Speech Sounds

Many times speech-language pathologists and other therapists will hear questions including “My child has a hard time saying certain sounds, while other children his/her age say these sounds fine” or “I can understand my child, but others can’t.”

Articulation, or the process of making sounds in words, is a complex motor skill involving multiple articulators including the jaw, tongue, teeth, lips, and cheeks. According to Super Duper Publications, an analogy that helps understand articulation and the process of developing sounds is similar to riding a bicycle. Some children will take months to coordinate the steps to riding a bike while others will get on the bike, possibly wobble a little bit, and then take right off! The children that get it right away quickly learned how to peddle, steer, balance, and brake simultaneously. The same goes with our mouth and learning how to speak. The teeth, lips and tongue are the pedals, handlebars, and brakes that need to work together to carry out the speech sounds needed to communicate. Sometimes it takes a little extra work or explicit instruction to achieve this skill.

Early or first sounds (mastered around 2 years old) usually include p (pup), b (ball), m (mom), w (what), h (high chair), & n (nuts). Around 3 years old, the following sounds are achieved: t (top), d (dog), k (kite), g (go). The following sounds are mastered around 4-5 years old: f (fun), v (vase), y (yes). The later developing sounds mastered around 5-7 years old are s (sun), z (zebra), j (jar), l (laugh), r (run), sh (shoe), ch (chain), th (thumb), ng (ring), and blends including sk as in Skittles, sp as in spot, bl as in black, and br as in break, etc.

If your child does not have these sounds by the specified age, consider seeing a speech-language pathologist who will evaluate your child’s speech and language skills and provide further recommendations.

Below is a chart that will help you identify which sounds your child should have at what age:

As always, we'd love to hear your comments or questions! Respond below or email us at bbtherapyinc@gmail.com

NEW Building Bridges Online Bookstore!

We are thrilled to announce that we now have our very own online bookstore! You can order books, toys and other activities that our therapists recommend--all from the comfort of your home! More items will be added in the coming days, but in the meantime, check it out at the link below:

http://astore.amazon.com/builbridther-20

PS. If you have any suggestions for other items we should add, please feel free to email us at BBTherapyInc@gmail.com

Have fun shopping!!

Sensory Issues & Learning

Article by Sarah Norris, MS, OTR/L

Sensory integration, or sensory processing, refers to an individual's ability to organize internal and external sensations (touch, body position, movement, sight, sound, taste, and smell) and to react appropriately. Most individuals exhibit mature sensory integration by 7 or 8 years of age. Unfortunately, not every child automatically develops mature sensory integration abilities. When a child experiences difficulties with sensory integration, he or she may experience stress during daily life because processes that should be automatic or accurate are not.

Although sensory issues can take a variety of forms, they are considered to be a significant problem when a child is having difficulty participating in and succeeding in every day childhood occupations (such as playing, learning, and socializing). When sensory issues impact learning, a child is at risk of suffering in life-long consequences from missed opportunities. So how can you tell if your child or a child you know is struggling with learning due to sensory issues?

Red Flags

Here are some red flags to look for that may indicate a child has sensory issues that are interfering with his or her learning. This is not a comprehensive list, and some of these indicators can be due to other developmental, emotional or physical issues. When in doubt, seek input from a medical professional.

• Child seems overly sensitive, has multiple fears or anxieties, or overreacts, withdraws from or avoids certain sensations or situations.
• Child seems under aware of his or her environment and sensations, lacks safety awareness, misses details that are obvious to others, or seems to get bored or lose interest more easily than others.
• Child prefers to observe others for a long time before he or she will attempt a new task, has difficulty with problem solving, is resistant to change, seems more rigid or inflexible than others, or has difficulty coping when things do not go as he or she expects.
• Child is unable to complete work independently and is overly dependent on others despite demonstrating adequate capability to complete his or her work (may seem like an attention or behavior problem)

When to Seek Help

If your child displays any of the above behaviors and you are concerned that he or she is struggling with school, it is time to seek help. Start by talking with your child's teacher to get a better picture of how your child is functioning at school. ask what kinds of supports or services might be helpful to your child. You may be surprised at how much your child's teacher is already doing to try to help your child.

Your next step should be to discuss your concerns with your child's pediatrician. Some pediatricians are very  familiar with sensory issues, while others are not. However, it is important to involve your child's doctor in the process of seeking help for your child, as they may be aware of resources that will help you and your child.

Finally, seek an occupational therapy evaluation. Occupational therapists are uniquely qualified to identify and address sensory issues. Most privately practicing pediatric occupational therapists are very familiar with sensory issues and will be able to help you and your child.

How Sensory Issues are Evaluated

Most occupational therapists use a combination of parent interviews, sensory checklists or questionnaires, and clinical observations of your child to assess a child's sensory issues. Many therapists will also look at your child's motor skills in order to determine if there are any motor issues that may be impacting your child's learning as well.

References
Parham, L. D. and Mailloux, Z. (2005). Sensory Integration. In J. Case-Smith (Ed.), Occupational Therapy for Children, Fifth Edition (pp. 356-409). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.