Improve Speech Problem

1-               Practice jaw exercises to enhance clarity of speech                                

1. Make wide chewing motions while humming gently.
2. Stretch every muscle in your jaw and face. Open your mouth as wide as possible (as if you were about to yawn), while moving your jaw in circles, and sideways.
3. Open your mouth wide, as in the previous exercise, and shut it again. Repeat 5 times.

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  2-                     Try tongue twister Exerciser                                                           

Start off slowly, and gradually build up until you say them at normal conversation speed. When speaking them, exaggerate the words, making your tongue, jaw and lips work hard. As you become surer of them, begin to project your voice and exaggerate the words more. This helps you gain skill.

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3-    Have a conversation with yourself in front of the mirror                     

It may sound silly, but it does help. Again, exaggerate your words as you speak

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4-                      Gargle water with a pinch of salt                                                            

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5-               Avoid Speaking with Bad Teeth                                         

   

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6-                  Don't Rush When Speaking                               

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7-                                           Swallow Excess Saliva                                                                                                                                    

Saliva left in the mouth can result in mumbling and distortion of consonants such as "S" and "K"

Follow these if have fuirther problem do consult with us 

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Language Development in Child

Language Development Index

Age	Language Development Sign....
6-Months	Vocalization with intonation Responds to his name Responds to human voices without visual cues by turning his head and eyes Responds appropriately to friendly and angry tones
12 Months	Uses one or more words with meaning (this may be a fragment of a word) Understands simple instructions, especially if vocal or physical cues are given Practices inflection Is aware of the social value of speech
18 Months	Has vocabulary of approximately 5-20 words Vocabulary made up chiefly of nouns Some echolalia (repeating a word or phrase over and over) Much jargon with emotional content Is able to follow simple commands
24 Months	Can name a number of objects common to his surroundings Is able to use at least two prepositions, usually chosen from the following: in, on, under Combines words into a short sentence-largely noun-verb combinations (mean) length of sentences is given as 1.2 words Approximately 2/3 of what child says should be intelligible Vocabulary of approximately 150-300 words Rhythm and fluency often poor Volume and pitch of voice not yet well-controlled Can use two pronouns correctly: I, me, you, although me and I are often confused My and mine are beginning to emerge Responds to such commands as “show me your eyes (nose, mouth, hair)”
36 Months	Use pronouns I, you, me correctly Is using some plurals and past tenses Knows at least three prepositions, usually in, on, under Knows chief parts of body and should be able to indicate these if not name Handles three word sentences easily Has in the neighborhood of 900-1000 words About 90% of what child says should be intelligible Verbs begin to predominate Understands most simple questions dealing with his environment and activities Relates his experiences so that they can be followed with reason Able to reason out such questions as “what must you do when you are sleepy, hungry, cool, or thirsty?” Should be able to give his sex, name, age Should not be expected to answer all questions even though he understands what is expected
48 Months	Knows names of familiar animals Can use at least four prepositions or can demonstrate his understanding of their meaning when given commands Names common objects in picture books or magazines Knows one or more colors Can repeat 4 digits when they are given slowly Can usually repeat words of four syllables Demonstrates understanding of over and under Has most vowels and diphthongs and the consonants p, b, m, w, n well established Often indulges in make-believe Extensive verbalization as he carries out activities Understands such concepts as longer, larger, when a contrast is presented Readily follows simple commands even thought the stimulus objects are not in sight Much repetition of words, phrases, syllables, and even sounds
60 Months	Can use many descriptive words spontaneously-both adjectives and adverbs Knows common opposites: big-little, hard-soft, heave-light, etc Has number concepts of 4 or more Can count to ten Speech should be completely intelligible, in spite of articulation problems Should have all vowels and the consonants, m,p,b,h,w,k,g,t,d,n,ng,y (yellow) Should be able to repeat sentences as long as nine words Should be able to define common objects in terms of use (hat, shoe, chair) Should be able to follow three commands given without interruptions Should know his age Should have simple time concepts: morning, afternoon, night, day, later, after, while Tomorrow, yesterday, today Should be using fairly long sentences and should use some compound and some complex sentences Speech on the whole should be grammatically correct
6-Years	In addition to the above consonants these should be mastered: f, v, sh, zh, th,1 He should have concepts of 7 Speech should be completely intelligible and socially useful Should be able to tell one a rather connected story about a picture, seeing relationships Between objects and happenings
7- Years	Should have mastered the consonants s-z, r, voiceless th, ch, wh, and the soft g as in George Should handle opposite analogies easily: girl-boy, man-woman, flies-swims, blunt-sharp short-long, sweet-sour, etc Understands such terms as: alike, different, beginning, end, etc Should be able to tell time to quarter hour Should be able to do simple reading and to write or print many words
8-Years	Can relate rather involved accounts of events, many of which occurred at some time in the past Complex and compound sentences should be used easily Should be few lapses in grammatical constrictions-tense, pronouns, plurals All speech sounds, including consonant blends should be established Should be reading with considerable ease and now writing simple compositions Social amenities should be present in his speech in appropriate situations Control of rate, pitch, and volume are generally well and appropriately established Can carry on conversation at rather adult level Follows fairly complex directions with little repetition Has well developed time and number concepts

Mutism in Children

Selective Mutism  in Children

Children and adults with selective mutism are fully capable of speech and understanding language but fail to speak in certain situations, though speech is expected of them. The behaviour may be perceived as shyness or rudeness by others. A child with selective mutism may be completely silent at school for years but speak quite freely or even excessively at home. 

Selective mutism is  characterized by the following ways:

 Consistent failure to speak in specific social situations (in which there is an expectation for speaking, e.g., at school) despite speaking in other situations.
 The disturbance interferes with educational or occupational achievement or with social communication.
 The duration of the disturbance is at least 1 month (not limited to the first month of school).
 The failure to speak is not due to a lack of knowledge of, or comfort with, the spoken language required in the social situation.
 The disturbance is not better accounted for by a communication disorder (e.g., stuttering) and does not occur exclusively during the course of a pervasive developmental disorder,schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder. Shyness, social anxiety, fear of social embarrassment, and/or social isolation and withdrawal
 Difficulty maintaining eye contact
 Blank expression and reluctance to smile
 Stiff and awkward movements
 Difficulty expressing feelings, even to family members
 Tendency to worry more than most people of the same age
 Desire for routine and dislike of changes
 Sensitivity to noise and crowds
 Moodiness
 Sleep problems, Adjustment Problem 

Selective mutism is not a communications disorder and is not part of a developmental disorder. By definition, selective mutism does not include children with conduct disorders, oppositional/defiant behavior, and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The principal problem in children with selective mutism appears to be anxiety. This anxiety (which causes avoidance) seems closest to the definition of social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Indeed, most adults with social anxiety disorder relate strongly and can fully understand selective mutism, even though they themselves were not necessarily children with selective mutism.

Do's and Don'ts for Parents Treating your Selectively Mute Child
• Do learn what “enabling” is.
• Do not ask your child if he or she is going to speak in a given situation.
• Do learn a methodology of “empowering” your child’s potential and initiative.
• Do not continue “enabling” your child’s “addiction to the avoidance of speaking”.
• Do learn to employ a “matter of fact” set of expectations for your child that will facilitate the process of trying to talk.
• Do not show anger when your child is not talking.
• Do learn to be on the same “team” with parenting technique.
• Do not plead with your child to talk.

• Do attentively and patiently listen when your child is attempting to communicate.
• Do not reward your child for talking.
• Do learn to extract thoughts and feelings regarding fear from your child.
• Do not impatiently finish your child’s sentences or encourage over-dependence.
• Do learn to advocate on behalf of your child with school.
Hypnosis is also very useful in these type of problems. 
Thank

Dr.Shweta singh

    Guest Lecturer,

   Dpt. of Applied Psychology,

   V.B.S.Purvanchal University

   Jaunpur,U.P.,INDIA 

     mail- shweta_opsingh@rediffmail.com