INTERVENTION

STRATEGIES FOR
SPEECH DISORDER
Prepared by:
Edna Mag Eiry
Ainul Hafidza Rusli
Aniza Seli
Syazwan Zain
INTRODUCTION
 The speech problems that will be discuss in
this presentation :
- Articulation Disorder
- Stammering
- Aphasia
- Dyspraxia
- Expressive Language Problem
ARTICULATION DISORDER
WHAT IS ARTICULATION?
 Articulation is the process by which sounds,
syllables, and words are formed when your
tongue, jaw, teeth, lips, and palate alter the
air stream coming from the vocal folds.
WHAT IS AN ARTICULATION
DISORDER?
 A person has an articulation
problem/disorder when he or she produces
sounds, syllables. or words incorrectly so
that listeners do not understand what is
being said or pay more attention to the way
the words sound than to what they mean.
 Many articulation errors
are developmental in nature; that is some
sounds are later developing, and many
children will produce these sounds
incorrectly until they mature.
 One example is the [th] sound, as in
“thumb”. This is one of the latest sounds to
develop (between the ages of 6 an 8).
Therefore, if a 7-year-old can not yet say
this sound, it is not reason to be concerned.
TYPES OF SOUND ERRORS.
 Most errors fall into one of three categories-
1. Omissions
2. Substitutions
3. Distortions
OMISSION
 . An example of an omission is "at" for "hat"
or "oo" for "shoe."
SUBSTITUTION
 An example of a substitution is the use of "w"
for "r." which makes "rabbit" sound like
"wabbit," or the substitution of "th" for "s" so
that "sun" is pronounced "thun."
DISTORTION
 When the sound is said inaccurately, but
sounds something like the intended sound, it
is called a distortion.
WHAT CAUSES AN
ARTICULATION PROBLEM?
 Articulation problems may result from
physical handicaps, such as cerebral palsy,
cleft palate. or hearing loss, or may be
related to other problems in the mouth, such
as dental problems.
 However, most articulation problems occur
in the absence of any obvious physical
disability. The cause of these so-called
functional articulation problems may be
faulty learning of speech sounds.
WHO CAN HELP?
1. PARENTS OR TEACHERS
 By setting a good example.
 Don't interrupt or constantly correct the
child. Don't let anyone tease or mock
(including fiends or relatives). Instead,
present a good model. Use the
misarticulated word correctly with emphasis.
 If the child says, "That's a big wabbit," you
say "Yes, that is a big rabbit. A big white
rabbit. Would you like to have a rabbit?"
2. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
 Contact a speech-language pathologist if you
are concerned about speech.
 A speech-language pathologist is a
professional trained at the master's or
doctoral level to evaluate and help the child
or adult with an articulation problem as well
as other speech and/or language disorders.
 The speech-language pathologist should be
certified or licensed by the state.
 The speech-language pathologist can advise
whether professional help is indicated and
how to arrange for assistance.
 The speech-language pathologist can also
give you guidance or provide services to help
prevent or eliminate a problem.
 Early help is especially important for more
severe problems.
ARTICULATION THERAPY
 Articulation therapy consists of drill
exercises and various cues to help the child correct
his/her sound productions.
 These cues may be verbal (e.g. tell the child
where to place his /her tongue) or visual (having
the child look at the therapist’s mouth or in the
mirror) or tactile (i.e. touch; having the child slide
her finger down her arm when making the [s]
sound.
 The PROMPT tactile-kinesthetic cueing system may
also be used to promote correct sound
production. Frequent practice is essential for
articulation therapy to be successful.
STAMMERING
WHAT IS ‘STAMMERING’?
Stammering is a speech problem and it
results in low self esteem and low
confidence levels in the child.

Children should be made to overcome

stammering by figuring out the reasons.
Here are some tips to overcome stammer.
 First, realised that you or your child doesn't have
to be fluent all the time. Some form of stammering
affects almost everyone in varying degrees. Even
who you perceive as fluent speakers may say words
like 'ah' or 'er' every now and again. Others repeat
the same word a few times before carrying on,
while others stammer or fumble over certain words.

If you or your child stammers, you should aim on

trying to reduce the amount of stammering, not on
completely getting rid of it.
 Slow down. People who stammer usually do
get nervous when speaking to others, and this
causes them to speak faster than normal.
When their fast speech is coupled with
stammering, their words get more even
incoherent, and they may have to repeat
themselves to make themselves understood.
This naturally affects their confidence still
further, worsening the stammering. So if your
child stammers, he should consciously try to
slow down his speech.
If your child stammers while speaking to you,
never interrupt him or finish off the sentence
for him. Don't show impatience. Listen to
him calmly and let him complete what he is
saying, by himself.

Maintain eye contact with your child when

he is speaking. Looking away will give the
impression that you are not listening to what
he is saying.
 Don't make him repeat certain words if he stumbles
over them. He may repeat them fine this time, but
it's not going to help him for the next time.

Don't tell your child to take a deep breath before

starting or to think about what he is going to say
before saying it. These things don't help.
Make your child read out a paragraph from a
book aloud everyday. Reading out something
is easier from speaking impromptu because
you don't have to form the thoughts before
saying something out aloud.

Encourage your child to speak as often as

possible. Invite your friends over and let your
child speak to them for a while before going
to his room.
Don't get frustrated with your stammering. If you
are in a situation which makes you nervous, instead
of shutting up completely ask questions of the other
person.

Don't try and distract the person from your

stammering by making exaggerated body
movements. You can move your hands around a
little - it may help you get your point across - but
don't try and hide your stammer.
APHASIA
WHAT IS ‘APHASIA’?
Aphasia is a disorder that results from
damage to the parts of the brain that
contain language. Aphasia causes problems
with any or all of the following: speaking,
listening, reading, and writing.
 Damage to the left side of the brain causes
aphasia for most right-handers and about
half of left-handers. Individuals who
experience damage to the right side of the
brain may have additional difficulties beyond
speech and language.
 Individuals with aphasia may also have other
problems, such as dysarthria, apraxia or
swallowing problems.
In some cases, a person will completely recover
from aphasia without treatment.

But for most cases, language recovery is not as

quick or as complete. In these instances, speech-
language therapy is often helpful. Recovery usually
continues over a two-year period.
 Many health professionals believe that the
most effective treatment begins early in the
recovery process. Some of the factors that
influence the amount of improvement
include the cause of the brain damage, the
area of the brain that was damaged, the
extent of the brain injury, and the age and
health of the individual.
 Aphasia therapy aims to improve a person’s ability
to communicate by helping him or her to use
remaining language abilities, restore language
abilities as much as possible, compensate for
language problems, and learn other methods of
communicating.

Individual therapy focuses on the specific needs of

the person, while group therapy offers the
opportunity to use new communication skills in a
small-group setting.
 Stroke clubs, regional support groups formed
by people who have had a stroke, are
available in most major cities. These clubs
also offer the opportunity for people with
aphasia to try new communication skills.
 Family involvement is often a crucial component of aphasia
treatment so that family members can learn the best way to
communicate with their loved one. Family members are
encouraged to:
i. Simplify language by using short, uncomplicated sentences.
ii. Repeat the content words or write down key words to clarify
meaning as needed.
iii. Maintain a natural conversational manner appropriate for an
adult.
iv. Minimize distractions, such as a loud radio or TV, whenever
possible.
v. Include the person with aphasia in conversations.
vi. Ask for and value the opinion of the person with aphasia,
especially regarding family matters.
vii. Encourage any type of communication, whether it is speech,
gesture, pointing, or drawing.
viii. Avoid correcting the person’s speech.
ix. Allow the person plenty of time to talk.
Computers can also provide an alternative
system of communication for people with
difficulty expressing language.

Lastly, computers can help people who have

problems perceiving the difference between
phonemes (the sounds from which words are
formed) by providing auditory discrimination
exercises.
EXSPRESSIVE
LANGUAGE
DISORDER
DEFINITION
 Expressive language disorder is a condition in
which a person has difficulty expressing
themselves with language, both in speech and
writing.

 Usually, people with expressive language

disorder have normal or near normal
intelligence, and understand the words they hear
or read, but they have difficulty in using those
words to express themselves to others
 They are usually also below the average
level for their age in:
-Putting words and sentences together
to formulate thoughts
-Recalling words
-Using language appropriately in a
variety of settings with different people
(for example, at home, in school, with
parents and teachers)
SYMPTOM
 The signs and symptoms vary drastically from
child to child. The child does not have
problems with the pronunciation of words, as
occurs in phonological disorder .
 The child does have problems putting
sentences together , using proper grammar,
recalling the appropriate word to use, or
other similar problems.
 A child with expressive language disorder is
not able to communicate thoughts, needs, or
wants at the same level or with the same
complexity as his or her peers.
 The child often has a smaller vocabulary than
his or her peers.
 in some cases, an expressive language
problem has an immediately obvious cause,
such as a stroke or brain damage that has
affected the language processing center of
the brain.
DIAGNOSIS
 Speech pathologists perform specific assessments in order
to find out which areas of language appear to be difficult
for your child. The way such assessments are conducted is
not stressful for the child, and parents are usually present
during these consultation times.

 Other assessments that speech pathologists may

recommend for further testing include:
-Complete hearing and auditory processing tests
-Tests for learning difficulties
-Assessments of cognitive function (thinking and
intelligence).
TREATMENT
 Treatment options depend on the degree of
severity of the disorder. Treatment may include:
-Group sessions with a speech pathologist
-Individual therapy sessions with a speech
pathologist
-School-based language intervention programs
-Assistance from special education teachers
-Teacher’s aide support for children with severe
language disorders
-Speech pathology sessions combined with home
programs that parents can use with their child.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
 Expressive language disorder means a child
has difficulty with verbal and written
expression.
 The cause of expressive language disorder is
often unknown.
 Treatment depends on the severity but it
includes therapy with a speech pathologist.
DYSPRAXIA
WHAT IS DYSPRAXIA
 Dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of
the organization of movement.
 In many individuals, there may be associated
problems with language, perception and
thought
TEENAGER & ADULTS

 Trouble with speech control — volume, pitch,

articulation
 Difficulty writing
 Extreme sensitivity to light, touch, space,
taste, smells
 Difficulty with personal grooming
 Difficulty driving
 Very clumsy
SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

 Trouble with activities that require fine

motor skills, like holding a pencil, buttoning,
cutting with scissors
 Poor coordination — trouble with sports
activities
 Slow or difficult-to-understand speech
 Speech difficulties can cause severe social
awkwardness and unwillingness to attempt
social interactions
The following intervention are designed to:
 enable the child to attain desired sensory
thresholds;
 achieve an optimal level of arousal and attention;
 support effective social and environmental
engagement.
INTERVENTIONS
 Give the child as much encouragement as
possible and make sure they are not made to
feel a failure
 Be aware of their difficulties and give
strategies to reduce the frustration they
experience particularly when required to
complete written work
 Break down activities and tasks into smaller
components
INTERVENTIONS
 Work with parents as they know their child
better than anyone else
 Ensure that where required assistance is
given to the pupil to find their way around as
they may forget where they are supposed to
be
 Encourage a close relationship with another
child who can act as a mentor
 Ensure that instructions are always clear and
precise