Helping at Home Things to do at Home to Encourage Speech

Speech therapists are trained to teach our kids to talk, but therapists are with our children for only a very short time compared to the amount of time we spend with them. It stands to reason that the best method of therapy is one that includes training of the families and encouragement of our subsequent participation in helping our children to learn to talk. Therapy for apraxia includes some or all of the following: auditory, visual, and tactile cues; individual sounds practiced with varying rate, intensity, and pitch; word practice; and syllable practice. Bring these tactics into your daily life in creative ways. In general, follow these guidelines:

• overenunciate
• repeat words again and again
• vary pronunciations: say words slower, deeper, higher
• break the word or sentence down into syllables
• define words often
• give positive feedback
• accept approximations
• avoid power struggles

If your child isn't cooperative, stop and try something else later. Look for and think of opportunities to practice speech. Always remember that difficulty verbalizing when feeling pressured is symptomatic of apraxia, as well as other speech disorders. Your objective is to help your child speak, but speech will be inhibited if too much pressure is put on the child. And finally, aim for these activities with your child to be fun for both of you.

Adapting Your Home
Using Games, Toys and Books
Physical Activities
Playing with Mirrors
Music and Singing
Stretching Conversations Further
Playing with Food
Toys and DVDs to Encourage Speech and Language
Music and Other Audio to Promote Speech Development

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