I've been a caretaker of an elderly woman with dementia for over two years. I've seen the effects of this mental affliction, and how devastating it can be to loved ones. This is why I am a firm believer in seeking a professional diagnosis, so the patient may receive necessary care and treatment. Once diagnosed at the onset of symptoms, a plan can be devised. Through social interaction and daily care, my charge has achieved a higher quality of life. If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, you can make a difference. Love will find a way.
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Dementia and Your Loved One
How A Speech Pathologist Can Work With A Child Who Has A Lisp
Vickie Armstrong
Have you noticed that your child has a lisp? Sometimes, a lisp will go away naturally as the child continues to grow up. However, if your child still has a lisp around the time they are ready to enter kindergarten, you should consider having them work with a speech pathologist. The sooner they receive help to correct their lisp, the easier time they will have correcting it. Here are the key ways speech pathologists help children move past a lisp.
Awareness Exercises
Often, the first step in correcting a lisp is teaching the child to be aware that they are speaking with a lisp. Most children do not, on their own, realize that the sounds they're making are different from the sounds other people are making. A speech pathologist will work with your child to increase their awareness of their lisp by having them listen to other speakers — some with lisps, and some without. They'll also teach you how to kindly point out to your child when they are speaking with a lisp.
Tongue Placement Exercises
A lisp is generally caused by misplacement of the tongue while speaking. Sometimes it happens because the child is placing their tongue to one side when speaking. Other times, it happens because the child is touching their tongue to the roof of their mouth at the wrong time. So, once a child is aware of their lisp, the speech pathologist will begin teaching them exercises that correct their tongue placement. For example, they may have your child push their tongue against their teeth. Then they will have them say a word, such as "thing."
Word Practice Exercises
Another exercise speech pathologists often use is asking your child to repeat specific words they struggle with. For example, if your child's lisp comes out when they say "th-" words, the pathologist may have them repeat a list of "th-" words each day. With each word, the speech pathologist will give your child something different to focus on — such as where their tongue is, or how quickly they are pushing air out of their mouth. You may be asked to have your child repeat these words back to you on a daily basis, too.
If your child has a lisp, try not to worry too much. This is a really common speech problem. Some kids need a little extra help to move past it, but they almost always do. For more information, contact a clinic like Eastern Carolina Ear Nose & Throat-Head.
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