Are speech therapy aid DVD's and what not worth it?

tiamai_d

My DS2 is 3 and a half and has hemiplegic cerbral palsy. He is at nursery 5 full days a week (I am at college 3 full days, but the college fund the full 5 days as he is doing so well there and to give me time to study and respite). He gets speech therapy once a week when the therapist visits the nursery (if she shows up that is!). His 'key worker' at nursery has experience working with children with speech problems so he gets a wealth of help there. The nursery understand his problem better than the speech therapists. His muscles in his mouth are weaker (and tighter) on his right (affected side) so he finds it difficult to actually form the sounds. But he is doing well concidering.

Anyway.... I have heard mixed thoughts on the DVD's and tools that you get to help develop speech. I wouldn't even list them as there are hunderds to choose from.

Ofcourse I do my own things with him, reading books, finger counting, colour naming.... so called singing....:rotfl: Just wondered if anyone on here (because it is a moneysaving site) has used any of them with their children. Speech problems or not, what are your thoughts???

Savvy_Sue

Do the keyworker or the speech therapist have any thoughts or recommendations? It's where I'd start while I waited for MSE to get back to me.

fifelass_2

Hi,

My DD also has CP and one of the web sites I get information from on communication "stuff" is I Can

http://www.ican.org.uk/

They may be able to give you some advice on what is good.

Our SLT advised what you are doing which is practise using words as much as possible. You can also link it in with early phonic stuff as that gives you the opportunity to practse the same sounds while still being interesting which is useful if there are some sounds that are harder than others.

Also some games which involve using mouth but not talking (e.g. licking chocolate off lips, pulling faces in mirro, Mr tongue story)

Happy to supply more ideas if you want them