So, what is the difference between language and speech? Part 2: Speech

Speech relates meaning with sounds; it is the verbal means of communicating.  Speech includes 3 areas:

1. Articulation
• Refers to how speech sounds are made.  Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may work on specific sounds or patterns of sounds.  For example:  An SLP may help a child correct his prevocalic /r/ sound, so instead of wabbit, he can say rabbit.  
2. Voice
• Refers to using the vocal cords and breath to produce sounds.  SLPs may work on decreasing vocal abuse which can lead to hoarseness, vocal fold nodules, etc.  Hypernasality (too much air through the nose) and hyponasality (not enough air through the nose on nasal sounds) may also fall under this heading.
3. Fluency
• Refers to the rhythm and smoothness of speech.  If fluency is disrupted, a person may stutter or hesitate when communicating.

Speech disorders and language disorders can present together or independently of one another and severity can range from a mild issue to a severe one.  If you have any concerns or questions regarding your child's speech and/or language development, please do not hesitate to contact us at 615-898-7461 or info@brightbeginningsptc.com.

                                  

Mother Knows Best

                                            

Often times parents come with us with the gut feeling that something is not quite right about their child's development.  Too often, these parents say that they have discussed their concerns with others and are told things like:

•  "Oh, all boys are like that.  He will catch up." 
•  "She will eat when she gets hungry enough."  
• "Send him to our house and we will take care of it."
• "Give it more time. My son was a late talker and he is doing fine."

Recently, we had a family come in to Bright Beginnings for an initial speech-language evaluation for their 4 year old daughter; we will call her Aubrey.  In this case, the family's concerns had been dismissed by other healthcare professionals and family members.  Aubrey attends a Mother's Day out program 5 days a week and had been getting in trouble for biting the other children and throwing tantrums.  After evaluating Aubrey, her speech intelligibility (or how much of her speech is understandable) was 20%.  Due to her inability to communicate effectively with her peers and adults, Aubrey resorted to biting and throwing tantrums as her means of communicating.  Children often develop bad behaviors when they are frustrated and are unable to communicate easily. Speech therapy was recommended to improve her speech sound production skills and decrease her frustration. Since starting therapy, Aubrey's skills have improved and her teachers report a decrease in negative behaviors at school.  

Parents are the experts on their children and should always trust their instincts.  When you have specific developmental concerns, you should discuss them with your child's pediatrician or a specialist in that developmental area.