Speech Language Pathology

3 Reasons Your Child Has Reading Comprehension Difficulties

Laura LeBlanc MA, CCC/SLPLeave a comment

Approximately 85% of children diagnosed with learning difficulties have a primary problem with reading and language skills.  What baffles many parents is the “where” and “why” the process breaks down. Problems may occur in any area -decoding, comprehension, or retention.  Many experts, however, believe the root of reading problems lies in decoding.

Decoding Difficulties

Decoding is the process by which a word is broken into individual phonemes (sounds) and recognized based on those phonemes.  For example, a proficient reader will separate the sounds “fr” “aw” and “guh” in the word “frog”.  Someone who has difficulty reading may not hear and differentiate these phonemes.  Even experts do not understand why this is.

Signs of decoding difficulty:

  • trouble sounding out words and recognizing words out of context
  • confusion between letters and the sounds they represent
  • slow oral reading rate
  • reading without expression
  • ignoring punctuation while reading

Comprehension Difficulties

Comprehension relies on mastery of decoding; children who struggle to decode find it difficult to understand and remember what has been read. Because their efforts to grasp individual words are so exhausting, they have no resources left for understanding.

Signs of comprehension difficulty:

  • confusion about the meaning of words and sentences
  • inability to connect ideas in a passage
  • omission of, or glossing over detail
  • difficulty distinguishing important information from minor details
  • lack of concentration

Retention Difficulties

Retention requires both decoding and comprehension of what is written. This task relies on high level cognitive skills, including memory and the ability to group and retrieve related areas. As students progress through grade levels, they are expected to retain more and more of what they read. From third grade on, reading to learn is central to classroom work. By high school it is an essential ask.

Signs of retention difficulty:

  • trouble remembering or summarizing what is read
  • difficulty connecting what is read to prior knowledge
  • difficulty applying content of a text to personal experiences

 

 

10 Signs Your Child May Have Asperger’s Syndrome

Laura LeBlanc MA, CCC/SLPLeave a comment

Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological disorder which falls under the category of autism spectrum disorders- a group of disorders characterized by impaired communication and social interaction. About 1 percent of the world’s population is affected by this disorder. Although exact symptoms may vary from child to child, there are many behaviors that may be signs of Asperger’s syndrome.  Here are the most common:

1. Unusual Body Language

Your child may make unusual facial expressions or stare at others a lot.  More likely, however, a child will avoid making eye contact all together.

2. Fixation on One Activity

Many children with Asperger’s are preoccupied with a single or few interests for hours on end and do not engage in play with other children.

3. Overly “Formal” Speech

Children with Asperger’s have advanced verbal skills and tend to speak more formally than expected for their age or prefer talking with adults.

4. Difficulty Reading Social Cues

Social difficulties is one of the most “obvious” of the Asperger’s symptoms.  Reading body language may be hard, as well as turn-taking or accepting others point of view and sticking to a topic of conversation.  A child may talk incessantly without giving others a chance to speak, or notice that others are becoming bored with the conversation.

5. Lack of Empathy 

Many child with Asperger’s have a lack of empathy for others and have no idea that others have feelings or wants.

6. Delayed motor development

From fine motor (ie writing) to gross motor (ie riding a bike), poor or delayed motor skills could be a sign of Asperger’s syndrome.

7. Sensory Sensitivities 

It’s possible for a child with Asperger’s to have heightened sensory sensitivity.  Things such as loud noises, strong lights, or even certain textures can cause them to become overstimulated and overwhelmed.

8. Can’t Understand Speech Subtleties

Some people with Asperger’s have a hard time understanding speech tone, pitch, and accent.  They may take words very literally and not comprehend humor or jokes.

9. Strong Need for Routine 

Many people with Asperger’s prefer to adhere to a strict routine for everything from bedtime to meals and showers.  Having structure is very important, otherwise they may feel unsettled or confused.

10. Emotional Meltdowns

When a child with Asperger’s becomes overwhelmed they often have a meltdown.  This is a common result of routines or plans not going as expected.

Stuttering in Children-What you need to know

Laura LeBlanc MA, CCC/SLPLeave a comment

If your child has difficulty speaking and tends to hestitate on or repeat syllables, words, or phrases- he may have a stuttering problem.  However, he may also be going through periods of “normal” dysfluency that most children experience as they learn to speak.  Dysfluencies occur most often between 1.5 and 5 years of age and they tend to come and go.  Signs of an actual fluency disorder include the following:

  • Dysfluencies are accompanied by tension and struggle behavior (ie facial grimaces or eye blinking).
  • The pitch of the voice may rise or the child will experience silent “blocks” (no sound comes out.)
  • Dysfluencies may still come and go but are more present than absent.
  • Your child is repeating words more than twice (ie “what..what..what”)

What you can do:

  • Try and model slow and relaxed speech when speaking with your child.
  • When your child asks you a question, try to pause a second or so before you answer. This will help your child to be less hurried and more relaxed when speaking.
  • Try not to be upset or annoyed when stuttering occurs.
  • If your child is frustrated or upset when stuttering occurs, reassure him.  Some children respond well to hearing “I know it’s hard to talk at times…but lots of people get stuck on words.  It’s ok.”

 

If you are concerned about  your child’s stuttering and would like assistance, be sure to contact an ASHA Certified speech-language pathologist (www.ASHA.org) for an evaluation.

Articulation in Children Top 5 Speech Questions

Laura LeBlanc MA, CCC/SLPLeave a comment

What is articulation?

Articulation is the ability to make speech sounds clearly. Children learn correct sound production by listening and imitating appropriate speech role models. Articulation develops gradually over a period of 8 years.

When should I be concerned about my child’s articulation?

Under the age of 3, it is common for children to make quite a few sound errors and substitutions.  By age 3, a child should be using at least 200 words, using 3-5 word phrases and be understood at least 80% of the time.  By age 4, a child should be 100% intelligible even if they continue to have some articulation errors.  Sounds which are “later developing” include “sh”, “ch” “j” and “th”.  Sometimes the “s” and “r” sounds are more difficult to remediate and require more speech therapy.

What sounds do children learn to produce first and in what order?

Most children are able to produce the “bilabial” sounds (made with the lips) of “b”, “p” “m”and “w”. They may also produce sounds such as “d”, “t”, and “n” early on as well.  Child acquire sounds developmentally and by age 8 should have mastered all of the sounds.

What causes an articulation disorder?

Although the cause is often unknown, the following are may cause an articulation disorder:

  • Hearing loss
  • Illness
  • Developmental Disorder (ie Autism)
  • Neurological Disorder (ie Cerebral Palsy)
  • Genetic Disorder (ie Down Syndrome)

How do you treat an articulation disorder?

If you feel that your child is in need a speech evaluation, it is vital to seek treatment from an ASHA (American Speech Hearing Association) Certified provider who will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and provide services as needed.