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Communication, speech and language interventions The SL intervention at the Hospital begins when it is necessary, even in early infancy with breast-fed children. An early diagnosis is done to check the babies' skills for taking liquid and solid foods, their communication reactions, including verbal and non-verbal skills. Assessments are made. Early diagnosis at pre-verbal stage is especially important. During this period of evolution possible communication and speech defects might be detected. Up to the first year of age, the child is most sensitive to therapeutic influence. Until this age the baby's brain is still in process of development. That's the reason why this stage is most important when it comes to SL intervention and prevention, based on the possibilities of neuro-functional reorganisation in the context of the overall rehabilitation. And the results are evident. 1. Diagnosis interventions 1. Early diagnosis and prevention of the pre-verbal development of children with Central Motor Disturbance (CMD) and Infant Cerebral Palsy (ICP).Patients with early SL diagnosis are received after the child is 3 months of age. In the first months of the baby's life, the symptoms of ICP are not detectable and the baby's state is different from what it will be after a few months. One should keep in mind that the damages of the central nervous system (CNS) which have already been caused before birth and immediately after it, and which constitute a risk factor for the development of ICP, obtain the best and the fullest compensation during the baby's first months of life. The expression "Central Motor Disturbance (CMD)" is the transition period of the baby during the first year, when there have already appeared some impairments in the baby's neurological status and the damage of the CNS can be confirmed. The future progress of the disorder, however, can not be determined as yet. At this stage it is very important to assess immediately the risk of developing ICP. The early diagnosis of SL provides a major opportunity to compensate the communication impairment, to reduce it to a normal level and to carry out prevention against the SL development of children. Assessment of the communication skills when finding out deviations in:
2. Early diagnostics and prevention in regard to the child's abilities of solid and liquid food intake Breast-fed children are accepted for treatment based on their difficulties in taking food or liquid. Tests are used to assess the ability for sucking, swallowing, chewing, drinking from a glass and eating with a spoon (following the stages of these two activities). The difficult and late development of these abilities influence the mastering of the articulation skills and pronunciation of many of the sounds as well as self-control and coordination of the articulation organs. The assessment is done with Demo-feeding, which is repeated over a certain period of time. 3. Diagnosis and therapy of SL impairments (active and passive speech) Examination of the SL development and communication abilities:
In the process of correcting articulation, breathing and speech abilities as well as the level of understanding, different methods and techniques are used. These methods are chosen individually for each child and in accordance to each diagnostic and therapeutic case. First, individual therapy sessions are provided. When formation of the communication skills starts, treatment goes to group therapy in order to improve already acquired communication abilities. 4. Diagnosis of written speech and setting up conditions for school abilities. Focus is given to children's potential for acquiring written speech skills. Different deviations in fine motor skills give chances for acquiring writing skills - in hand-written letters, type letters or using a technical device - typewriter or computer.
-Vocabulary -Phonology -Semantics -Syntax -Pragmatics The final report includes test results, observations, advice and summary.
11. THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS SL Therapy is provided when supported by assessment findings, recommended by the SLP and when the doctor currently treating the child concludes that treatment is needed. Otherwise, periodical assessing and consultations are provided. In addition, parents receive training on how to be co-therapists. Types of therapy
Stages Early stage: patients from 0 to 18 months of age threatened by ICP. The rehabilitation is specialized and directed towards recovery and/or development of skills for taking liquid and solid food, stimulation of pre-verbal speech, training of parents as co-therapists. Main stage: with patient's over18 months with manifest ICP. The rehabilitation aims at influencing the movement functions of the oro-facial muscles, development of the active and passive speech, written speech and communication skills, working with the family on communication strategies, training of parents as co-therapists. Oro-facial motor therapy
This therapy is a method to improve the process of food intake. Different techniques are used for acquiring skills in swallowing, chewing, biting and eating a variety of different foods.
The system for pre-verbal rehabilitation is used for children with CMD aged 3 months to 1 year, children with ICP over 1 year (with no age limit), children suffering from different types of neurological and genetic disorders who have feeding difficulties, as well as somatically and neurologically intact children who have some feeding difficulties.  
 The lasting of the therapy is prescribed depending on each individual case. Communication therapy  
Articulatory therapy  
Computer training Treatment programme is a specialized computer programme. Training of parents as co-therapists |
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Stage
1 - stimulation of the abilities for taking liquid food;