Pediatric Speech Therapy

Pragmatic and Social Communication Challenges

Social communication is the unwritten rulebook of conversation — taking turns, reading tone, staying on topic. When that rulebook doesn't come naturally, it can affect friendships and confidence. We help kids build these skills directly, not just talk about them.

It can look like a child who talks at length about their favorite topic without noticing the listener has checked out, or a child who goes quiet in group settings because they're not sure how to jump into a conversation.

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AGES

4 to 14 years

SESSIONS

30-45 minutes

FORMAT

In-clinic or telepractice

General guideposts

Communication Reference Points

General social communication milestones:

By age 4-5
Engages in short back-and-forth conversations.
By age 6-7
Maintains a topic across several conversational turns.
By age 8-9
Begins understanding jokes, sarcasm, and figurative language.
By age 10-12
Adjusts communication style depending on the listener and situation.

General guidance only — every child develops differently. An evaluation gives you an answer specific to your child.

What to look for

Signs Your Child May Benefit

Struggling to open a conversation or keep it going smoothly is one of the clearest early signs.

Missing nonverbal cues can lead to misunderstandings with peers and adults.

Recess, lunch, and free play are often the hardest settings since there's no clear script to follow.

Missing jokes, sarcasm, or figures of speech can create social friction even when vocabulary is strong.

Difficulty noticing when a listener has lost interest is a common and very treatable pragmatic skill gap.

Our process

What to Expect

1

A social communication evaluation across real and structured settings

2

Individual or small-group sessions depending on your child's needs

3

Guided practice with peers to build skills that transfer beyond the therapy room

Between sessions

How You Can Help at Home

  • • Narrate social situations out loud ("she looks sad, I wonder why") to build awareness.
  • • Practice turn-taking during everyday conversations and games.
  • • Debrief tricky social moments afterward, without judgment.

Frequently asked

Common Questions

No — social communication challenges show up across many diagnoses, and sometimes with no diagnosis at all.

This service can be one-on-one or small group; our Social Skills Group is a dedicated ongoing peer group — many kids benefit from both.

Yes — building the underlying skills is often exactly what unlocks easier, more natural friendships.

Appointments

Help your child connect with confidence.

Serving families in Calabasas · Agoura Hills · Woodland Hills · West Hills · Westlake Village · Tarzana · Encino · Malibu · Simi Valley · Thousand Oaks · Moorpark

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