speech therapy

[belma]

Hello everybody, I need few pointers regarding a speech therapy for dd. she is 4 years and four months old, currently in reception class. just regular four year old girl very chatty, smart and sensible, knows all of her sounds, reads simple short sentences, can write her name, knows all her numbers and what they represent hard working girl as commented by her teachers. DD. has a problem with pronouncing l, r sounds, she pronounce them as w, also she has a slight lisp which we find very sweet really. DD. teacher last week recommended that dd. is to be assessed by private school speech therapist, very expensive one I might add which slightly disturbed me. This week dd. has been seen by her paediatrician to whom I have explained everything, only for the doctor after briefly speaking to dd. told me not worry about it at all, that dd. will progress with those sounds probably very soon and that her lisp is not severe at all and it will probably diminish by itself, she also pointed out that children do develop differently and at the different rate, she also advised not to worry. I also need to add that dd. is bilingual and has a very good command of both languages. I am in two minds what to do, should I just disregard teacher advice ? and do nothing or should I have dd. assessed? please help, many thanks

teacher is an idiot - please tell her

General Guideline for Sound Production
3-4 years: p, b, m, w, h and all vowels
5-6 years: d, t, n, g, k, f, y, ng
7-8 years: r, l, s, ch, sh, z, j, v, th, sh

My son is 4, says his r's like w's I looked this up before and it is very common and quite normal, or so I have been led to believe.

Hi there

Yes, we were told exactly the same thing when DD was about the same age - also pointed in direction of (yes very expensive) speech therapist. We declined. My sister has two children, now aged nearly seven, who have had speech therapy. They both seem to be progressing well - but they are older and it was becoming more of a concern - their speech has never been very clear.

My daughter's speech patterns - it was mostly 'poon' instead of 'spoon' ironed out of their own accord.

If you are concerned - go back to the doctor and ask for a referral. Then you have have a proper and impartial assessment. Be firm, but polite. Don't go back to the teacher - sorry but I have become very wary of the system to milk money from parents. by making them and their children feel inadequate.

Your child sounds gorgeous - bright and happy. Just keep an eye on her speech patterns but remember that she is awfully young still. If you should need any details of the speech therapy my sister's children attended - just message me with any questions.

Dear activate, thank you for this, i haven't seen one of this before. It is a relif to see that r and l sounds will develop in some time from now.

my DS2 (will be 4 in march) has been receiving speech therapy since he was 2 for a speech delay disorder.

Have to agree with activate re the general guidelines for speech sounds (have the same list around the house somewhere) but if you do feel uneasy ask your GP or paediatrician for a referral and get an independent assessment.

you are welcome

there's loads on the web

this might be a link you wish to send to the teacher

www.speech-language-development.com/articulation-skills.html

What bugs me is the fact that nothing has been said before about possible problem with dd. speech, surly she would have not been progressing at school if teacher could not make out what dd. was saying. I am very inclined really to do nothing about this, I don't want to burden dd. and add pressure for no reason if this is something that will rectify itself. I am prepared to wait for wollipop to become lollipop and woom to become room and really if she can retain some of lisp into adulthood will very pretty and individual.

I think nothing has been said before because there is no problem

you really don't want the child keeping her lisp to adulthood though - she will become self-conscious of it - if she maintains a lisp by 8 then look at doing some work because you'll most probably regret it in the long run

lisp aside, husband thinks they are all being ridiculous for even suggesting that there maybe something wrong with "apple of his eye"speech and all he keep saying is don't you dare go upsetting her for no reason or making her self aware. Isn't it funny how man have very sober approach to these things and they do not let themselves get caught up in the web, seriously he just thinks it is load of bull and he cleverly pointed out yesterday that if dd. was growing up on the continent where is from she would not even start school for another two years let alone be made self aware of her speech, all she would be concentrating on would be outdoor play with her friends, men hey