Speech therapy at home for a 4 year old is challenging. Your pediatric speech therapist will help you determine how to design a program that can be used at home. If the therapy sessions are going to be successful, you need to follow the instructions given by your speech therapist.
The 4 year old is the cornerstone of most family homes. The toddlers are finding their feet and wanting to explore the world they live in while the school kids need help with homework, studying and of course, extra help. Public schools by and large will take care of these children and challenge them with their mental development. Yet at home, parents play a key role in helping their children develop physically and mentally. Speech Therapy can be added to that list as well when it comes to toddlers and children under 5 years old. Speech Therapy is one way to get the kids talking early on and developing the necessary speech patterns needed for further development learning later in life.
Speech therapy at home is a valuable resource when working with young children. In today’s age of franchises, speech therapy has become a profitable market. This clinic is one of the few in my area that caters to both toddlers and elementary age children through excellent speech therapy and educational video materials at an affordable price while keeping the customer service levels high.
A 4-year-old requires a different approach to speech therapy than an older child or adult. Young children are still learning how to talk, so their communication needs and interests vary greatly. They also have shorter attention spans, cannot sit still for long periods of time, and also require attention from a parent or caregiver throughout the sessions. A speech language pathologist (SLP) who tailors a program specifically for younger children can help meet these needs.
Children from birth to five years of age are conducting their communication abilities in a series of language stages that move from labile or primitive babbling towards more grammatical or complex speech patterns. A child’s language development takes place over the first five years of life and culminates with the ability to fully and coherently express ideas and thoughts. This is often referred to as the “expressive language stage.”
Speech therapy at home for a 4-year-old may not be as prevalent as in the you would expect. Most people only think of speech therapy for preschoolers or very young children, but it is also important for older children as well. A child who begins having problems with language or communication does not necessarily mean there is anything wrong with them. They are just not developing communication skills at their own pace compared to other children their age.
There are many tools available to parents if the speech of their 4-year-old is delayed. These tools include behavioral approaches such as teaching functional language, playing word games and reading to your child. Speech therapy at home for a 4-year-old can begin before your child’s first birthday and continue throughout her early years.
Conducting speech therapy at home for a 4-year-old is quite different from therapy for 6-months-old. Your child isn’t going to mind if you exercise the mouth muscles or if you keep asking the same question again and again. But you should always prepare for the therapy before starting. This way, you can decide what you should do and comprehend your goals better.