If your child has been diagnosed with a speech problem, you have probably been told that therapy is your best option for getting the issue resolved. You may be wondering what is involved in a speech therapy program and how your child can get the most out of it. Take a look at what you can expect when you enroll your child in one of these programs.

Language Activities Will Be Done

The first thing you can expect is a lot of language activity. This will involve, playing and talking. Books, pictures, and other objects will be used to get your child's attention and to stimulate them to use the language. The speech therapist will often model certain pronunciations in order to help correct your child's speech. A lot of the activities will be repeated over and over again until your child responds favorably.

Articulation Therapy Will Also Be Done

Articulation therapy involves the production of sound. The therapist will be a model for how to make correct sounds and syllables in the language. These activities will often be done during play to keep your child from getting bored. The therapist will often demonstrate how to move the tongue to produce specific sounds and a mirror may be used to help your child see clearly where they are making mistakes.

Oral Motor Therapy

Sometimes, children who need speech therapy may have difficulty swallowing and chewing. If this is the case your speech therapist will give your child lip, jaw, and tongue exercises to strengthen the muscles of the mouth. You will also notice that your therapist may want to try out different food texture and even temperatures. This will help your child to be more orally aware while they are eating and swallowing.

Look Out for Homework

After doing the preliminary rounds of testing your speech therapist is likely to give your child homework to enhance what they are doing with your child in the therapy sessions. Make sure that you understand clearly what needs to be done and ask if there are any special tips to help the work go more smoothly. Do your own research and find activities that can help your child as well. If you are in doubt about anything you find ask your therapist about it.

Speech problems can be overcome, especially when your child begins their therapy early. Try to keep up to date on the latest developments with your child and help to find resources that can help your child at home. Reach out to a group like Speech Language and Hearing Associates to learn more.