Developmental problems in children often cause issues with speech, articulation, and communication. The ability to communicate effectively through speech comes from a confluence of finely coordinated motor skills, a good understanding of the language and its nuances, and the mental capacity to convert thoughts into speech using the right words quickly.

You might be parenting a child with speech sound disorders. In that case, it is vital to approach this problem systematically, using a simple-to-complex approach and setting up the right building blocks of practice that can lead to articulate, intelligible speech and effective communication. Here are some basic pointers to help you construct the right practical building blocks for a child with speech sound disorders.

Practicing Words—A Few at a Time

Before your child learns to articulate and combine multiple words effectively, you need to establish a comfort level with single words. It is crucial to select a few essential words and help your child understand and practice those until that comfort level gets established clearly. This way, you avoid overwhelming your child with information while creating a solid base of essential words that can help them create complex speech in due time.

The Right Words for Motivation

The practice of articulating words can become dull and chore-like unless you keep your child motivated by picking areas of interest and excitement and choosing words from those realms. Look at your child’s favorite activities, foods, and toys, and select practice words closely related to these areas of interest. The names of people in the family can also be useful in this regard.

Words for Utility

Effective communication often hinges on practicality. Real-life situations can place specific speech-related demands on your child. Knowing the right words regarding the immediate environment can be a great help in these situations. Words like “want”, “help”, “move”, “bye”, “up”, and “down” can also act as pivot words that can later connect with other words to form useful phrases. These words can be an integral part of the building blocks of practice for children with speech sound disorders.

Answering “wh” Questions

Many real-life communication scenarios hinge on the ability to understand, ask, and answer “wh” questions—who, what, where, when, and why. The most crucial prerequisite to engaging in these scenarios involves an understanding of the notions behind these questions. Focusing on these words in the practice building blocks for your child can help them internalize these notions and deal with such scenarios effectively.

Please feel free to contact us at Speech and Occupational Therapy of North Texas for a consultation regarding any kind of expert help with children with speech sound disorders.

July 26, 2023

 When children struggle with daily activities, there are many different options to help them progress. One of the best options is allowing children to participate in occupational therapy. This type of therapy helps children learn how to grasp concepts that they may otherwise struggle with. There are many types of therapy that fall under the umbrella of occupational therapy. Each of the types of therapy can help children progress with different tasks in their lives.

Types of Therapy Children Can Progress With

Speech therapy is one of the most common types of occupational therapy. These simple games and practices allow children to speak more clearly, and learn to express things they may need. This can include talking about how your child feels, explaining his or her needs, or even learning to ask questions to help them overcome daily challenges.

Fine motor skill therapy can also help children overcome some daily challenges. For some children, doing things like tying their shoes or buttoning a button are difficult. By going through occupational therapy, children are better able to accomplish these tasks on their own without the help of others. This type of therapy can also help children do things like writing more legibly or even using small devices, such as scissors.

Therapy for gross motor skills can also help children. Many struggle with specific tasks that require large muscle coordination. This type of therapy can help children do things like sitting up straight, walking without bumping into things, and doing activities like jumping jacks.

Many children can also benefit from strategy therapy. This teaches children how to plan out their day to get the most accomplished or to make the most logical sense. This can include helping them plan out their day at school, figure out which homework to do first, or how to make sure they accomplish a small list of chores each day in the most efficient manner.

Getting Help with Occupational Therapy

If you want to help your child get ahead, you may want to get them into occupational therapy. There are many types of skills that can improve with the repetition and projects that come with occupational therapy. No matter where your child struggles, there is something that can be done to help them gain independence and confidence. Reach out to us here at Speech & Occupational Therapy of North Texas and tell us what it is your child struggles with. We will then help you come up with a plan to help them overcome those challenges and move forward with confidence.

July 25, 2023

 

 

Introduction: Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a condition that affects the way the nervous system processes sensory input and translates it into motor skills or behavioral actions. When someone has SPD, their sensory signals may not be received or processed correctly, which can impact their daily activities. Fortunately, there are various activities that can be incorporated into a child's routine to help them overcome some of the challenges associated with SPD. Identifying the affected senses is crucial, and seeking professional assistance, like the services provided by the Speech & Occupational Therapy of North Texas organization, can be beneficial in this process.

Understanding SPD and its Effects: SPD can affect any or all of the senses, including touch, taste, sight, smell, and more. Everyday tasks like pushing a grocery cart or biting into a sandwich can become difficult due to improper sensory processing. A child with SPD might exert more strength than necessary or struggle to use enough force, making simple activities challenging or overwhelming.

Incorporating Activities into Daily Routine: The key to helping children with SPD is to incorporate sensory activities into their daily routines. By making these activities predictable and expected, children can gradually adapt and benefit from them. However, it is essential to be mindful of the child's reactions to each activity and be open to trying different ones if they are not comfortable with certain exercises.

Examples of Activities to Help withSPD:

1.     Grocery Shopping: Allow the child to push the grocery cart within their physical abilities, helping them build strength and confidence. Encourage them to help carry heavy groceries and assist in putting them away at home.

2.     Bath Time: Use different textured items like washcloths or bath brushes during bathing to expose the child to various sensations. Experiment with different shampoos and soaps to engage their senses of touch and smell.

3.     Cooking: Involve the child in cooking tasks, especially those that require mixing thicker ingredients, as this can help strengthen their muscles.

4.     Cleaning: Let the child participate in household chores, such as vacuuming or carrying the laundry basket, to improve their sensory integration and motor skills.

Conclusion: Sensory Processing Disorder can present challenges in a child's daily life, but with the right approach, it is possible to help them overcome these difficulties. By incorporating specific activities into their routines and respecting their reactions, parents can support their child's development and enhance their ability to engage with the world around them. Seeking professional assistance from organizations like Speech & Occupational Therapy of North Texas can provide valuable guidance and support for families dealing with SPD in the North Texas area. Remember, every child is unique, so finding the right activities that suit their specific needs is crucial in helping them thrive despite SPD.

June 30, 2023

 

Dyspraxia, also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), poses challenges for students in schools. It affects motor skills, making tasks like writing and sports difficult. Students with dyspraxia struggle with organization, planning, and time management. Speech and language development may also be impacted, hindering communication and social interactions. Sensory sensitivities can lead to difficulties concentrating and coping with stimuli. Emotional and behavioral challenges, such as frustration and low self-esteem, can arise. To address these issues, individualized support is crucial. Accommodations like assistive technology and sensory-friendly environments can enhance learning. Collaboration with occupational therapists and personalized instruction further assist students with dyspraxia, ensuring they reach their full potential.

June 14, 2023

 I am a mother of two children with special needs. Both of my children attend Speech and Occupational Therapy of North Texas. My oldest , who is almost 8 years old has been attending for almost 3 years. He has been doing OT with a therapist who has changed his life! He also had speech therapy for 2 years and made amazing progress.

My younger child who is just over 3 years old goes to the facility for speech therapy and he LOVES his therapist. He looks forward to his visits each week.

I have found all the staff supportive, caring , and invested in my 2 children. They are willing and capable of communicating to their families, schools, and any other staff that the children work with outside of the clinic. We have seen progression in their lives and a large part of thanks goes just to this clinic.

Lindy F

Scours:https://www.speechandot.com/testimonials/

June 08, 2023

 

A Parent’s Guide to Apraxia

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) can be a startling issue to confront at first. Everyone’s brain develops a muscle plan for the mouth, jaw, and tongue as they are learning to speak the language(s) they are raised around. In contrast to other speech impediments, the ability for the brain to perform this task isn’t weak but rather confused – there is an overall difficulty in coordinating the shapes and movements required to make the sounds. This can cause a distortion in how they pronounce vowels and consonants, distinct separations between syllables (within a single word or an entire sentence), or confusing similar sounding words, such as saying ‘batch’ instead of ‘patch’. This, however, is only a base line of examples, and can be confused with other language problems.

Symptoms to Look For

A lot of symptoms around CAS are present within other disorders, which can make it difficult to diagnose.  Articulation or phonological disorder is one where the child has trouble learning to make the sounds, but not any difficulty coordinating them. This creates a lot of substitutions in speech, such as ‘fum’ for ‘thumb’. To help distinguish CAS for other disorders there are a series of characteristics to look out for, such as trouble moving from one sound to another, distorting vowels, stressing the incorrect part of a word, using equal emphasis on all parts of the word, trouble mimicking simple words, and inconsistency within errors made in a word. To properly evaluate the condition, a series of tests will need to be conducted to identify a pattern of problems along with all their medical and family history to help determine any causes.

How to Discover the Issue

Unfortunately, the cause of CAS isn’t always easy to determine as doctors haven’t found a clear issue in the brain from case to case. Neurological injuries, such as stroke, infections, or trauma, are one cause, but CAS can also form from a genetic disorder, syndrome, or metabolic reasons. While the miscoordination within the brain may always be present, there is a slue of treatment options to help those with CAS work around the errors.

Speech therapy helps by focusing the child’s attention on the sound and how it feels to make the sound. A speech-language pathologist, like those of us here at Speech & Occupational Therapy of North Texas, can guide a child through paced learning, speaking practice, and sound and movement exercises before the practice is continued at home. This helps children impart their skills on a daily basis in real-life situations. Your physician can suggest other helpful tools for your child’s specific needs. Don’t give up hope! If you want more information, please contact us. We are glad to help!

Scours:https://speechandot.com/a-parents-guide-to-apraxia/

May 27, 2023

 During the first three years of your child’s life, he or she is going to undergo constant stimulation from new experiences. This can be exhilarating for most children, and even stimulate their growth and improve the development of their brain. However, for other children, this constant stimulation can also be a little overwhelming. Instead of letting them get to where they withdraw, there are options. Occupational therapy allows your child to explore these stimulants in a safe, non-threatening way which can help them grow in many different ways.

Early Intervention and Early Stimulation Can Help Children Grow with Their Peers

The goal of these early intervention programs is to expose children to stimulants that will often be a part of their daily routine. It allows them to see things as normal when exposed to them the right way, which can help them overcome any feelings of discomfort when exposed to those same things down the line. Here are a few things you can do to help increase these stimulants at different ages, to help your child with proper development.

As infants, children need to be encouraged to explore. They should have tummy time and learn to crawl instead of going straight to walking whenever possible. They should also be given opportunities to explore tactile items, like crayons and chalk.

Toddlers have slightly larger needs in that they are larger children. They should be learning to converse with those around them, with the goal of learning to use full sentences. The more they can describe what they want or need in detail, the better. Writing, copying, and drawing should be a regular part of their routine. These fine motor skills are very important as children develop.

Large motor skills also need some work during this time. Giving your child the ability to maneuver an obstacle course can help them here. Consider things to climb over, under, or through, as well as having areas to run around or tiptoe across gives them multiple things to do. You can also incorporate kicking, using a baseball bat, and jumping into this course.

Role-playing and playing pretend is also a way to help increase early stimulation. Let your child pretend to be what he or she wants to be. Allow them to dress up, pretend to cook, care for others to develop empathy, and anything they can safely imagine. This helps develop the brain and allows them to safely explore their emotions.

If you are looking for other ways of helping with early stimulation in your child’s life, give our office a call. We would love to give you some extra ideas to help your child learn to love learning.

May 12, 2023