At Home Activities...
Below are our articles on the subject of At Home Activities. If you can't see what you are looking for our other categories are displayed on the left under 'Our Quick Links'...
All About the Voice Disorder Spasmodic Dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia is a voice disorder that is caused by involuntary muscle movements in the vocal cords. This article offers some basic answers to frequently asked questions about spasmodic dysphon...
Aphasia
Over 250,000 people in the United Kingdom suffer from aphasia, also known as dysphasia. This article offers basic answers to some frequently asked questions about aphasia....
Apraxia of Speech
Apraxia of speech, sometimes also called dyspraxia, leaves individuals unable to consistently and correctly say what they mean. This article discusses the symptoms of apraxia of speech, treatment of ...
Articulation Disorders
Articulation disorders are those that are related to an individual’s ability to say particular sounds and/or string particular sounds together. This article discusses common types of articulation dis...
Auditory Verbal Therapy
Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) focuses on teaching hearing impaired children to draw on their residual hearing in order to listen and speak. Parents are highly involved in AVT, and together parents, c...
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Individuals with severe speech disorders sometimes can not communicate verbally and instead rely on another means of communication. This article discusses augmentative and alternative means of commun...
Autism
Autism is perhaps the most common pervasive developmental disorder. This article discusses how autism affects verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as where to find further information on these...
Brain Injury
If a brain injury involves the area of the brain that controls speech and language, speech difficulties and disorders may result. This article briefly discusses some speech disorders and difficulties...
Cancer as a Cause of Speech Disorder
Cancers of the head and neck are serious, and often both the symptoms and treatments impede an individual's verbal speech....
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a medical condition that results from a brain injury that was sustained either before, during or very shortly after an individual’s birth and often affects the individual’s speech. ...
Child Abuse and Speech Disorders
Child abuse can take many forms, including emotional abuse. This article discusses types of emotional abuse, emotional abuse and speech disorders and how to find further information on these topics....
Children's Speech Sound Disorders
Many children suffer from speech sound disorders. This article discusses common types of speech sound disorders, common causes of these disorders and the role that speech and/or language therapy can ...
Cleft Lip or Palate
Cleft lips and palates can cause significant obstacles to verbal speech. Because cleft lips and palates are not well understood by the general population, we have put together some basic answers to f...
Cluttering
Cluttering is a speech disorder that affects the fluency of speech. This article offers basic answers to some frequently asked questions about cluttering....
Communication Boards
Communication boards are used by individuals unable to communicate verbally. This article offers some basic answers to frequently asked questions about communication boards....
Coping With Tourettes Syndrome
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder involving motor and vocal tics. Living with Tourette Syndrome presents any number of challenges, and while there is no cure for Tourette Syndrome there ar...
Could Nanny's Speech Impairment Affect Toddler's Speaking?
A reader is interested in hiring a nanny with a cleft palate but is concerned that the nanny's speech impediments may affect her child's speech and language development....
Dementia
Dementia is not a specific disease, but instead is the term used to describe a group of symptoms that are caused by a variety of disorders and diseases in the brain. This article discusses speech dis...
Developmental Disabilities and Speech Difficulties
Developmental disabilities are often accompanied by speech difficulties. For a full understanding of such difficulties exploring the definition, types and causes of developmental disabilities is impor...
Drug Abuse
Drug abuse, sometimes also called substance abuse, is a term used to describe the use of both legal and illegal drugs for non-therapeutic and/or non-medical purposes. This article discusses how drug ...
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a technical term that, for the general public, equates to slurred speech. This article provides basic answers to some frequently asked questions about dysarthria....
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is a disorder in which there is an impairment or immaturity in the body’s ability to coordinate movements. This article discusses dyspraxia in the United Kingdom, symptoms of dyspraxia/apra...
Dysprosody
Dysprosody is a rare speech disorder that affects the rhythm of speech and pronunciation of words. This article offers basic answers to some frequently asked questions about dysprosody....
Encouraging Speech Through Charades
Charades is a game the whole family can enjoy, even young children just beginning to develop their speech and language skills. Once you understand how to play and how to teach children to play, recog...
Expressive Language Disorder
Expressive language disorder makes spoken language a trial. This article discusses expressive language disorder, the two main types of the disorder, signs and symptoms of the disorder and how it may ...
Family Activities and Speech Disorders
Family activities provide fun opportunities for children to practice their speech. Reading aloud, storytelling, public speaking, sing-alongs and acting are just a few options for activities which off...
Finding an Appropriate Speech Therapist
Finding an appropriate speech therapist is an important first step in having success with speech therapist. Speech therapists can be accessed privately and directly, or by referral from a medical pro...
Getting a Hearing Test
Getting a hearing test is a necessary step in ruling out hearing loss as a cause of a speech disorder or disruption. Hearing tests are available to infants and young children, with your GP, via forma...
Hearing Loss
Hearing is critical to the development of speech and language skills. This article discusses types of hearing loss, degrees of hearing loss, augmentative and alternative communication methods, sign l...
Helping Someone Cope With a Speech Disorder
There are many options for helping someone cope with a speech disorder. Learning more about the disorder, listening respectfully when a loved one speaks, becoming involved in a loved one's treatment ...
Including Siblings in Speech Practice
Speech practice can be a monotonous time for children, but including their siblings can make it much more entertaining. As long as the tone stays positive, including siblings in speech practice can he...
Investigating Sign Language
Though most commonly known as a means of communication used by those with hearing loss, sign language is also utilised by individuals with speech difficulties and disorders that leave them unable to c...
Is There Any Way I Can Help a Student Who is a Mute?
A teacher has a child suffering from selective mutism in the classroom. This article discusses selective mutism and how teachers can make such students feel more comfortable and included in the wider...
Is this a Speech Problem?
We all get our words mixed up from time to time or say something totally irrelevant and abstract when in fact we meant to say something totally different, often this is harmless; very rarely may it be...
Language Based Learning Disabilities
Language based learning disabilities are not necessarily those that involve impairments with speech, but rather with the use of language whether it be in speaking, reading, spelling and/or writing. T...
Lisps
Lisps are speech disorders in which individuals are unable to produce a specific speech sound (or sounds). This article discusses types of lisps, investigating and assessing lisps, treating lisps and...
Living with Speech Difficulties
Speech difficulties range from the relatively well-known (stuttering) to those that are less so (apraxia, aphasia and more). This article discusses basic information about living with speech difficul...
Moving Beyond Baby Talk
It can be hard to refrain from baby talk when speaking with young children, but it is important to do so in order for children to better develop speech and language skills. When you attempt to move b...
Neurological Disorders
Neurological disorders are disorders which affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. This article discusses three neurological disorders which affect speech – aphasia, apraxia of speech/dysp...
New Earpiece to Help With Stammering
As of March 2008 new earpieces are being trialed in the United Kingdom to help stammerers. This article gives some basic answers to frequently asked questions about these earpieces....
Nursery Songs and Speech
Nursery songs are a very common part of speech therapy sessions with children. These silly verses help children with speech practice, provide opportunities for language and literacy exploration and a...
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, most commonly the "tongue thrust" affect dental, skeletal and muscular structures. Individuals with OMDs often experience swallowing and speech problems and there a...
Phonemic Disorders & Speech Impediments
Phonemic disorders are speech disorders in which an individual has trouble physically producing certain sounds. This article offers basic information on phonemic disorders and how they may be treated...
Phoniatrics
Phoniatrics is a medical term used to describe the area of research into, and treatment of, the organs involved in speech production, speech habits and the science of speech. This article discusses s...
Physical Impairments
Physical impairments can cause or exacerbate speech difficulties by leaving individuals physically unable to produce speech in a normal manner. This article briefly discusses three types of physical ...
Questionnaire: Do I Encourage Speech in Public?
Children may be hesitant to speak in public for any number of reasons, but encouraging such speech will benefit them in the long run. Use this questionnaire to better determine if you encourage your ...
Questionnaire: Do You Encourage Speech at Home?
Encouraging verbal communication is especially important when someone suffers from a speech disruption or disorder. Reflecting on the extent to which you encourage speech at home should allow you to b...
Questionnaire: Does My Child Have a Speech Disorder?
Many parents worry about their children's development, and speech development can be hard to track. This questionnaire helps parents focus on their children's speech abilities and determine if their ...
Questionnaire: Should I See a Speech Therapist?
Many people are unsure if they should see speech therapists for help with their speech problems. This questionnaire helps readers figure out if seeing a speech therapist would benefit their lives....
Reading a Picture Book
Children’s language and literacy skills can be greatly honed by reading picture books with adults. You can help children read these books by asking about the story, building upon the answers they giv...
Receptive Language Disorders
A variety of Receptive Language Disorders exist. This article briefly discusses symptoms, causes, diagnoses, types and treatment of Receptive Language Disorders....
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is often mistaken for simple shyness and it very often occurs in young children. Very often little is known about selective mutism in the UK, and this article provides some basic ans...
Son with 'Backing' Disorder: Any Exercises to Help Him?
A reader has requested information on "backing" and help her child produce certain sounds. This answer addresses the phonological process of "backing" and offers advice on asking a speech therapist f...
Specific Difficulties in Producing Sounds
Articulation disorders are those that are related to an individual’s ability to produce particular sounds and/or string particular sounds together. This article discusses the causes of articulation d...
Speech and Bullying
Unfortunately, a speech difficulty or speech disorder often marks a child out for bullying. This article discusses bullying behaviours, dealing with a bully and how parents and teachers can help addr...
Speech and Public Speaking
Public speaking is nerve-wracking for most people, and individuals with speech and/or voice disorders may be even less comfortable speaking before a large crowd. This article discusses a variety of w...
Speech and Self Esteem
Individuals may feel negatively about their speech difficulties or disorders. This article offers advice on boosting self esteem through listening to the speech of others, teaching others about a spe...
Speech and Shopping Lists
It may not seem like your average shopping list has much to teach you or your child, but creating, writing and reading shopping lists are perfect opportunities for practicing speech, language and lite...
Speech Delay
There is no set age at which all children should start talking, but most children will be talking – that is, using understandable words to convey meanings – by about 18 months of age. This article of...
Speech Practice and Household Chores
Household chores provide a wonderful opportunity to practice self-directed speech activities. Not only are you able to speak while engaging in physical activities, but you can also make a routine for ...
Speech Therapy and Learning Disabilities
Language based learning disabilities affect the use of language including speaking, reading, spelling and writing. This article briefly discusses common signs of language based learning disabilities ...
Speech Therapy: Target Sounds
Target sounds will be selected by a speech therapist and focused on for several weeks or months until a child masters them. These sounds will be practiced first in isolation, then in more complex arr...
Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists are individuals trained to prevent, diagnose and/or rehabilitate a wide variety of speech, language and swallowing difficulties. This article discusses training and educa...
Speech-Language Therapy
Speech-language therapy is a common treatment option for individuals experiencing speech and language difficulties or disorders. This article offers basic answers to some frequently asked questions a...
Stammering
Stammering is a very common speech disorder, with about one in every 100 individuals in the United Kingdom living with a stammer. This article discusses types of stammers, causes of stammers, methods...
Stress Relief and Speech Disorders
Everyone must find their own ways to combat stress in their daily lives, but when it relates to speech difficulties there are some activities which may help....
Strokes
A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain is disrupted, usually by a blood clot, and cells of the brain die and are damaged. This article discusses some of the speech disorders associated with...
Support for Speech Disorders
Speech disorders are more common than many individuals believe. This article offers basic information on sources of support for speech and language disorders in the United Kingdom....
Technology to Aid Therapy of Speech Disorders
Technology has become a relatively common fixture in modern speech and language therapy. This article discusses types of technology that may be employed both at home and in therapy to treat verbal sp...
The Lidcombe Program
The Lidcombe Program provides parents with a positive, effective way to treat their children's stutters. This two phase Program allows parents to help their children concentrate on fluent speech and ...
The Use of Cued Speech
Cued speech is a system of clarifying speech sounds for those who lipread. Handshapes and the location of the hands help to differentiate consonant and vowel sounds, and the use of cued speech can pr...
Tracheostomy & Ventilator Swallowing and Speaking Valves
The general public is not usually familiar with tracheostomies or ventilators, particularly as they relate to speech and swallowing difficulties. This articles offers basic answers to some frequently...
Using Board Games to Encourage Speech
Board games are a classic type of family entertainment, and the fun they bring can be an important part of helping those in speech therapy enjoy their time and look forward to their home practice....
Using the Internet in Speech Practice
The Internet is full of wonderful resources for a stimulating at home speech practice. In addition to receiving speech therapy sessions online you can also access online speech activities and resource...
Vocal Abuse or Misuse
This article discusses types of vocal abuse including dry air, air pollution, smoking, dehydration and loud speech. Information on protecting and preserving vocal health is also offered....
Vocology: a Form of Speech Therapy
Vocology is the study of the voice and the treatment of voice disorders. The general public is not often familiar with vocology as it relates to voice and speech, so we have compiled some basic answe...
Voice Disorders
Voice disorders, often called vocal disorders, are those that impede an individual’s voice from sounding as it would normally. This article discusses types of voice disorders, causes of voice disorde...
Warming Up Your Voice
The voice is a sensitive thing, and there are any number of ways that it can be hurt. This article discusses methods of warming up the voice as well as other ways of promoting vocal health....
What Can Parents Do to Help their Children's Speech Therapy?
It has been estimated that up to 50% of children entering school suffer from a speech and/or language difficulty that impedes their abilities to communicate. This article discusses how speech therapy...
What Happens During a Therapy Session?
No two therapy sessions will be absolutely alike. This article discusses what happens at may therapy sessions, taking into consideration variables such as the length of the therapy session, the locat...
What is Backing Disorder?
Backing disorder is a communication phenomenon in which speech sounds that should be made at the front of the mouth are made at the back of the mouth instead. Such a disorder might have physiological ...
What is Rett Syndrome?
Rett Syndrome is developmental disorder characterised by a loss of purposeful skills including the loss of speech. Girls with Rett Syndrome will cycle through four distinct phases, and a diagnosis wi...
What is Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy is a common treatment option for individuals experiencing speech difficulties or disorders. This article offers basic answers to some frequently asked questions about speech therapy....
What to With Problems Pronouncing 'Sh' and 'Ch'?
A woman has written in to ask about her grandson's mispronunciation of certain sounds. This question provides basic information on childhood mispronunciations and how to cope with them....
What Type of Speech Therapy Would Help my Grandson?
A grandmother is worried that her 2 year old son, who has Williams Syndrome, is not yet speaking....
Where Will Speech Therapy Take Place?
Speech therapy, the therapeutic treatment of speech difficulties and disorders, is a common treatment option for individuals experiencing speech difficulties or disorders. This article discusses comm...
Who Will Benefit from Speech Therapy?
Over 2.5 million people across the United Kingdom have speech or language difficulties, and almost all of them would likely benefit from attending speech therapy sessions. This article discusses who ...