In first grade with a speech therapist. Why do children swallow letters and why touch them?

What should parents do if their 4-year-old child speaks poorly?

If you have any doubts about your child’s speech development, you should consult a specialist. In this situation, it is better to be prudent.

Individual pace or developmental delay?

There are no strict criteria for normal speech development. Some children at 4 years old already recite fables by heart, while others speak in simple sentences. In both cases, this will be the norm. Therefore, only a specialist can assess the level of speech development.

Your child should be able to speak a little by the age of four.

How is a child’s speech formed, or when do children begin to speak?

Usually, a child begins to pronounce simple meaningful words in the first year of his life. This is the average age for words to begin to appear. Further speech development occurs individually and depends on many factors. These factors are divided into two large groups: biological (genetic predisposition, characteristics of the central nervous system, the structure of the speech and hearing organs, etc.) and social (they mean the baby’s environment and the conditions for speech development).

The development of a child’s speech begins from birth. At first, the baby communicates only by screaming. New forms of communication are gradually emerging. By the age of three, the baby already speaks in sentences consisting of three or more words. Able to retell different stories and comment on events.

Some are already telling tales

Important to remember! Some speech features may be age-appropriate. For example, egocentric children's speech is a transitional stage.

Signs of speech delay

If a child speaks poorly at 4 years old, what should parents do? There are several main signs that are a reason to consult a specialist to determine the presence of speech development delay:

• A small set of words that a four-year-old (20 or less) uses.
• There is no desire to communicate.
• Slurred pronunciation of words, as a result of which it is impossible to understand what is heard. The baby produces an incomprehensible set of words or eats words.
• Complying with adults' requests, but lacking the ability to comment on their actions.
• Inability to simultaneously fulfill two or more requests related to one object (take a loaf of bread, break off a piece and feed the ducks).
• When expressing thoughts in sentences, the child “throws out” some of the words.
• The baby does not repeat the words of adults in the process of communication.

The child speaks very slowly

Bradylalia is a pathology in which a child speaks very slowly. Experts qualify it as a violation of the tempo and rhythm of speech, which is not convulsive in nature. Bradylalia manifests itself as:

• independent disorder. This type of pathology is typical for slow, overly calm and lethargic children;
• symptom of the disease. A child may begin to suffer from bradyllalia due to acquired or congenital mental retardation, with dystrophic or organic lesions of the central nervous system, or after suffering infectious diseases. In this case, the child experiences a slowdown not only in speech, but also in movements. Children speak poorly, get tired quickly, feel weak and lethargic.

Experts distinguish between different degrees of bradyllalia. In some cases, the child speaks slightly slowly, which is almost imperceptible to the people around him. With more severe degrees of pathology, problems with adaptation in society and developmental delays may be observed. Cerebellar bradyllalia is in its own category. It is characterized by scanned speech.

Signs of bradylalia

The presence of bradyllalia in a child can be determined by the presence of verbal and non-verbal symptoms. In the first case we observe:

• slowdown in spoken speech;
• the occurrence of delays between words and sounds while the child speaks (the baby can stretch out vowels);
• monotony of voice, pronunciation of sounds “in the nose”, nasality;
• stretching out syllables and sounds (although children say all the words absolutely correctly);
• the child's slowness in reading and writing.

Nonverbal signs include:

• violations of facial expressions and motor skills;
• inattention, lethargy and poor coordination;
• deterioration of attention, memory and thought processes;
• difficulty switching from one activity to another (the child may also experience repetition of the same movement);
• isolation, silence and very difficult adaptation.

If your child speaks slowly, it may simply be a manifestation of his temperament. However, parents should not ignore this problem. Contacting specialists to correct the pathology will allow the child to get rid of bradylia and lead a full life.

Causes

Children speak very slowly for a variety of reasons. The main factor in the development of bradyllalia is the strengthening of inhibitory processes, which over time begin to prevail over excitatory processes. Speech therapists distinguish physiological and psychological causes of pathology.

A child can inherit bradyllalia or acquire it as a result of perinatal damage to the central nervous system. It is also a symptom:

• oligophrenia;
• Parkinson's disease;
• brain injuries;
• meningitis;
• depressive disorder;
• brain tumors;
• encephalitis.

Children speak measuredly and very slowly due to lack of speech training or by imitating a loved one. Pathology can also develop due to decreased mental function and mental retardation. Very often, bradyllia appears in phlegmatic children. Such a child is naturally inhibited and slow.

Diagnosis of bradyllalia

Parents of a child who speaks slowly should seek professional help. A comprehensive examination may require the participation of a neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist and psychologist. Instrumental studies are used to identify the physiological causes of speech pathology. The child may be prescribed:

• MRI of the brain;
• PAT;
• rheoencephalography;
• EEG, etc.

In addition, the child is examined by a speech therapist. He conducts speech diagnostics to determine the degree of bradyllalia and select an effective correction method.

Correction of speech pathology

If a child speaks slowly due to physiological disorders, then therapy is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. First of all, treatment involves normalizing the functioning of the central nervous system. Complex therapy may include:

• taking medications. Strengthening and stimulating medications, as well as vitamin complexes, are selected for the child. Medicines containing glutamic acid are actively used;
• physical therapy. Water activities, swimming, massage and physiotherapeutic procedures are very effective;
• consultations with a psychotherapist. Sessions with a psychologist are also possible to overcome emotional problems. A child who spoke slowly for a long time could withdraw from society and lose self-confidence;
• educational games. The child will benefit from activities that improve motor skills, facial expressions and emotional speech. For example, children benefit from acting lessons and stage performances. The child also needs to read more, solve riddles, learn and sing rhythmic songs;
• manual labor. Assembling construction sets, embroidering and other activities help develop fine motor skills. The child's speech rate improves when learning dance moves. Physical education and sports will not be superfluous.

Of course, a child who speaks very slowly needs the help of qualified teachers and speech therapists. This is one of the most important parts of treatment.

How are classes with a teacher going?

For a child suffering from slow speech, the most effective correction method is logarithmics. During classes, kids run, march, or perform other physical exercises to rhythmic music. Games are also played, accompanied by the pronunciation of various sentences and words.

The child’s speech in classes with the teacher is gradually stimulated. Correction classes include four main stages.

1. The teacher pronounces a very simple sentence, for example, “sa-sa-sa is a fox walking through the forest.” At the same time, he sets the pace by clapping, tapping on the table or moving his hands. The child needs to repeat the sentence several times. The pace set by the teacher gradually increases. Therefore, the child has to say the phrase faster and faster.
2. The child is asked to learn a few simple poems. Then he must quickly recite lines from them. If the child already knows poems, then you can use his favorite ones.
3. At the third stage, the child needs to learn not only a fast pace of speech, but also its expressiveness. Therefore, during classes, children speak in roles, acting out excerpts from fairy tales.
4. At the last stage, children learn tongue twisters. This allows the child to consolidate the skills acquired during the correction.

Timely detection of bradyllalia in a child makes it possible to begin correction. An integrated approach to eliminating pathology allows you to achieve good results. However, in addition to classes, the child needs the help of parents. They must be careful to ensure that the baby does not start speaking slowly again. It is recommended to repeat poems and tongue twisters at home.

Prognosis and prevention

In most cases, the prognosis for bradyllalia is favorable. Especially if the parents noticed in a timely manner that the child spoke slowly and turned to specialists for help. However, after a successful correction, you should not let your guard down. As a preventive measure it is recommended:

• lead a healthy lifestyle and follow doctors’ recommendations during pregnancy;
• protect the child from traumatic brain injuries and infectious diseases;
• maintain a daily routine and diet;
• ensure that the child develops speech and work with him;
• talk to the baby, teach poems and songs.

Slow speech is not always a symptom of a disease. In most cases, lessons with a teacher are sufficient. Therefore, you should not worry too much when signs of bradylia appear. But if you are worried about your baby, then contact the NEAPL speech therapy and psychology center. Experienced teachers will help correct speech disorders.

Source: https://neapl.ru/blog/rechevye-narusheniya/govorit-ochen-medlenno/

How to help you speak?

Family conditions certainly play the most important role in the development of a child’s speech. To develop speech, a child needs daily communication with adults, games and developmental activities.

The family should be favorable

Conditions in the family necessary for the correct and timely development of speech

When entering a kindergarten where there is a group of peers and a system of activities, the child is likely to speak quite quickly. The presence of other children with whom he has to interact pushes him towards this. But how to promote speech development at home?

Speech therapy chants, exercises, songs for children 2-3 years old.

There are several basic conditions for the correct and timely development of speech:

• Talk to the baby. This is the most important point. Children learn by adopting, so they need role models. In a family, it is important to talk and communicate a lot with the child. It is a well-known fact that if a child grows up in a deaf-mute family, then even if he has no pathology, he will not begin to talk, since there is simply no one to teach him. Gesture and facial expressions will be his ways of expressing thoughts, speech skills will not be formed (this is provided that the baby does not attend children's groups). Experts advise saying out loud all the actions that an adult performs together with his son or daughter. And, even if it seems that the child does not understand anything and does not answer, then this still needs to be done. The baby hears speech, remembers and learns.
• Fill the life of a little person with impressions and emotions, organize his leisure time. This is the main task. If he sits without seeing the interesting and alluring world around him, the child will speak much later, his vocabulary will be more meager. Therefore, it is necessary to organize joint walks to a new place, trips to parks, museums, interesting playgrounds, and enroll in a club.
• Create a comfortable psychological atmosphere in the family. Family is a child’s cultural niche and the best means for his development. If there are constant scandals in the house and profanity is used, then the child’s emotional and, accordingly, speech development will suffer.

We identify and eliminate the causes of delayed speech development

Parents may notice that the speech of a four-year-old is not sufficiently developed, it is impossible to get him to talk, and seek advice from specialists (pediatrician, neurologist, speech therapist, otolaryngologist, psychologist and psychiatrist).

It is useful to visit a doctor

These specialists will have to determine whether there is a delay and, first, identify the reasons. The pediatrician will have to determine the child’s condition and, if necessary, refer to a specialist. It is necessary to check whether the baby has brain damage, rule out otitis media, hearing loss (the baby may simply not hear the sound signal), adenoids, assess the mental development and psychological state of the child, and conduct a speech therapy examination.

If the doctor discovers any problems that interfere with development, then, of course, they should be eliminated, if possible. If there are problems with blood circulation in the brain, then appropriate therapy is prescribed to restore blood circulation. Otolaryngological problems also require treatment. If necessary, psychological assistance should be provided.

In parallel with this, a child with speech delay will have to attend a session with a speech therapist. The defectologist will also give competent, up-to-date advice on the Federal State Educational Standard. To achieve the best effect, parents will also have to work with the baby at home, following the recommendations of specialists.

Modern theories and methods of speech development of children

Important to remember! An individual approach is required in this matter.

How to help a child improve his speech?

Speech development in children is difficult to compare with specific universal norms. Of course, there is a clear distribution of speech knowledge, skills and abilities, starting with gushing in the first four to five months, and ending with the formation of adult full speech at the age of six. However, practice shows that each child has individual characteristics of psychological, mental and physiological development, which determines the differences between the formation of speech in children of the same age. And if some children at three years old are already chatting incessantly, telling their favorite fairy tales and poems, then others at that age can distort their pronunciation and have a small vocabulary.

First of all, parents should take into account the characteristics of their baby, because focusing on generally accepted standards is quite arbitrary. If a child pronounces words backwards, you should make sure that this is not just the child’s interest in words and self-indulgence. Quite often, children simply play, pronouncing words backwards, rearranging syllables and observing the reaction of adults. In this case, it is enough for parents to simply correct the child and monitor their own speech, which should be clear, intelligible and literate. Over time, the baby will forget about distorting words and will begin to copy the correct pronunciation after their parents.

However, if the problem lies deeper, you cannot expect the baby to simply “outgrow” it. The younger the child, the more susceptible his nervous system is. Early speech stimulation brings the most effective results, so parental inaction in some cases is disastrous for the child.

First of all, non-speech therapy problems should be excluded. Have your hearing checked by a specialist, and also show your baby to a neurologist. In the absence of physiological, emotional-communicative and psychological difficulties, further work to eliminate speech pathologies falls on the speech therapist-defectologist. A competent specialist will study the individual situation, help the child get rid of incorrect pronunciation of words, and form correct and literate speech.

The main goal of speech development

What is the main goal of speech development in children in preschool age? The development of speech in a child at four years old is necessary for his harmonious development, the development of his culture as a whole, because speech is an indicator of a person’s spiritual and intellectual development, it determines a person’s direction in life.

How to teach a child's speech culture?

The culture of speech is part of the general culture of a person. You need to improve your speech throughout your life. You need to teach your child to watch his speech:

• control;
• avoid mistakes in pronunciation;
• use intonation correctly.

For your information! It is necessary to constantly expand your child’s vocabulary. To do this, you need to talk to him more, read fiction, teach him to retell what he read and tell him what he saw. The organization of speech development is extremely important for the baby.

To improve the culture of speech, you can use special exercises, handing out plot pictures, asking them to tell what is depicted on them, what the characters are doing, what they can talk about. It is worth offering to act out small scenes, for example, a dialogue between a seller and a buyer, congratulations to a mother on a holiday. It is useful to read fiction and other things with expression and roles.

The importance of theatrical activities in the development of preschool children

In addition to the fact that theatrical activity has a beneficial effect on the speech development of preschool children, it is of great importance in development in general, namely:

• Introduces children to works of literature, music, and visual arts.
• Improves the overall culture of children.
• Instills the rules of communication in society, introduces norms of behavior and etiquette.
• Develops children's artistic abilities.
• Teaches how to interact and communicate with peers.
• Develops play activity and creative abilities.

Expert advice: Efimenkova L.N. “Speech Formation in Preschool Children”

Efimenkova L.N. “Formation of Speech in Preschool Children” is a methodological manual for speech therapists and educators, based on many years of experience working with children with delayed speech development. Her technique is unique. With the help of this manual, you can help your child develop phrasal and coherent speech using notes from speech therapy sessions.

Specialist Efimenkova L.N.