聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Language, the ability to communicate, is an integral part of life. In honour of the month of May, Better Hearing and Speech Month, Carey Lamoureaux, a speech-language pathologist in Wawota at Treehouse Speech Therapy spoke to The Observer about what she can do to help people gain confidence in language as well as tips parents can use to help children develop these skills.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lamoureaux says that when people think about what a speech-language pathologist does, they think about speech sound production, so helping a child make certain sounds and gain fluency of speech. However, she explains that there is much more to it.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e look at making the right sounds and being able to sequence those sounds, but we also focus on receptive language, so are they understanding and able to follow basic directions. Their expressive language, so vocals and grammar, and social language which involves being able to connect with their peers and society,鈥� Lamoureaux explained. 鈥淭hen there鈥檚 literacy which involves phonological awareness, segmenting, and blending for the young tykes; letter sounds and letters for those in Kindergarten; decoding and blending abstract sounds and then writing once they can decode.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 something called the fourth grade slump,鈥� Lamoureaux stated. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a time in school when visual supports are no longer used and if youth had simply memorized words until then without the ability to break them down then that can be a huge problem for them. If you think this might be going on then read a novel with them, do something you haven鈥檛 done before, and if they don鈥檛 do as well as you think they should have then it is something to look at or seeing if they can read nonsense words.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淟iteracy and language affects every subject they take, their future education, and their future employment.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally, a speech-language pathologist can help with swallowing if a person is suffering from dysphagia and alternative systems for those who are non-verbal.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For younger kids, Lamoureaux says, 鈥淩ead books and turn off the television. Read the same book over and over again. Get the kids into a repetitive routine, so when you鈥檙e driving talk about what you see, when they understand then start adding to it. So, you might say 鈥榟orse,鈥� then start adding descriptors, so 鈥榖rown horse,鈥� then 鈥榖ig brown horse.鈥� Model for them, but if they鈥檙e only at one word, then only be one step ahead of them, so use two words.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ounger kids need exposure to peers and group situations as well, there鈥檚 a different set of rules in the group than when they鈥檙e at home with just mom and dad, and that social piece is very important. It teaches kids to be proactive and not reactive.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 According to an information sheet by Speech-Language & Audiology Canada youth at one-year-old should show an interest in picture books, at two-years-old they should be holding the book the right way up and turning the pages, at three-years-old they should understand that printed words have a function (signs, menus, lists, etc鈥�), at four-years-old children should be able to think of simply rhymes (toy and boy), and at five-years-old are to know all the letters of the alphabet.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Speech-Language & Audiology Canada also say that children with language impairments are four to five times more likely to have reading difficulties in school, which can affect a youth鈥檚 school experience. If they have poor language and literacy skills then school can become frustrating.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚f cost is what prohibits parents from going to a speech-language pathologist, then I encourage them to check their healthcare insurance because oftentimes you may have to pay up front, but will be reimbursed a certain amount, which helps with the costs,鈥� she explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although Lamoureaux is based in Wawota she has been working out of the Arcola Family Health Clinic on Thursdays. In order to promote Better Hearing and Speech Month, Lamoureaux is offering free literacy screenings, which is a quick 10-15 minute look at basic skills and will either come with a suggestion of doing a formal evaluation or the confirmation that a child is on track with their language development.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Contact Lamoureaux for more information at Treehouse Speech Therapy, (306)575-7618.
