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.

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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.
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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.

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Three Valentine’s Day Activities For Your Kids

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Arts and Crafts At Home Ideas Language Development Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques
Valentine's Day Crafts

Valentine’s Day Activities           for Your Kids!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we want to share with you three fun ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your students and kids! Of course, you can pull out some arts and crafts, stickers and colored paper to make homemade cards, but we’ve gone a bit further with some crafty and creative ways to get your involved with your kids, and provide an opportunity for language building and speech therapy techniques. We gathered these activities from some of our favorite Speech Therapy websites, so, grab your scissors, paper and tape and get ready for some Valentine’s Day fun!

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Are Tactile Tools for Speech Therapy An Effective Option?

by Courtenay M. Apps Articulation Disorders At Home Ideas Parents' Corner School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques

Tactile Tools for Speech Therapy
Our in-depth look at tools for speech therapy turns toward non-traditional speech therapy methods today. We have touched on terrific apps for families and children with articulation disorder and sites and resources for SLP’s looking to incorporate technology into their practice. Another piece of speech therapy worth discussing are hand-held, tactile tools. Hand-held items are often effective tools for speech therapy. Tactile tools target a range of skill sets from fine and gross motor, articulation, voice and stuttering, listening and sensory skills. Tactile tools allow kids to practice speech sounds, provide appropriate sensory options and can be used in any setting, whether it be home, at a speech therapist’s office or even at school.

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