ARK's Blog

A little speech therapy humor courtesy of my two kids, who grew up with our car always mooing and beeping in the back :) DebbieDebra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP

The tongue is connected to the jaw, so wherever the jaw goes, the tongue follows. Speech sounds are properly articulated when the jaw and tongue are at midline and symmetrical. So if the jaw and tongue slide left or right as you talk, it can cause a lateral lisp and unclear/slushy speech. Having control over your jaw is also important for biting and chewing skills, for holding your jaw in …

I can't stress enough the importance of homework exercises.  With consistent practice, children progress through their speech/feeding goals noticeably if not significantly faster.  For example, I recently saw a child with an L distortion in a private school. She was four-years-old, and I knew the parents were very conscientious about her development.  After providing a tactile cu …

For some kids, gloves can be scary.  The rubbery feel, the unfamiliar smell and taste, the strange look (where did your hands go?!), and the squishy sound they make - these are all possible triggers for a sensory overload. I have some kids who absolutely won't allow me to go near them with gloves.  So I just have to wash my hands thoroughly before and after therapy.  And that's …