H.E.L.P.
Help Eliminate Language  and Learning Problems in Children
 

"An infant crying in the night,
An infant crying for the light.
And with no language but a cry"

                 -Alfred Lord Tennyson

Communication disorders in children

To Hear - To Speak - To Understand

     These are the basic steps of language development in the young mind.

     Yet, there are otherwise normal, healthy children, rich and poor alike, who are shut off from communication, even with their own parents! These children's hearing, speech, language, or learning problems could arise from a variety of reasons.

     Research continues on the causes of poor speech and language development, as well as associated learning disabilities in children.

     There is a wide age range for children to begin talking, therefore, parents may not at first recognize any communication disorders. Parents may gradually become aware and concerned that something may be amiss as they wait expectantly for the first intelligible word uttered by their child.

     Speech language disorders affect approximately six million children in the United States. However many of these childhood problems do not mean mental deficiency or emotional disturbance. Often these children have from average to even superior intelligence. What they lack is the ability to exercise this intelligence through normal speech and language channels.

     Today, at our Scottish Rite Clinics in the State of Florida, many children with communication disorders are being helped to hear, to speak, to understand.

The Miracle of the Scottish Rite Clinics, Centers, and Programs for Childhood Language Disorders

     In the early 1950's in Colorado, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States initiated a program to help children with speech and language disorders. The results obtained from this program led to the establishment of Scottish Rite clinics to provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders, as well as learning disabilities.

     Today, there are fourteen clinics in Florida and many more throughout the United States. In these clinics there are special programs for children. Each facility is staffed by speech-language pathologists who must hold a Masters Degree in speech pathology. Through the support of Scottish Rite Masons and friends of the Foundation, these clinics and programs continue to increase.

    The value of this philanthropy has long been apparent. Hundreds of youngster have received significant help in our Florida clinics, while thousands more across the United States have been helped.. With the good work of dedicated clinicians and parents, the Scottish Rite has achieved successes that could only be imagined a few years back. Children who might have remained educationally handicapped for a lifetime can now talk, read, and lead useful lives.

Results That Touch the Heart

   ◦A child so frustrated that he was hyperactive became a productive learner.
   ◦A child who was alienated and depressed because of a language impairment and who was devastating his  
    household became friendly and responded in a happy manner to gentle, sustained treatment.
   ◦A little girl who was thought retarded reached out and spoke the names of her parents.
   ◦A boy who had a seemingly hopeless speech problem is today a successful lawyer.

How to Identify Speech and Language  Disorders and Associated  Learning Disabilities

     Children who have these problems are sometimes hard to detect. As noted before, there is a wide age range for children to begin talking. Parents may become concerned later than desirable, may not recognize, or may misinterpret the symptoms.
     These children are often slow in developing a vocabulary or are difficult to understand, using incomplete or incorrect sentences or gibberish. They may have difficulties with attention, memory, or word retrieval. They may be slow in processing auditory information.
     There are many technical diagnostic terms for these problems, and some of them can sound terrifying to parents. However, parents must remember that many of these dysfunctions do not mean mental deficiency or emotional disturbance.

The Importance of Early Evaluation and Treatment

     In the past few years, there has been increased recognition of the importance of evaluation and treatment of childhood language problems at the earliest possible opportunity. The chances of a child with a communication disorder attaining his or her peer group level are much greater, if the child receives help at an early age.

What to Do if a Parent Suspects a Child Needs Help

     A parent with concerns about a child's language or learning ability should call a Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders for guidance or contact a Scottish Rite Foundation Trustee at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in the area where the help is needed. If this fails, you may contact the Foundation Secretary, Mr. Keith Albright, at 407-657-4550 for further instructions.

     The first step is a complete evaluation of the child's condition by professionals. In most instances, a child identified as having a communication disorder can be helped by the Scottish Rite. However, a child who demonstrates overall developmental delays or severe handicapping conditions may require other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy or a full-time special education program.

     Any of the trained speech-language pathologists at the Scottish Rite clinics and centers can recommend programs specializing in advanced treatment.

     In Florida, these clinics are generally associated with major hospitals in the area. All are clearly identified in this web site or in the telephone book in the area where they are located.

     The main thing parents should remember is to seek help as soon as possible if there s any indication that the child has a problem.

Program Eligibility

     As a rule, the Scottish Rite Clinics for Childhood Language Disorders accept pre-school children who have difficulty speaking or understanding the spoken word or school-age children who have difficulty learning to read. Inquiries on age group program offerings in specific areas should be addressed to the Trustee at the local Scottish Rite facility listed in our Contact Us page.

     Equally important, all services are available regardless of race, creed, or the family's inability to pay.

Personal Involvement

      The cooperation of each child's parents is essential. The whole family, as well as the child, is trained by skilled clinicians so that, in addition to treatment, parents are able to continue at home the clinic's recommended therapy.

Membership Involvement of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

     There is a contribution in human terms in solving these problems for the well-being and happiness of children and their parents. There is also a very significant contribution to the economic health of our country by providing the means for these children to become productive adults, able to contribute to their own lives and to the betterment of society. Education and concern for children have always been among the fundamental tenets of the Masonic Fraternity. The Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida provides educational grants, or scholarships to qualified, needy high school students seeking higher education through the Bachelor's Degree. We continue to advocate and support the educational program.

     Helping children with speech and language disorders and learning disabilities is a particular mission of the Scottish Rite. Together with our Childhood Language Disorders Program, our support of education - scholarship is a continuing effort, and each and every member will want to help fulfill this total effort and mission.

How You Can Help Eliminate  Language and Learning Problems in Children       

     Thanks to the generosity of Scottish Rite members through their national and local foundations, which provide financial support for our Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs, thousands of children have been evaluated and successfully treated in a nurturing environment.
   
  Miracles can happen, and with skillful evaluation and treatment, miracles are happening in Scottish Rite facilities in Florida and throughout the United States.

   However, more clinics, centers, and programs are needed to help all of the children with these problems.

   Also, Scottish Rite clinics already in existence continue to need donations for additional therapists, instructional materials, special equipment, and improved facilities.

     In addition to our membership support, the Scottish Rite encourages all concerned citizens to assist in this worthy humanitarian effort. One way to assist is through estate planning. A bequest to either the local Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida, U.S.A., Inc., can be designated for support of our children's charity. Gifts, of course, are tax deductible as provided by law.

     Children are tomorrow's citizens and the hope for our world. To help America's children overcome their challenges is a major contribution to our future.