By Pam Marshalla
Q: My male client is age 6. He has average intelligence, CP, and cleft palate. He was pre-mature and is non-verbal. He has been using an iPad with communication app “Words for Life” very successfully. He drools, can’t blow, barely moves his mouth, etc. He makes random vocalizations. Any ideas? This child represents some of the most severe we see. This is severe apraxia and dysarthria, with cleft palate thrown in just to make it interesting. Let us state bluntly…
By Pam Marshalla
Q: Could you advise where to find the best droppers for the dropper technique that you use for habituating the swallow and reducing drooling? I buy my droppers (pipettes) at Sally Beauty Supply, which I believe is a national chain, but you can really get them anywhere. The droppers look like the ones in the image to the right, but any plastic dropper would probably work. Your local pharmacy may carry them, or you can buy multi-packs on Amazon.com 🙂
By Pam Marshalla
Q: Can you advise me as to how to treat prevocalic devoicing of stops? This is what I have found works for me- Voice It’s all about “voice on” vs. “voice off” so begin by teaching the client about his voice. Have him place his fingers on his neck to feel the vibration or lack thereof when he turns his voice on and when he turns it off. Vowels Use “Ah” and whispered “Ah” to teach him to turn his…
By Pam Marshalla
Q: I see kids in a school setting. My 3-year-old client has a private SLP who is using kinesio tape on his mouth to help improve lip closure and resting posture. I had not yet heard of this technique but I am intrigued. I would love to know your opinion regarding this method. Some traditional SLPs placed tape on the side of the lips to signal the client that he was moving them instead of his tongue*. You see it…
By Pam Marshalla
Q: I have a new referral for a 4-year-old client who has had several cleft repairs and prior therapy. Per his last report his only speech error is a lisp but I also saw in his mom’s referral info that he has some feeding problems and is sensitive to certain food temperatures and consistencies. Could his atypical sensory and chewing issues be factors in his interdental error pattern? Do you have suggestions for evaluating and treating this child? His mom…
By Pam Marshalla
Q: What do you think of the “no-child-left-behind” perspective so pervasive in the schools today? How is it possible that a teacher or therapist could guarantee to leave no child behind? There always have been and there always will be people left behind. That’s is how life is, and no matter what ideal pie-in-the-sky philosophy one has, one cannot leave the facts of life out of the equation. For example, when it comes to hard sciences like chemistry and physics,…
