(Disclaimer:
The purpose of this article is not to question the integrity of speech and occupational therapists.)
Speech Therapy
Speech therapists have a very important role to play for speech disorders that develop in childhood. The goals of speech therapy include improving pronunciation, strengthening the muscles used in speech, and learning to speak correctly,
However, I am astounded at the growing number of learners that are referred for speech and occupational therapy. The question that needs to be asked is: WHY?
I have spoken to a number of parents whose child is in speech and occupational therapy and they all tell me that when they ask the therapist what they need to do as a parent, they are never given consistent answers.
From my experience, there is much that can be done by the parents which should minimise the need for speech and occupational therapy.
I have noticed that the majority of young children of today don’t talk but tend to whine or mumble a lot. From my observation, it seems that the majority of parents with whiny children who tend to mumble have become so used to whining and mumbling that they perceive this as normal.
I see many families with young children and in virtually every case the children tend to whine and mumble without the parents being aware that this is a problem.
When I bring this to the parent’s attention, they are often surprised.
The advice I give parents in this regard is that if their child whines all they need to say to the child is the following: “Would you like to go and practice how to talk in a proper voice in your room and then come and speak to me, or would you rather talk to me now in a proper voice.”
I have found that when parents are alert to this small problem and take corrective action as explained in the example above, they will notice a marked improvement in not only their child’s speech but also their attitude. They may also notice that their child becomes less impulsive.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) is a branch of health care that helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems. OT helps kids play, improves their school performance, and aids their daily activities.
With regard to occupational therapy, parents need to be made aware that a healthy child is born with perfect posture. Just note a 10-month-old sits up straight with no problems in their posture. A few examples that will assist parents in ensuring that their child does not develop too many fine and gross motor problems is:
- Insist that their child sits at a table when they eat, hold the knife and fork correctly and ensure that their elbows are not on the table.
- When their child watches TV ensure that the child sits up, and doesn’t lie on the floor or on a couch while watching TV.
- If a child plays with a device like an iPad, the rule needs to be that they sit at a desk with good posture and not lie on the floor or on the bed when playing with the iPad.
- Jigsaw puzzles and pickup sticks are good activities to help the child with their fine motor coordination.
- On the weekends parents should insist that the child participates in any activity that will help them develop good fine motor and gross motor coordination.
Remember: It is the quality of parenting that is the key factor in the healthy development of their child and this includes speech, as well as their fine and gross motor coordination.