Many children in Central Florida struggle to speak, especially if they have special needs. The act of speaking is very complex and takes fine motor skills and coordinated and precise oral motor movements. It takes a lot of practice for words be spoken with ease and fluency.
The ultimate goals is for a child to effectively express themselves and use words functionally. When choosing words to practice, choose words that are motivating. Such as, the child’s favorite activities, toys, drinks, food, or their name.
How to get started
It isn’t easy for many children, so start slow. Try starting with a single word and not move onto a combination of words until the child is comfortable. Another group of words to practice are those that manipulate the environment. Such as, “ up, down, open, shut, hi, bye, want, don’t, help, and move.
These words also remain constant and help children companies words into phrases, “open ____, more____, help____.
As a parent or caregiver, you just want the best for your child and this means getting receiving the best care possible.
Empower you and your child
If you’re concerned about your child’s speech development, it is important to contact a professional speech therapist. Don’t worry, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But with the right strategies from a speech therapist will give you the tools that will work best for your child’s particular issue. Creating manageable steps and special exercises to help your child communicate and be understood.
A speech therapist equips parents and caregivers with the knowledge and tools to help your child. Creating a team that can change your child’s life, by giving them the ability to learn, communicate, and socialize.
Setting up your child for success, is the most powerful thing a parent can do. ASHA offers parents essential information on children’s communication and development from birth to and 5.
