Does your child show any symptoms of speech delay? Do they consistently mispronounce words? Do you see any signs of stuttering or a delay in your child’s speech-language development? Many kids show early signs of speech and language problems. It’s okay to be concerned about it. Parents can be concerned about multiple things when it comes to their children. However, if you only worry, nothing will change. You must take action.
You must first identify what kind of speech issue your child is experiencing. Consider consulting a kids’ speech therapist or a speech-language pathologist (SLP). They are qualified, knowledgeable, experienced, and equipped to make a proper diagnosis.
As a parent, it’s important to practice speech therapy exercises at home with your child. There are ways to improve the overall efficacy of speech treatment, including when parents work with online speech therapists, assist kids with specific exercises, or employ therapists to help their child. In this article, we will talk about the different kinds of speech disorders, the benefits of speech therapy, and how you can practice speech therapy exercises at home.
What is Speech Disorder?
Your child has a speech disorder if they are unable to talk or communicate in a way that is easy for others to comprehend. Speech impairment can occasionally be a symptom of physical or developmental issues.
Children who have speech impediments may find it challenging to learn to read and write if their condition is untreated. Children who have speech impairments may often have social anxiety. Surgery may be used to treat some speech difficulties, such as tongue ties and cleft palate. However, speech therapy typically aids in the treatment of speech difficulties.
Types of Speech Disorders
Some of the most common types of speech disorders are as follows:
- Stuttering
- Articulation errors
- Tongue-tie
- Apraxia
- Dysarthria
- Selective mutism
Speech Therapy Techniques for Parents to use at Home
Below are some communications techniques that you can practice to help your child treat speech disability. Each of these strategies has been proven useful through evidence-based practice and is time-tested.
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Give your child multiple choices
From a very young age, your child should be able to understand the idea of options. Make sure to refrain from giving them constant orders or commands. While for many busy families, this may be time-saving but it limits your child’s ability to use and practice basic language skills. Offer them options.
For instance, when it’s time to leave the house, spread out two sets of clothing and ask your child, “Which t-shirt do you want to wear? The green or the red one?”.
We don’t always want to give a child something; instead, we want to support them in using language to independently ask for things. Additionally, we want children to develop the language necessary to respond to questions. Giving your kid a choice between two options encourages them to respond verbally to express their preferences.
1. Positive Reinforcement
When your child correctly pronounces a challenging word or uses a new word for the first time, praise them verbally. Saying, “Wow. “Good work Max! That was a tough one, but you said it perfectly!” “may help in boosting your child’s self-esteem and confidence.
2. Practice Expectant Waiting
Let’s say you asked your child a question. You need to wait now. Never pressure them. Observe the answer. If your child gets sidetracked, rephrase the question. There is always the possibility that your child did not comprehend the question.
3. Use Visual Cues
For a toddler, everything is brand-new. While kids are quickly picking up new language abilities, it’s critical for caregivers to encourage this language-learning process at every stage. A useful tool in the parenting toolbox is visuals. Let’s see how we can use visuals to develop a child’s speaking skills.
The visual cues can be any physical object or photo. It can be as easy as naming the object while pointing in its direction. For instance, if a toy car is in front of you, you could say, “that is a red car.”
4. Reading
Reading encourages your child’s creativity, broadens their vocabulary, improves their comprehension and listening abilities, and ultimately supports academic success in the classroom.
A young child can pick up how to turn the pages of a book and point at interesting things as you name them. While reading throughout the day with an active child could be challenging, reading before a nap or bedtime ritual can produce greater outcomes.