So, your little one has been in Speech Therapy for a while, and you’ve seen some progress, …but not as much as you’d like. You can’t put your finger on it….
Perhaps your child has Special Educational Needs (such as Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or Autistic Spectrum Disorder), or perhaps there are no known additional needs. It is likely that there is a sensory, motor and/or muscular element to their speech and communication difficulties.
TalkTools offers a tactile component to traditional speech and feeding therapy, which aims to raise sensory awareness, and build correct muscle function for all oral functions.
TalkTools works on the principles of optimising breath support, jaw strength, tongue and lip position and strength, bringing all into balance for optimal oral function. Optimal oral function equals clearer speech, improved feeding skills, and often brings with it some additional benefits, such as improved posture, focus, sensory regulation and sleep! These are many of the same principles used in Myofunctional Therapy, in fact.
At Breathe First we can use TalkTools techniques alongside traditional speech therapy, and provide you with all of the tools you need to implement this at home, and guidance on how to use them. These tools are often great fun for kids, and include:
- STRAWS (these are graded from easiest to hardest- dependent on level)
- BITE BLOCKS
- HORNS
- BREATH ENDURANCE TUBES
- SENSORY VIBRATING ‘JIGGLERS’
Contact me for more information on using TalkTools oral placement therapy with Breathe First.
