Are you looking for great gift ideas for the kids in your life? Goodness knows my kids don't need anymore toys. Games are always a fun and effective way to encourage speech and language skills. Here are some of my favorites... Ages 2 and Up...
Ages 3 and Up...
1st Grade and Up...
2nd Grade and Up...
These are just a few of my favorites... what are some games YOUR family loves?
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Well, yes and no.... While It is a perfectly normal developmental phase for some (though, not all) children to produce a FRONTAL LISP of /s/ and /z/ sounds until they are about 4½ years of age.... a LATERAL LISP is NEVER considered to be part of typical speech development. So, what's the difference between these "types" of lisps? A frontal lisp occurs when the tongue either protrudes between, or touches, the front teeth and the sound produced is more like a /th/ sound than a /s/ or /z/. A lateral lisp occurs when the air escapes over the sides of the tongue and into the cheeks.... this can occur on several sounds, /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/ /zh/, and /dj/. So, at what age should I be concerned with my child's lisp? For a frontal lisp, I recommend a speech evaluation at around age 5 and before baby teeth have fallen out. In my experience, this is typically an ideal age for correction of this speech impediment and speech therapy is often successful within a shorter period of time. But, there are also several other things to consider...
If a frontal lisp is present and you also have concerns with some of the above mentioned areas, then I recommend a speech evaluation even earlier. These behaviors can indicate the presence of other issues (i.e., hearing impairment, tongue tie, nasal cavity obstruction, tongue thrust, low muscle tone, etc,) and an evaluation by a licensed/certified Speech Language Pathologist can help identify these areas of concern. For a lateral lisp, a speech evaluation and therapy should be sought at the earliest age. A person with a lateral lisp will likely not be able to self-correct on their own and will not grow out of it. A "wait-and-see" approach will not only be ineffective, but establish the habit of incorrect production, which can be more difficult to correct later on. I'm an adult who has a lisp... is it too late for me to change it? No... absolutely not! Though some adults have no desire to seek therapy and are happy to accept their speech the way it is, I have worked with many adolescents and adults who, when highly motivated, have successfully corrected their lisps over a relatively short period of time with speech therapy. Is speech therapy effective for lisps? As a Speech Language Pathologist for 18 years, I have to say that working with children and adults to correct a lisp is just about my favorite thing. I see quick progress with most of my clients and speech therapy is often successful within a short period of time. If you have more questions about lisps or would like to schedule an evaluation, give me a call! 719-888-9555. I can help.
Yes, I know... it's still summer. But, school is just around the corner! And whether you have a bright-eyed 5 year-old ready for her first day of kindergarten or a "Daniel Tiger"-loving 3 year-old who would rather make mud pies, there are a few things YOU can already be doing to encourage the development of your chid's early literacy skills. Here are just a few... 1. Be EXCITED about books! I have to admit.... this was a tough one for me when I had 3 kids under the age of 5. Because I was TIRED... all. the. time. And let's be honest, sometimes trying to read a story book to a 3-year old is like nailing jello to a tree. But, do it anyway! Or go somewhere where somebody ELSE will do it (I kid!... sort of). Here in Colorado Springs there are some great read-aloud programs/events at our local libraries. And pick up some of these recommended books for toddlers and preschoolers while you're there! 2. Encourage Print Awareness Now that you've picked up some of those great books at the library.... Here are some things you can do with them to help your child understand that printed letters represent words that are spoken.
3. Encourage Phonological Awareness These are some ways to help your child understand that words are made up of smaller sounds.
4. Introduce New Vocabulary Label things! Any book will help with this, but choosing ones with words not used in daily conversation and nonfiction books are especially helpful. But, don't limit yourself to books! Grocery shopping is my FAVORITE thing to do with toddlers and preschoolers (are you sensing my sarcasm?) But seriously, take a few extra minutes walking through the produce aisle and ask your child some questions....
5. Practice Narrative Skills
These are just a few things YOU can do EVERYDAY to encourage the development of your child's pre-literacy skills. Now get going to the library and get some books! Well... maybe after nap time. |
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