Special Needs
Speech Therapy - articulation
My almost 3 YO was evaluated for articulation issues and needs therapy. We are waiting on them to call us with scheduling and was just wondering if any of you have toddlers in speech therapy and can recommend books, videos, flash cards, apps, etc. that we can use in the meantime? I am starting to notice his frustration and want to help him the right way, so that his confidence doesn't get affected by others not understanding him very well. This therapy process takes so long to get started, so if we could have another fun way to supplement in the meantime, we would love to move forward.
Thank you!
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Re: Speech Therapy - articulation
I LOVED the teach me to talk videos for DD. Huge help for me (and DH especially who at first didn't think there was an issue) . DD still has some residual articulation issues now at 3.5 and we still have her in therapy, but much less frequently and she is communicating very well at pre-school and with her friends. She was in EI for suspected apraxia/language delay/artic issues from 2 until her 3rd bday and we supplemented the therapists' drills/ideas with the strategies from the teach me to talk videos/website.
Also, on the ipad - peekaboo barn was great to help her drill without feeling like they were drills. DD's worst words (poorest articulation) were also some of her earliest words for which she habituated improper articulation. For example, duck became "guck." Apps like peekaboo barn helped her articulate those old words in a new and fun way. Also DD LOVES to read/pretend to read - so books with rhyming text (hop on pop), etc. really helped her to distinguish hearing and then pronouncing similar words. Although because of her delays she really wasn't ready for that next level of articulation until closer to 3.25, we started much earlier. Good luck!
DS was in speech therapy for articulation issues from about 3 1/2 (we started the process earlier, but like you said, it takes sooo long) until 5 1/2 (once Kindy started it was through the school district). The good news is, you'd never know now
The one thing I can think of is that the SLP had signs for his tough sounds that were supposed to be reminders. I don't specifically remember what any of them were, but if he said something wrong, I was supposed to say it back to him, with the sign. And that was supposed to help him self-correct.
Don't be surprised if you don't see a ton of results before 4. It took awhile to just get comfortable with the SLP (and then she went and got transfered after the summer, so we had another one -who IMO was much better anyway). Something suddenly clicked the fall after he turned 4 and he "got" it. He started to self-correct and his it didn't take long at all until he mastered his age-appropriate sounds. They continued his IEP into Kindergarten, mostly as a follow-up and to make sure he stayed on track.