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.
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.
“We 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,” Lamoureaux explained. “Then there’s 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.”
“There’s something called the fourth grade slump,” Lamoureaux stated. “It’s 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’t done before, and if they don’t do as well as you think they should have then it is something to look at or seeing if they can read nonsense words.”
“Literacy and language affects every subject they take, their future education, and their future employment.”
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.
For younger kids, Lamoureaux says, “Read books and turn off the television. Read the same book over and over again. Get the kids into a repetitive routine, so when you’re driving talk about what you see, when they understand then start adding to it. So, you might say ‘horse,’ then start adding descriptors, so ‘brown horse,’ then ‘big brown horse.’ Model for them, but if they’re only at one word, then only be one step ahead of them, so use two words.”
“Younger kids need exposure to peers and group situations as well, there’s a different set of rules in the group than when they’re at home with just mom and dad, and that social piece is very important. It teaches kids to be proactive and not reactive.”
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…), 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.
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’s school experience. If they have poor language and literacy skills then school can become frustrating.
“If 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,” she explained.
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.
Contact Lamoureaux for more information at Treehouse Speech Therapy, (306)575-7618.
