Speech Therapy Exercises

The speech therapy or speech-language pathology is the science of dealing with speech and language-related problems. In toddlers, the problems such as difficulty in using certain words or sounds could occur, which can be handled by undergoing speech therapy. It is not just kids, but also adults who can benefit from these exercises.

Speech exercises can be used for resolving problems related to voice/resonance articulation, fluency, and other language disorders. To determine whether a child has speech-related problems, it is necessary to consult a speech pathologist.

In a few cases, the actual problem could be that of hearing. Once it is confirmed that the problem needs therapy, certain exercises should be undertaken for eliminating it.

The speech-related problems in children can be solved by means of the exercises given here. These do at home exercises can be used by parents to train their children. The different types of speech disorders can be overcome by means of these exercises.

It is difficult for children to pronounce certain letters, like the letter M. Other letters that are difficult for children to pronounce include L, T, K, R, D, and Y. The letters which require lip movement can be taught with the following exercises. The letter M, for example, can be taught by first placing the hand of the child on the trainer's lips.

Pronouncing the letter allows the child to feel/understand the lip movements and the vibrations involved. The child should then be told to mimic/repeat the process by placing the hand on his/her lips. In this way, the child can learn other letters too.

This is an exercise in which specific words are used repetitively by the trainer. This method helps in motivating children to use the word while conversing. 

For example, while working on the sound of 'ch', one can make use of the word chicken in sentences/paragraphs repetitively. It helps in "stamping" or creating a permanent impression of that sound on the mind of the child. The child is motivated to use the word/sound in his/her conversation thereafter.

The different speech therapy activities and exercises which can be included in therapy for adults are explained here.

The activity used in dealing with this problem is that of making the person speak over a phone. Speech therapist/instructor asks the person to find out information about certain products from the market. The words included in the list could be those which cause the person to stutter. With enough practice, person learns to pronounce the words correctly.

Health problems such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy are responsible for conditions like dysarthria, where the muscles present in the mouth become weak. The oral motor therapy mentioned here would help in overcoming the problem of muscle weakness. Instructor asks the person having this problem to mimic the movements that he/she (instructor) makes.

These movements could be frowning, smiling, moving the tongue over lips, or even making silly faces. The activities like raising eyebrows and various lip movements can be used as exercises for stroke patients.

The problem of apraxia is caused when speech-related areas of the brain get damaged. People suffering from this issue have difficulty in stringing together syllables to make words out of them. The exercise used for people with apraxia is that of slowing down the pace of speech. It helps them to hear the syllables/sounds clearly and pronounce them properly.

The patient is asked to read out simple sentences simultaneously with a metronome. This activity helps in mastering the simple sentences in order to improve.

Speech-related problems can be minimized to a great extent with the activities presented here. These exercises can be used for children and adults as well.

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.