Let's face it, sometimes we give it our all and just don't see the results we desire. When you or your child has been working forever on a sound like "r" or "s" and the progress isn't happening, the results can be disappointing. I get it-- having one little speech sound error hang around comes with a whole host of problems. Whether it is jokes at your expense, anxiety meeting new people, or even bullying, you would do anything to make a change.
Tags: Speech, Communication, Teens, Voice, talking
Angelman syndrome is a rare neurogenetic disorder that occurs in about 1 out of every 15,000 people. Most people with Angelman have very limited speech, or no speech at all. If you’re the parent of a young child with Angelman, you may be wondering how you can help your child learn to communicate, since speech is not going to be their main way of communicating. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Voice, toddler, talking
Good ear hygiene is often associated with the presence of earwax, commonly known as cerumen. Wax may not be visually pleasing, but it is beneficial to your health. This substance is naturally produced in the ear canal and acts as a protective lubricate against external objects such as dust, dirt, and insects.
Tags: Hearing, Teens, Caregiving, Hearing Loss, toddler, "ears"
If you are having difficulty understanding your child, you might want to consider a speech-language evaluation. An evaluation is a normal step to pursue when parents or caregivers suspect difficulty with communication.
Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) - a professional who diagnoses speech and language difficulties. An evaluation will include the following:
Tags: Speech, Communication, Voice, toddler, talking
Toddlers want to feel included and competent; choose books that your child can follow along with, especially those with repetitive text so he or she can fill in words. Maintain your toddler's interest by choosing books with small amounts of text on the page and books about topics that you know are of interest.
For younger toddlers (12 to 24 months) you'll want sturdy board books with pictures (especially photos) of kids doing the things they do every day. Books about bedtime, baths, or mealtime are all good choices; so are books about saying hello or good-bye. Keep active hands busy with lift-the-flap pages and textures to feel.
Early in infancy, you will see signs that indicate that your child is hearing, listening, and understanding what is going on around him/her. Your child is learning language long before he/she produces that first word.
There is a typical progression to language development. Initially, your child will turn to find sounds, follow with his/her eyes when something moves in their view, look at what you are looking at (joint attention). All of these skills are part of language development. Later, your child will respond by pointing or may get your attention by touching you or vocalizing.
Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Voice, toddler, talking
Learning to read can be challenging for children. Fortunately, research is now available that suggests how to give each child a good start in reading. When parents help their children learn to read, they help open the door to a new world.
Aphasia is a language disorder resulting from an injury to the brain, such as a stroke or head trauma. Aphasia involves varying degrees of communication difficulties in these areas:
Spoken Language Comprehension - otherwise known as “Receptive Language” or “Auditory Comprehension.”
Symptoms may include:
Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Support, Stroke, Brain Injury, talking
The number of people in the United States diagnosed with diabetes has risen to more than 50 percent in the last decade. If you’re one of the 30 million Americans with diabetes, take note!
Research indicates that people with diabetes are more than twice as likely to develop hearing loss compared to those without the disease. The rate of hearing loss is 30 percent higher for the 84 million adults in the U.S. who are prediabetic compared to those with normal blood glucose levels.
Tags: Audiology, Hearing, Hearing Loss, "ears"
Everyone uses their vision to support their hearing. For example, if we see lightning, we know there will be thunder, or if we see something fall, we know it will make a sound. Even without sound, we can watch a football game and often “see” what an unhappy coach is saying to a player who fumbled the ball.
Tags: Communication, Hearing, Hearing Loss, "ears"
