Speech Impediments

Speech difficulties can be seen in adults after accidents or injuries to the brain or speech muscles or as a consequence of certain neurological disorders. They may also have speech impediments continued from childhood.

Speech impediment is a blanket term for conditions such as lisps, stuttering or stammering and difficulty pronouncing certain letters. Generally, they are more commonly seen in children. In some cases, it may be a normal part of a child’s development. But as the child grows up, speech impediments can not only lead to communication difficulties but also emotional problems. It is estimated that 1 in 15 children have some type of speech impediment.

To help improve communication, there are a few things you can do:

1. Look at the person you are speaking to
2. Avoid noisy environments
3. Talk slower and in shorter sentences
4. Using hand gestures and facial expression to enhance the message
5. Make your voice louder
6. Using assisted communication devices or writing out the message

A proper speech therapist can help improve communication skills by teaching the patient certain exercises. One example to help with the pronunciation of the letter “t” is to clench the teeth together while looking in a mirror. Next, the tongue is used to flick the top row of teeth while simultaneously pushing a small breath of air through the mouth.

This will make the sound of a letter “t”. These exercises should be done multiple times a day and are specific to the speech impediment.

For more exercises like this and to get in touch with one of our trained speech therapists, set up a consultation today on RingWell.