The ABC’s of Stuttering in Children

by Courtenay M. Articulation Disorders Language Development News Parents' Corner Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques

 

What is causing my child to stutter and how long will it last? Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

What Causes Stuttering and Can It Be Fixed?  Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

Stuttering is a speech disorder in which words, sounds or syllables are repeated or last longer than normal. Stuttering, also called stammering or disfluency, causes a break or a pause in the flow of speech. Young children may stutter when they are first developing their speech and language skills. The stuttering occurs when their speech skills cannot keep up with what they are trying to say. Stumbling over words or speech affects about five percent of children, and generally lasts for several weeks or several years.  Most children outgrow this stuttering phase within their first four years.

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Is Delayed Speech More Common in Boys Than Girls?

by Courtenay M. Language Development Parents' Corner Speech delay Speech Disorders
Are Boys Speech Delayed More Often Than Girls?Image courtesy of Flickr.com

Is Delayed Speech More Common in Boys Than Girls? Image courtesy of Flickr.com

Ahh, the weekly playgroup! Another situation where you realize that every single toddler in the room seems to be speaking in clear sentences except for your son? Of course, the reasoning side of your brain is telling you NOT to compare your child to others, but the emotional side tells you that it’s hard not to compare when you are witnessing it for yourself. Is my son’s delayed speech normal? Like everything else child-development related, children learn at different rates. Your child may be swinging a golf club like Tiger Woods, or he can do triple flips on the trampoline, but he still cannot speak in complete and clear sentences. It’s okay. There is real research that indicates many boys start talking later than girls.

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Where to Turn: 8 Tips for Finding a Speech Therapist in Your Area

by Chris O Other Resources School Speech Therapist State Resources

 

Find a Speech Therapist in Your Area

Image Courtesy of richardstep.com

If you’re searching to find a speech therapist in your area you might have several concerns and questions about this process. The choices you have and the decisions you have about your child’s or your own speech therapy process will be based on two key factors: the nature of the disorder and the availability of resources. If you or your child has been diagnosed with a specific speech disorder you can then search for an SLP who has experience treating this type of condition. If you’re just in the process of obtaining an assessment, many speech clinics will be able to provide a thorough evaluation.

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What is Speech Therapy and What Does a Speech Therapist Do?

by Jacky G. Speech Therapist
Becoming a Speech Therapist

Image source: Infographixdirectory.com

For the uninitiated, “speech therapist” might conjure up images of a clinician patiently trying to correct a stutter or a lisp. And indeed, speech therapists do treat these issues with a variety of tools – from exercises with Speech Buddies to audio feedback with a tape recorder. But speech therapy is a very broad field, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can help your child with everything from pitch regulation to complete sentence formation. So today, in our fourth and final installment of our introductory guide to speech therapy, we’ll answer a common question, “Just what the heck does a speech therapist do all day?”

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What is Speech Therapy and How Do I Find a Speech Therapist?

by Jacky G. Speech Therapist
Becoming a Speech Therapist

Image source: Advanced-medical.net

Last week, we started discussing some of the basics of speech therapy, including why your child might benefit from it. This week, we’ll continue the four-part series, covering questions such as “How do I find a speech therapist?” “How do I do at-home speech therapy?” and “Just what the heck does a speech therapist do, anyway?!?” Whether your child has recently received a diagnosis or you suspect that he might have a speech and language issue (or you just want to brush up on the basics), check out these introductory guides. Then, head over to the comprehensive resources Speech Buddies offers on specific speech issues.

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