Language

Lisps in children are a common speech sound disorder that can affect the clarity and articulation of their speech. Understanding the underlying causes and the latest research on this topic can provide valuable insights for parents, educators, and speech-language professionals. In this blog post, we will delve into the reasons why children develop lisps, backed by relevant research, and explore the implications for early intervention and support.

So the question’s been raised, “Do boys talk later than girls?” If that’s the case, then I don’t need to be concerned if my little guy is not meeting the communication milestones, right? WRONG! Even though in many cases boys start talking later than girls, being a boy is NOT a reason that a child has a language delay.

We all want our children to grow up to be intelligent, well-adjusted adults, and as parents, we’re eager to give them a good head start, right? We talk a lot about functional language for babies, what what does that look like?Let’s take a simple quiz. Answer the following question by selecting the correct answer:

Baby sign language—there’s so much to love about it! And the myths about baby sign language? Let’s just put them to rest. Some wonder if baby sign language delays speech, and to this question we give a resounding NO! In fact, teaching our babies and toddlers to sign helps them to communicate even before they start to speak! According to an ASL interpreter from Sign ’n Grow, parents who start teaching their baby sign language at approximately 6 months old usually see them signing back between 9-12 months old.

One of the most crucial pieces to know when counting words is exactly what counts as a word. This is, by far, the most frequently asked question by parents in therapy and on our instagram page @speechsisters.

Your two-year-old is finally talking! YAY!!! She is saying new words every day, and she’s even starting to string words together into short sentences. There’s only one problem: you can’t understand what she is saying most of the time. What do you do when you can't understand your child's speech? Does this sound familiar? If the answer is a resounding YES, we want to assure you that this is not uncommon. It happens all the time, and we have some suggestions for you.

Have you heard about the new CDC developmental milestone updates? If so, how do you feel about them? For the first time in nearly two decades, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated their developmental milestone checklist. The language/communication milestone revisions have many Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) and parents concerned. The CDC’s updated guidelines have lowered expectations for developmental milestones, pushing back many of the language milestones to later ages. For example, the CDC now says that by 30 months of age, children should have learned 50 words, while the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) suggests that children should have 50 words by 24 months of age.

When should my toddler start talking? So many questions! It's so easy as parents of toddlers to have tons questions and concerns! Is my child talking enough? Does she understand what I’m saying? How many words should my child be saying, and what even counts as a “word”?

As pediatric therapists, we are often preaching about milestones and numbers and developmental markers, but it's important to take a step back from all that . . .As MOMS, we know one thing for sure: Our children's capabilities are not measured by their milestones. Before you dive into the Communication Milestone Checklist, let’s have a little chat about language. Your understanding of the basics will help you to approach this checklist with confidence and discernment.

During an infant’s first year of life, they’re doing much more than eating, sleeping, and crying. It’s amazing to consider just how productive they are “behind the scenes” as they develop their vocal skills and language.

Storytime has always been one of our favorite routines with our kids! At Speech Sisters, we believe reading stories is a great way to expose children to new words, new sounds, and the rhythm of language. Using a “parentese” voice (higher-pitched and sing-songy) with the consistent repetition of words found in many baby books is one of the best ways to get little ones vocalizing, babbling, and saying real words! So here are our favorite books for building language development in babies and toddlers.

“Brrr! It’s too cold out.” “Ugh, it’s raining!” “Phew! I can’t take the heat!” It’s easy to find excuses when it comes to outdoor play, but here’s a tip from us at Speech Sisters: when dressed appropriately, any day is a great day to play outside! Outdoor play is the perfect setting for experiential learning, sensory language development, and memorable discovery. And to top it off, the fresh air helps your little one to sleep!

What greater joy is there than to see your baby engage in a game of Peek-a-Boo! The expression of pure delight is unmatched! And how eagerly they wait for you to do it again! Or how about the little squeal when your fingers slowly crawl over them as you tease: “I’m gonna get you . . . I’m gonna get you!” Perhaps you know this one: “Gray mouse, gray mouse—lives in a little house!” and you give a little tickle under the arm or chin!

Would it get your attention if you were in line at a coffee shop and someone clapped their hands and started shouting, “YAY!!” Kind of random, but yes, I think it might capture your attention. This will have the same effect on your little one! When you exaggerate and repeat fun, silly exclamatory words, you will capture your toddler’s attention. These words are also motivating because you can often use them during playtime. Here are 10 of our favorite EASY and FUN exclamatory words we use at Speech Sisters during playtime and how to incorporate them into your day

Did you know that in order to speak, a message is sent from your brain to your mouth that tells your lips, tongue and jaw how to move? Seems simple enough, right? Well, unfortunately for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech it is not that simple. At Speech Sisters, we are here to help. According to the American Speech and Hearing Association, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is defined as “a motor speech disorder that makes it hard to speak.” CAS has nothing to do with muscle weakness or paralysis. Instead, the brain actually struggles to plan and coordinate the movements of the lips, jaw and tongue while talking.

At Speech Sisters we want you to know that the best way to get your baby making various speech sounds is for you to get eye to eye and model it! This way, your little one can see your mouth and hear the sound/word at the same time! We even recommend a hands-on approach so that your baby can also feel the vibration of the sound or feel a puff of air depending on the sound that you are making. We call this the TRIFECTA… SEE the sound, HEAR the sound, and FEEL the sound. ⠀

Here's a tip from Speech Sisters that you may not have heard! You can set up a language opportunity by putting wanted objects in places where your child can’t retrieve them on their own. If they are motivated to get that item that is on the counter, what will they do or attempt to say?

In today's day and age it can be difficult to avoid screen time. Screens and devices seem to be everywhere. Allowing your child to have screen time is YOUR choice and decision. YOU know what is best for your child. At Speech Sisters, we get asked all the time which apps are the best for promoting speech and language development in young children. So, here it is... Two things that we take into consideration when using apps with our own children and clients are:

Receptive language is the ability to understand information. It is the act of comprehending language. In both of our online courses, we talk about the importance of building your child’s understanding of language. Why? Because once language is understood receptively, only then can it be expressed verbally.

How do I know if my 18-month-old child is on track when it comes to communicating? What is a reasonable expectation? Are there specific activities I can do encourage more talking?

Did you know that there's a difference between speech and language? As speech pathologists at Speech Sisters, we are here to tell you that each of those terms depicts a different component within communication. This is important to know when trying to understand your child! Confused as to what this means? Let us help you…

Have you noticed your little one stuttering? First things first - don’t panic! At Speech Sisters we know it isn’t uncommon for young children to have developmental disfluencies like developmental stuttering in their speech.

The most frequent question we get asked at Speech Sisters regarding bilingualism is… “Will exposing my child to more than one language delay communication milestones?” The answer is “NO!” Raising your child to be bilingual or multilingual can actually be beneficial for their language development, organizational skills and cognition!