Speech therapy in early stimulation in cities of Caxias do Sul-RS e Flores da Cunha-RS

Abstract

Early stimulation is a procedure in which the premature baby, newborn or a child with delayed development needs to develop its capabilities. The aim of this study was to verify the performance of speech in early stimulation in the cities of Caxias do Sul, RS, e Flores da Cunha, RS. An interview with twelve open questions was held with six speech therapists from Caxias do Sul, and three from Flores da Cunha. The main factors considered by the evaluation procedures of early stimulation were language evaluation, comprehensive and expressive, phonological evaluation of speech, and orofacial evaluation. As for speech intervention, the activities are related to stimulation of language, comprehensive and expressive, stimulation of orofacial motor and auditory stimulation. In relation to the importance of early stimulation appears the importance of the child’s cognitive and intellectual development; according to the therapists interviewed, children that are not early stimulated have more chance of presenting a delay in their motor, linguistic and social development.