Children learn to say sounds by listening to people talking to them and around them. Some children have difficulties acquiring one or more speech sounds and this makes their speech unclear to other people. It is important to remember that young children are not able to produce every sound. This is because speech is a complicated process and over 100 sets of muscles are used in the production of the vowels and consonants of English. It takes a lot of practise at coordinating these muscles before a child is able to produce intelligible speech. Furthermore, there is a process of speech sound acquisition which all children go through and each sound is acquired at a specific stage of development. Therefore, it is normal for children of certain ages to make errors in their speech.
Although the exact number is unclear, research suggests that between 2-25% of children between the ages of 5-7 years old have a speech sound difficulty. Persistent speech difficulties can lead to a number of problems. Firstly, if a child has a difficulty saying certain sounds, it could affect the intelligibility of their speech which results in other people struggling to understand them. This could lead to the child becoming frustrated because they are not being understood. It can also be frustrating for family members and friends who are struggling to understand them! This can impact on a child's confidence and self-esteem. On top of this, speech sound difficulties can also cause problems at school. Children with speech difficulties may have problems with social integration, early literacy development, educational attainment and mental health. So it really is important that your child gets help with their speech sound difficulties if possible.
As a Speech and Language Therapist, I am constantly asked about speech sound difficulties. Many parents worry about their child struggling with one or more sounds. They may ask for their child to be referred to speech and language therapy but they do not always get the help they need. Firstly, there is a long waiting list for speech therapy here in the UK and if your child only has difficulty with one or two sounds, they will not be a priority and, therefore, at the bottom of the list. Secondly, even after a long wait on the waiting list, your child may be assessed and you are told that they cannot offer you much more than a group session or a leaflet for you to take home that will give you some exercises to do. You will not get much information that will help your child in the long run. You may wish to pay for speech and language therapy privately but that can be expensive depending of the amount of speech therapy your child requires.
I strongly believe that parents should be equipped with the knowledge to help their child to talk. This is why I have created this course. It is my aim to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence they need to do speech therapy with their child at home. Whether your child has a lisp or multiple speech sound difficulties, I will train you to help your child. Don't get stuck on waiting lists that will lead to little help. You have the power to help your child now!
Course content
This course will run over 4 weeks, starting on June 6th 2019. It will take place in a private membership Facebook group. Each week there will be videos informing you about the weekly topic and a support book for you to go through. As well as informing about each topic, the support books will help you to reflect on your child's progress and give you the knowledge you need to carry out speech therapy with your child at home. Each week I will also give you links to articles and websites for further reading, should you wish to learn more. I will regularly answer your questions in live Q and A videos.
The course will cover the following topics:
Week 1 - Typical speech acquisition
This week covers typical (normal) speech acquisition in detail. Learn how we speak and how we produce each sound. You will learn about the simplification processes children go through when they are learning to talk. Discover the ages that each sound is acquired and simplification processes disappears. Using my useful guides, you will be able to work out whether your child has a delay a disorder or has typical speech development.Week 2 - Atypical speech acquisition
We will look at some of the difficulties children may have with their speech sound development. We will discuss the different types of difficulties that may be causing your child to have produce incorrect speech sounds. Some of the difficulties we will be covering are speech delays, motor difficulties and phonological difficulties. We will look at some of the possible causes for such difficulties and also discuss the warning signs to look out for if you think there may be a problem.
Week 3 - Speech therapy at home
This is the week I will train you to do speech therapy with your child at home. I break down the speech therapy process into clear stages that you will be able to work through one at a time. I will give you tips and advice to help you get started.Week 4 - Fun games for speech practise
This week I will be going through each speech sound and explaining how you can help your child to produce it. I will be sharing lots of fun games and activities that you can do with your child in your speech therapy sessions at home. You will be able to check in with me to discuss the progress of both you and your child and ask me any questions you may have about your child's speech development.
By the end of this course you will be equipped with the knowledge to be able to carry out speech therapy with your child at home.
Who is the course for?
This course is for parents of children of any age who are struggling to talk clearly due to speech sound difficulties. Whether it be due to a lisp, another single sound difficulty, or multiple speech sound difficulties, this course will empower you with the knowledge and know how to carry out speech therapy with your child at home. Beat the waiting lists and/or save money on regular speech therapy sessions!
Registration is now open and will close on Sunday 2nd June.
There are two packages available for this course.
Package 1 is for parents who know which sounds their child is having difficulties with. Package 1 includes the course on its own which will cover the above mentioned information. You will have lifetime access to the course!
Package 2 is for parents who are unsure which sounds their child is struggling. It includes both the course and an initial speech therapy assessment carried out online (via skype). During the speech therapy session, you will have the opportunity to talk to me in depth about your concern for your child's speech. I will then assess your child to see which sounds they are struggling with. At the end, you will be provided with a written report of the assessment findings and notes about your child's speech.
Package 1 is for parents who know which sounds their child is having difficulties with. Package 1 includes the course on its own which will cover the above mentioned information. You will have lifetime access to the course!
Package 2 is for parents who are unsure which sounds their child is struggling. It includes both the course and an initial speech therapy assessment carried out online (via skype). During the speech therapy session, you will have the opportunity to talk to me in depth about your concern for your child's speech. I will then assess your child to see which sounds they are struggling with. At the end, you will be provided with a written report of the assessment findings and notes about your child's speech.
Package 1: course only - £95 for LIFETIME ACCESS!
Package 2: course and speech therapy assessment - £145 for LIFETIME ACCESS
If you are unsure whether your child's speech difficulties are typical developmental errors or a speech sound difficulty, please contact me at multiculturalmotherhood@gmail.com to discuss your suitability for the course.
Registration is now open and will close on Sunday 2nd June.
There are two packages available for this course.
Package 1 is for parents who know which sounds their child is having difficulties with. Package 1 includes the course on its own which will cover the above mentioned information. You will have lifetime access to the course!
Package 2 is for parents who are unsure which sounds their child is struggling. It includes both the course and an initial speech therapy assessment carried out online. During the speech therapy session, you will have the opportunity to talk to me in depth about your concern for your child's speech. I will then assess your child to see which sounds they are struggling with. At the end, you will be provided with a written report of the assessment findings and notes about your child's speech.
Package 1 is for parents who know which sounds their child is having difficulties with. Package 1 includes the course on its own which will cover the above mentioned information. You will have lifetime access to the course!
Package 2 is for parents who are unsure which sounds their child is struggling. It includes both the course and an initial speech therapy assessment carried out online. During the speech therapy session, you will have the opportunity to talk to me in depth about your concern for your child's speech. I will then assess your child to see which sounds they are struggling with. At the end, you will be provided with a written report of the assessment findings and notes about your child's speech.
Package 1: course only - £95 for LIFETIME ACCESS!
Package 2: course and speech therapy assessment - £145 for LIFETIME ACCESS
If you are unsure whether your child's speech difficulties are typical developmental errors or a speech sound difficulty, please contact me at multiculturalmotherhood@gmail.com to discuss your suitability for the course.
