Month: September 2013

Treating a Unilateral Lisp

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I recently started working with a student with a right side unilateral lisp caused by jaw and tongue instability. He also has a midline bulge. Right now we are working on maintaining a stable jaw. Do I focus on tongue position as well? It sounds like he is shifting both his jaw and his tongue to one side. If so, stabilize the jaw first and use a straw to analyze what is going on with the airstream with the…

Apraxia Uncovered and Autism

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I have a 5-year-old child with PDD, NOS (autism spectrum disorder). Her language comprehension is very good. She makes sounds and she babbles, but she produces no words. She is social and definitely has communicative interest and intent. Based on your experience, would the techniques in your book and CD called Apraxia Uncovered be of potential benefit to my daughter to help her speak words (even though she does not carry a diagnosis of Apraxia, per se). Thank you…

Lateral Lisp in a 3-Year-Old

By Pam Marshalla

Q: Would you work on a lateral lisp in a 3-year-old? How? Most therapists would not treat a lateral lisp in a 3-year-old, but one could, and some do. Use the “Long T Method” and make it playful.  Hold one end of a straw in front of the central teeth and have the child make a T. The airstream should go into the straw and amplify. Now make it “longer” — aspirate it.  It won’t sound like “S” but it…