What to Expect: Your Four-Year-Old’s Speech Milestones

What to Expect: Your Four-Year-Old’s Speech Milestones

by Courtenay M. Language Development Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Your Four-Year-Old's Speech Milestones

Your Four-Year-Old’s Speech Milestones. Image source: teachtofeed.com

When it comes to speech and language skills, every child develops at a different rate. That being said, there are some generally predictable milestones that each child achieves as they grow and learn. It usually takes about 8 years for a child to master all the speech sounds in the English language.

Although there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, there are 44 distinct sounds!

According to Heidi Hanks, M.S.CCC-SLP, founder of Little Bee Speech, and the terrific website Mommy Speech Therapy, one way to determine if your child’s speech is progressing at a normal rate is using what is called “speech sound norms.” According to Heidi, speech sound norms are tools that speech language pathologists (SLP’s) use to help guide them in determining which errors are developmentally appropriate and which errors are not. There are multiple speech sound norms that are currently being used by SLP’s all around the world.

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Speech Buddies Partners with The Cleft Lip & Palate Foundation of Smiles

Speech Buddies Partners with The Cleft Lip & Palate Foundation of Smiles

by Adrienne P. Cleft Lip and Palate News Parents' Corner

We are thrilled to announce a new partnership that Speech Buddies has formed with The Cleft Lip & Palate Foundation of Smiles. Cleft lip or palate is one of the most common birth defects in the United States, affecting around 1 in 600 children nationwide. Children who are born with cleft lip or palate are likely to have speech difficulties, as too much air fills the open nasal cavity, making their speech sound “slushy.”

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What Happens In Speech Therapy?

What Happens In Speech Therapy?

by Courtenay M. Language Development Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
What to expect during speech therapy

What to Expect During Speech Therapy. Source: thetherapyvillage.com

What happens when your child visits a speech-language pathologist? What exactly will the SLP do? These are questions that many parents ask when their child has been recommended to start a speech therapy program. In order for you to set your expectations (and your child’s), here are the basics of what to expect from a speech therapy program. Of course, each course of therapy is tailored personally to your child’s particular speech disorder, or speech impairment. This should serve as a general guideline about the entire process.

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Tips For Teaching the “th” Sound

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques
The "th" Sound

Tips for Teaching the “th” Sound

Often, we are asked for suggestions on how to teach the sound of “th.” While Speech Buddies offers tools to help overcome many speech difficulties and articulation disorders, we do not have a tool for the sound of “th.”  This is what we offer parents who are looking for help teaching their children to correctly pronounce the “th” sound. Continue reading →

6 Songs For Speech Therapy

6 Songs For Speech Therapy

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Parents' Corner Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Ideas Speech Therapy Techniques
Music as speech therapy

Music is an excellent source of speech therapy. Image source: loogguitars.com

Do you have a little Stevie Wonder on your hands? Lady Gaga? Do you hear singing at all hours of the day? If so, you know that singing and songs are a significant part of your child’s life. In fact, many children sing more than they talk! Through singing and song, children can actually achieve improved articulation skills, just from belting it out. Even simple children’s nursery rhymes can help develop pronunciation and articulation skills. For children who need any type of speech and language therapy, music is essential. It is motivating, familiar, rhythmic, stimulates a variety of senses and most of all – FUN!
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How to Develop Correct Speech Habits at Home

How to Develop Correct Speech Habits at Home

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Language Development Parents' Corner Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques
Developing Correct Speech Habits at Home

You Can Help Develop Correct Speech Habits at Home.  Image source: blogs.trb.com

Whether or not your child has been diagnosed with a speech sound disorder, there are many things you can do at home to help develop correct speech habits.  You can even start developing these habits when your child makes his first babbles! Every child develops at a different rate and there is a wide range of what is considered normal in a child’s language development. You can take an active role in helping encourage your child’s speech and language development, just by adding a few easy steps into your daily routine.

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Speech Impediment in Children: What Is Cluttering?

Speech Impediment in Children: What Is Cluttering?

by Courtenay M. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Winston Churchill

Did Winston Churchill Suffer From Cluttering or Stuttering? (See Answer Below!)

What is cluttering, and how is this different than stuttering? We’ve heard that question many times from readers, so we thought we’d take a moment to explain the speech disorder called cluttering in more detail. Cluttering is a speech and communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to convey speech in a clear and concise manner. It is often characterized by an abnormally rapid rate of speech, difficulty organizing thoughts or getting to the point and words that sound like they are “running into each other.”

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5 Awesome Activities for Children with Autism!

5 Awesome Activities for Children with Autism!

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Autism Games and Activities Language Development News Speech Disorders

 

Activities for Children with AutismAs we celebrate National Autism Awareness month, we’d like to share with you ideas for activities that help support children with autism.  Autism is an increasingly more common neurological condition that affects brain development. As such, children diagnosed with autism have more difficulty socializing with others, effectively communicating and responding appropriately to the environment around them. Are there activities that you can do with your child to help encourage effective communication and engagement?  Yes, read on!

If your child has autism, you know that it affects each child differently.  Children with autism possess a wide variety of skills, strengths, and needs. In addition to individualized therapy, there are simple, everyday activities that parents, teachers and caregivers can do to help support children with autism. We’ve put together a list of materials and fun activities that encourage social skills, and enhance communication for children with autism.

What kinds of activities and games are best?  An article in Science Daily, discussed the importance of play in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). “Children with ASD chose to engage in play that provided strong sensory feedback, cause-and-effect results, and repetitive motions,” said Kathy Ralabate Doody, Ph.D., assistant professor of exceptional education at SUNY Buffalo State. Any opportunity to explore colors, shapes, textures and sensory experiences can help stimulate attention and create a sense of fun!

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