Speech
One of our colleagues, Rim Annous, has gifted us with a beautiful graphic based on the article ‘When Speech Gets Stuck’ published in the Autism Aspergers Digest in 2004. This article was based on the combined efforts of SLPs, OTs, and PTs working with dyspraxic clients in the Communication Development Center between 1997 and 2004. When viewed through a ‘whole-body’ lens, these clients demonstrated how the principles of physical development from the ‘large-to-small’ support deep breathing, sustained exhalation, phonation/voice, and intonation — which then support vowels and consonant sounds — and speaking in context.
Taught only about ‘apraxia of speech,’ SLPs often begin speech treatment at the level of consonant sounds, without first assessing and addressing the underlying physical mechanisms that support consonant sounds in child development. Without the background and experience that OTs and PTs have, SLPs have often felt unsuccessful.
There are three videos about the graphic, and each presents part of the story from ‘When Speech Gets Stuck.’ Joined by the international members of the NLA Translation Team, Marge explains the premises underlying the ‘Eight Step Hierarchy of Supports for Dyspraxia.’
Join us in our exploration, and learn how unintelligible and minimally-speaking children can be supported in speech development *while* they are also supported with AAC!
