6 Things To Expect from Speech Therapy at School

by Courtenay M. Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy for Kids
Speech Therapy at School

What Can You Expect from Speech Therapy at School?

Your child has a speech impediment and is scheduled to begin kindergarten in the fall. Like most parents, you are filled with excitement about the upcoming year. For parents whose children have speech disorders, the excitement can be coupled with anxiety about how the other children in the class will react to your child’s speech impediment and how well your child will learn in a classroom setting. As we mentioned in our previous blog, research has shown that children with speech disorders are more likely to be the target of bullying and teasing. What can you do to help prepare your child, teacher, and your child’s class? You can start by addressing the issue with your school’s Speech- Language Pathologist. An on-site, school SLP is an excellent resource for parents to help prepare their child with language and confidence-building skills for the school year.

Continue reading →

Help! My Child Is Being Teased For Her Speech Impediment

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders News Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Teased for Speech Disorder

My Child is Being Teased for Her Speech Impediment. What can I do to help?

“People tease me because of the way I talk.” “The other kids at school don’t like my words.” Do these statements sound familiar in your home? The unfortunate fact is that children who have a speech impediment are often subjected to teasing from their peers. According to a study by Professor Gordon W. Blood, Ph.D., CCC-SLP:

children who stutter are 61% more likely to be targeted by a bully.

Teasing and bullying at school can be a frightening experience.

Continue reading →

Speech Therapy for Kids: 4 Topics to Discuss With Your Speech Therapist

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Language Development News Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy for Kids Speech Therapy Techniques State Resources

 

Speech Therapy for Kids

Speech Therapy for Kids: 4 Crucial Topics to Cover After Your First Visit

Our series this week talks about your child’s first visit to a speech therapist. Once your child has been diagnosed with a speech impediment or a speech disorder and your appointment is set, you want to make sure to be as knowledgeable and organized as possible in order to get the best out of the first visit. We have given you a handful of tips on what to expect from your first visit to the speech therapist. After the visit is complete, you can expect your SLP to review the results of your child’s evaluation and recommend a treatment plan. But there should be more to it. The results aren’t always cut and dry. You will want to make sure to cover the following topics so you are well informed about your child’s treatment going forward.

Continue reading →

What to Expect: First Speech Therapy Lesson

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Language Development News Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps School Speech delay Speech Disorders Speech Impediment Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Therapy for Speech Impediment

What to Expect: First Speech Therapy Visit for a Speech Impediment

Your child has been diagnosed with a speech impediment or speech disorder.  Whether she suffers from the common types of speech impediments such as stuttering, apraxia of speech, a speech sound disorder, cluttering or a lisp, early speech therapy intervention is crucial to successful treatment. But what happens in your first speech therapy visit? What can you expect? Here is a brief run-down of your first visit with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Planning ahead and being prepared will help you make the most out of your first visit with a speech pathologist and set you on a successful course of speech therapy treatment.

Continue reading →

Famous People With Speech Impediments

by Courtenay M. Language Development News Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders Speech Therapist
Famous people with speech impediment

Did you know these famous people suffered from speech impediments?

And the Oscar goes to…. Even before the award show begins, the Oscar telecast is full of celebrities dressed to the nines and giving interviews up and down the red carpet. Everyone seems so perfect, right? Wrong! Did you know that some of your favorite celebrities and high profile people have overcome speech impediments as children? Many business executives, actors, actresses, professional athletes and even politicians have struggled with speech problems from lisping to stuttering. King George VI was so embarrassed by his stutter that he hired speech-language pathologist and greatly improved his public speaking. This training and its results are the featured in the 2010 film, The King’s Speech.

In celebration of the Academy Awards, here is a Bonus Trivia Question for you:

Which Oscar-winning actress suffered from stuttering as a child? Hint: she currently stars in a movie where the lead actress has been nominated for an Oscar this year. (See answer below)

Continue reading →

Will My Child Outgrow Her Speech Impediment?

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Language Development News Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps School Speech delay Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Impediment?

Will My Child Outgrow Her Speech Impediment?

Your child hasn’t reached the speech and language milestones as quickly as her buddies. And, she says “thoup” instead of “soup”. Does this mean she has a speech impediment? Does she need speech therapy? Will she outgrow it on her own? Parents whose children are at the beginning stages of speech and language development ask these questions and more as their children’s speech patterns emerge. There are no real clinical “tests” to determine whether or not your child is a late talker, has a real speech impediment, or if it will indeed resolve itself on its own. Many children with early speech impairments do eventually outgrow them by the time they are ready for kindergarten. It  is important to discuss your concerns with your child’s healthcare provider for any developmental challenges as there are also many other causes and types of speech disorders.
Continue reading →

Understanding Speech Impediments in Children

Understanding Speech Impediments in Children

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Language Development News Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques

How do you know if your child has a speech impediment? Speech impediments in children are more common than you might think. They are a type of communication disorder where “normal” speech is disrupted. The disruption can include a lisp, stuttering, stammering, mis-articulation of certain sounds and more. Another commonly used phrase for speech impediments in children is speech disorder. Often, the causes of a speech impediment are unknown. However, sometimes there are physical impairments such as cleft palate or neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injury that may be the cause of the speech impairment. We have listed below five of the most common types of speech impediments in children and a general description of each. Of course, if you suspect your child may have a speech impairment of any kind, we encourage you to visit your pediatrician or hire a Speech Therapist for more information.

Continue reading →

Speech Therapy Exercises For Children

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Language Development News Parents' Corner Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Therapy Exercises

Fun, At-Home Speech Therapy Exercises for Children

This week, in the spirit of the Olympics, we thought we’d offer some of our favorite speech therapy exercises and activities to do at home. That’s right, exercises! While there will not be a half-pipe, blob-sledding track or a gold medal at the end of your session, the reward will be an opportunity to spend quality time with your child and help him or her with increasing speech and language skills.

Continue reading →

Five Common Speech Disorders in Children

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Language Development Pronunciation & Lisps School Speech delay Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Disorders

Five Common Speech Disorders in Children

You have determined that your child has more than just a speech delay, now what? How do you determine what kind of speech disorder your child has and more importantly, what do you do about it? We have listed below five common speech disorders in children. Of course, we always recommend a visit to your pediatrician if you feel your child has any of these symptoms, and an appointment with an SLP may be necessary to begin an effective speech therapy treatment plan.

Continue reading →

Featured Speech Buddies Provider: An Interview with Suzy Hites

by Courtenay M. Interviews Phonological Processing Disorder Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques
Suzy Hites, MA, CCC-SLP

Suzy Hites, MA, CCC-SLP

We met Suzy Hites, speech-language pathologist, a few months ago and were impressed at the positive attitude she brings to her practice in Livermore, California.  “I love helping my students become better communicators! It is music to my ears when a student tells me, ‘People can understand me now!'”

Continue reading →