Communicating with Speech and Language Impaired Child
- Be a good speech model. Speak slowly and clearly.
-
When children stutter, be accepting of their speech. Give them all the time they need to express
themselves. Do not finish their
sentences for them. -
Keep your directions short and simple.
Children with language problems often have more trouble understanding
sentences that contain abstract words such as “before, after, in front, beside,
first, last.” -
Do not imitate or mimic children with speech problems. Do not tell them that their speech sounds
cute or funny. -
Do not try to fix the child’s speech.
Some problems can be made worse.
When in doubt, get some input from a speech-language pathologist. -
If a child is non-verbal or has limited language, praise any attempt to
communicate. -
When children do not have the words to ask for what they want, provide
them with examples such as “Blocks, please.” -
When children cannot express their needs, give them choices such as,
“Do you want the puzzle or the ball?”
Advertisement
