Is Your Child Bored with Speech Therapy?

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Throwing Temper Tantrum

Image source: People.howstuffworks.com

We’ve all been there before: your toddler gets hungry or bored in the supermarket and throws an embarrassing temper tantrum in aisle 3. Or your teenage son starts getting fidgety during a dinner party and tries to stick his spoon to his nose. Kids will be kids, but what do you do when your child is bored with his speech therapy activities? If your child’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) has informed you that little Matthew seems to be slacking off in his efforts during speech therapy, he might be getting bored with the activities. Most kids crave entertainment and stimulation. Instead of trying to cajole your child to put in more effort, change the method of instruction. Talk with the SLP about the current activities she is using during speech therapy sessions and review what you’re doing at home. To keep your child engaged in learning, a change is definitely in order.

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An Interview with Gina Badalaty – Special Needs Mom

by Jacky G. Interviews
Gina Badalaty

Courtesy: Gina Badalaty

This week, we’re featuring Gina Badalaty of Mom-Blog. Gina has been blogging about special needs since 2002. Her focus is on raising awareness and helping other parents of special needs kids. Gina herself has two special needs children: Amelia has a rare form of Down syndrome and Zoe has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In our interview, Gina discusses the many speech therapy techniques she has used with both of her daughters – the ones that worked and the ones that didn’t. While not all speech therapy treatments helped Zoe and Amelia, it’s important to remember that every child is unique. Gina also pointed out that treatment techniques are always evolving. The number one lesson from Gina’s story is to keep trying until you find something that helps, and to never let your child’s disability get in the way of her happiness.

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More Great Articulation Apps

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Using iPad App

Image source: betakit.com

As your child grows, he will likely learn to speak in complete sentences, control the tone of his voice, and articulate words clearly. If you suspect your child is struggling with proper articulation or he has a speech delay or disorder, bring him to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for an evaluation. A speech therapist can help your child with an array of communication issues, including articulation. You can also use speech therapy activities at home to encourage his progress, including using apps that were designed specifically to teach articulation.

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How to Teach the “R” Sound

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Therapist Working with Child on Articulation

Image source: speechpathclinic.com

The “R” Sound

The “r” sound can be especially challenging to pronounce. It’s a voiced sound, produced by the vibration of the vocal cords. The reason why this particular sound is so difficult to master is that it can be correctly pronounced 8 different ways, depending on the letters with which it is combined. If you factor in the positioning of all of the variations of an “r” at the beginning, middle, or end of a word, you end up with 21 total variations.

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Top Toys for Speech Therapy

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Parent Playing with Child

Image source: physorg.com

While speech therapy is definitely going digital, you can still reap the benefits of using timeless toys like dolls and games to elicit communication and encourage proper sentence structure. Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) customize their use of toys to the child’s individual interests. For example, an SLP might use a Grover doll for a child who loves “Sesame Street” or a Disney character for a child who loves “Aladdin.” Keeping the child engaged in learning is crucial to encourage progress.

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