Check Your Child's Speech
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Speech Check
Why isn't he talking yet?  Should he know more words?  Why can't he say that sound?  How can I help?
Therapy Ideas and Information

The following is a collection of therapy ideas and information that parents may find helpful.  The information is provided for
parent education and use at your own discretion.  The information is not necessarily endorsed by Speech Check or it founder.  
Please note that the conversion of the documents to "nice" html layout is ongoing.  You can also view this information in the
more "readable" .doc and pdf formats.

Speech/Language Therapy Strategies
Ideas to Maximize Intelligibility

Try having the Child:
  •      Say the word slowly.
  •      Break the problem word apart from the rest of the sentence.  
  •      Use a "big" voice so you can hear his words.
  •      Get the person’s attention before talking.
  •      If he needs to slow down his speech in general try:
  •      Having him “count words” on his fingers.  Holding a finger for every word he says will slow down his speech
    and put spaces in-between the words.  He would do this only when needed.
  •      Modeling slowed speech.  This is a powerful way to help him slow down.  Children naturally copy what they
    hear.  If you slow down your own speech they will slow down too.  A good way to slow down is to put a slight
    stretch on all of the vowel sounds.  This can sound like a bit of a “southern” accent or like “Mr. Rogers”.  

Teachers and Parents Should:
  •      Always let him know when you did not understand and encourage him to try to say it again.  Do not let
    other adults or peers pretend to have understood as this can decrease his awareness of his mistakes and
    his motivation to correct his speech.
  •      When you don’t understand everything, repeat back to him the part that you did understand.  
    “Interpret” what he has said to others only when needed.  While this won’t help improve intelligibility it will
     help him to be a successful communicator.  Don’t fall in the habit of doing this more than needed though
     and don’t let other children “talk” for him.  
  •       Ask him to "Show me what you mean" or "Tell me another way".
  •       Give him extra time.