What is tykeTALK??
tykeTALK offers programs for children in the Thames Valley School Board District, from birth to school age with speech and/or language difficulties. It is a partnership of agencies and is governed by Thames Valley Children’s Centre. tykeTALK is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services, and all services are offered at no charge to families.
tykeTALK’s focus is preventing and identifying speech, language, and swallowing problems. The earlier we help children develop their communication skills, the better they will be able to interact with the world around them.
Assessments are completed by a Speech-Language Pathologist. Therapy, where appropriate, is provided by Speech-Language Pathologists, or trained Assistants, who work under the supervision of a Speech-Language Pathologist.
tykeTALK has offices across the Thames Valley region, in London, St. Thomas, Strathroy, and Woodstock. Many programs are based in neighbourhoods across the region.
Did you know?
• Speech and Language problems are the most common problems faced by Ontario children.
• At least 1 in 10 toddlers will face a speech and/or language difficulty.
• Parents are a child’s most important teacher and can impact their child’s speech and language development.
• No child is too young to have an assessment of his or her speech and language development.
Some children may develop age-appropriate speech, without help, but even professional speech-language pathologists can’t predict if a child will improve without therapy. Therefore, when there are concerns regarding a child’s development, it is always better to have an assessment to determine if specific programming is indicated.
Ages & Stages Information
On the tykeTALK website, there is information on what you should be expecting for your child’s speech and language development, and how to improve your child’s speech and language development.
You can also watch a series of videos on promoting language development with your child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gplO5-Ds79o&t=38s
When should I make a referral?
The earlier a child with a speech or language problem is seen, the better the chance that they will develop the skills they need.
It is never too early for a child to be seen for a speech and language assessment.
All children are expected to develop language within certain time frames. To check your child’s development, compared to other children their age, take a look at the tykeTALK Communication Checklist. https://www.tyketalk.com/communication-checklist
Tyke Talk Intake & Referral
Intake Coordinator
(519) 663-0273 or 1-877-818-TALK
intake@tvcc.on.ca
tykeTALK accepts referrals from families and community professionals. An intake team member will collect pertinent background information and history from families and send it to the appropriate service provider agency. They will also provide general information about tykeTALK to callers.
You can make a referral by contacting the Intake Team. Or by using the Preschool Speech and Language Referral Form found on www.tvcc.on.ca website. The Intake Coordinator is also able to take referrals in French.
TVCC Elgin tykeTALK Satellite Site
34 Churchill Crescent
St. Thomas, Ontario N5R 1N9
Telephone (519) 633-6388
Fax (519) 633-0706
For more information on tykeTALK take a look at their website www.tyketalk.com
