How to Help Your Child Through Speech Problems

Encourage every word your child speaks to help him with speech troubles. When parents praise a child even for the littlest things, it help to build their self esteem and makes them want to try harder to do something. Help your child to keep practicing his speech by telling him what a great job he is doing at sounding out words and learning their phonics. When your child gets a word down well, write that word down and post it somewhere such as the refrigerator. Then your child can see it daily and know what a good job he has done.

Help your child sound out words by encouraging him to take his time with speech. Many children get frustrated and tire of trying to do something that is tough for them. Most have a small attention span and want to quit doing things after a few minutes of trying. Help your child to relax and take time in practicing his speech. Let him know that things that are worth doing well take time and practice and that he'll get it if he just stays calm and focused. Sound the words out with him slowly so that your child gets the importance of relaxing when practicing his speech. If you, the parent, is calm, your child will be as well.

Encourage every word your child speaks to help him with speech troubles. When parents praise a child even for the littlest things, it help to build their self esteem and makes them want to try harder to do something. Help your child to keep practicing his speech by telling him what a great job he is doing at sounding out words and learning their phonics. When your child gets a word down well, write that word down and post it somewhere such as the refrigerator. Then your child can see it daily and know what a good job he has done.

Have your child evaluated by a speech therapist to help him with his speech troubles. Your child may need more help with his speech than you or any other family can offer. Whether your child is delaying in learning words, has trouble sounding words out, or even stutters, a speech therapist can come up with strategies to make speech easier on your child and help him to grow his speech skills. Also, a speech therapist can help your child deal with the frustrations of his speech trouble. Since a speech therapist has so much experience, he or she can offer ideas and exercises for relaxing your child and helping him stay on track to better speaking.

Promote confidence in your child to help him deal with the social ramifications of a speech problem. Unfortunately, kids can be mean, and your child may encounter these cruel kids who will make fun of his speech trouble. Your child may have a difficult time dealing with this type of bullying treatment and end up not wanting to go to school, be around other kids, or even leave the house. Help your child to feel good about himself and stick up against others by letting him know all his good qualities. Make a list of things your child does well or characteristics he possesses. Give him the list and let him see how amazing he is. Tell him also to let you know immediately if any child picks on him for his speech trouble. Let your child know that this is bullying and if it happens in school, he needs to tell his teacher and/or principal.

Don't force your child to speak correctly and accurately at all times. Allow your child to be a kid when you are not helping him with his speech trouble. Keeping on your child constantly about speaking appropriately will frustrate him and could set him back, making him not want to learn proper speech anymore. Your child needs to see speaking as fun and enjoyable, not a task. Getting on your child by constantly correcting his speech could make him upset, angry, and even cause him to isolate himself. Let your child talk freely during times when you are not working on his speech with him. Chances are, you'll find your child correcting himself and that's the greatest way to instill confidence in him...allowing him to do it himself.