How to Measure Your Child’s Progress

by Jacky G. Speech Therapist
Goal Setting Target

Image source: blog.seattlepi.com

When your child first began speech therapy, you should have received a comprehensive treatment plan from the speech-language pathologist (SLP). You should also periodically receive progress reports, either written or verbal. If the SLP has so far provided you with neither of these, ask for them as soon as possible. The point of speech therapy is to help your child improve his communication skills. The best way to ensure that he is improving is to evaluate whether he has met measurable goals.

Continue reading →

How to Help Your Child Cope

by Jacky G. Speech Disorders
Mother Comforting Child

Image source: tyingheartstrings.com

Arranging for treatment for your child’s speech disorder can use up a lot of time and energy. It can be stressful to make sure that your child has everything he needs to succeed, but it is also important to pay attention to the possible signs of stress that he may exhibit. Children may become frustrated when they cannot readily communicate, particularly if they become aware that their patterns of speech are different from the patterns of speech of other children.

Continue reading →

Dealing with Phonological Disorders

by Jacky G. Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

Child Reading Book

A child’s phonological development refers to the process a child follows when learning the sounds that make language. This involves learning to distinguish different sounds (“up” is different than “cup”) as well as how these sounds fit together to make words. If your child is diagnosed with a phonological disorder, it means that he has trouble distinguishing the patterns of sounds in language. He might not understand the rules of how sounds fit together to make words.

Continue reading →

How to Find a Speech Therapist

by Jacky G. Speech Therapist
Yellow Pages

Image source: searchengineland.com

You have just learned that your child may have a speech disorder and you feel overwhelmed. There are lots of details to sort out: what type of treatment your child needs, whether your insurance will cover it, and how to find a speech therapist that can help him.

Continue reading →

Help for Children with Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Child Covering Her Mouth

Image source: theparentszone.com

If your child is diagnosed with a lisp, it means that he has trouble pronouncing “s” and “z” sounds. There are four types of lisps:

  • A palatal lisp means that when your child tries to make an “s” or a “z” sound, his tongue contacts the soft palate.
  • A lateral lisp means that air travels out of either side of the tongue. Children with a lateral lisp produce “s” and “z” sounds that sound “slushy.”
  • A dentalized lisp means that your child’s tongue makes contact with his teeth while producing the “s” and “z” sounds.
  • An interdental lisp, sometimes called a frontal lisp, means that the tongue pushes forward through the teeth, creating a “th” sound instead of an “s” or “z” sound.

Continue reading →