like cognitive development and social and emotional development. As the child learns to better express themselves, the benefits can be seen in many other aspects of their life and development.

Occupational therapy can help individuals with CP with the following:

  • Increasing their chance for independence
  • Improving their ability to play and learn
  • Boosting their self-esteem and confidence
  • Helping them develop a workable routine
  • Giving them a sense of accomplishment
  • Improving their quality of life

Occupational therapy helps people develop or recover the skills needed to lead independent, satisfying lives. The “occupation” in occupational therapy does not refer to one’s profession. Rather, it refers to the everyday activities that give life meaning. For a child, these meaningful activities include playing and learning. Pediatric occupational therapy focuses on improving the child’s ability to play and learn, which are important for development and becoming independent.

Source

Cerebral Palsy Guide - Speech Therapy

Cerebral Palsy Guide - Occupational Therapy