Speech therapy fun exercises for improving speech

November 12, 2022December 10, 2022 | aadyasathe

Is your child face difficulty at placing words within a sentence? Is he/she not able to pronounce words with clarity and ease? If yes, then it is must to make the kiddo cope up with it through speech exercises. The inability to communicate also makes it difficult for the child to convey his thoughts or emotions. Thus speech disorders fall out as one of the most common disabilities among kids affecting over 10% of the children. In the long run, this can put limitations upon the kids abilities and also restrict them from being a part of several activities. Do you really want to see your child speech deprived? No, right! None of the parents would think of it.

So, Let’s first look at why speech is important.

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Importance of speech

Speech helps us in expressing ourselves. It effectively aids in building strong connections, reaching out to people and also influences our choices in life!

Inability to communicate properly can also create misunderstandings, social disapproval, unclarity, etc. Thus it becomes a must to gain firm grip upon one’s speech.

What can be some causes of speech disorders?

There can be different types of causes behind speech disorders.

Some of them include:

Autism
Attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder
Developmental or neurological disorder
Brain injury
Nervous system disorder
Hearing issues

If symptoms are left ignored, they could get worse and harm a child’s speech development. Communication difficulties can be effectively treated in order to reduce symptoms and significantly enhance behavioural and educational patterns. Speech exercises can tremendously help in bringing flexibility in tongue and clarity in communication!

Exercises for Speech Improvement

A child’s speech and language development can be aided by techniques and equipment used in structured speech therapy exercises. They are essential for enhancing a child’s speech, language, and communication abilities and, when given as a part of an entertaining activity, are enjoyable for young children while still being a very effective component of therapy.

Come on! Let’s get acquainted with some interesting exercises.

The following exercises can aid in your child’s oral motor muscle development. The exercises are made simpler if your youngster copies you while performing them. Be imaginative, energetic, and most importantly, have fun!

1. Tongue exercises

The main objective of tongue exercise is to strengthen the tongue muscle and increase oral coordination and stimulation.

Tongue Push-ups (Procedure)	Tongue Pops (Procedure)	Back and Forth (Procedure)
Ask the child to hold the grape or berry on the upper ridge of their palate (not to touch the teeth) and roll the tongue upwards. Repeat it 3-4 times for few seconds. At last, berry is the reward!	Suck tongue up on the top of the mouth. Pull it back and release it making a pop sound. Repeat it 3-4 times for few seconds	Slide out your tongue and hold it for few seconds. Now the tongue inside the mouth. Make sure the tongue does not touch the teeth. Repeat it 3-4 times

2. Hop and talk

Although you already know that repetition is an effective strategy in speech and language therapy, it is not enjoyable to encourage children to repeat the same sound or word repeatedly. But it is possible with a little inventiveness on your part.

For eg: Make a trail with foamy pads on the way. Ask your little kiddo to jump from one pad to the next and repeat some sounds and words along with you. They won’t see this repetition exercise as anything other than pleasure because they’ll be too busy hopping!

3. One stanza of music each day

Music can indeed be a strong source to improve language skills. Every line full of meaning can help the child to develop verbally! So also it puts healthy force upon the vocal cords and helps out with speech.

For eg: Ask your child to learn one stanza of his favourite song supposedly “Saare jahan se accha Hindustan hamara”. Let him recite it once he is done learning the lyrics. The lyrics of music indeed can help the child in getting a firm grip on pronunciation, utterance and the knowledge of words.

4. Picture decoding

This is one of the best ways to lighten up imagination centers in kids’ brains! Pictures indeed speak a lot and visual interpretation helps in understanding the things much better.

For eg: Place a cartoon scene of “Tom and jerry” in front of the child. Ask the child to speak a few sentences on each character that is the part of the scene. And then ask the child to narrate the scene or what is he actually able to understand from the picture displayed.

5. Bubbling

It’s exciting and entertaining to practise breath control with your kids by blowing bubbles. Because blowing forces kids to purse their lips, it’s also a great oral motor practice. Blowing exercises such as blowing bubbles position and strengthen the tongue for sounds produced in the back of the mouth. It also strengthens the abdominal muscles and helps in sustained speech thereby increasing the sentence length.

6. One new word each day

Learning one new word each day is a wonderful way of gradually expanding the vocabulary.

For eg: Give one word to the kid like “Sugar”. Ask the kid to use that word and make a sentence out of it followed by its pronunciation.

The sentence can be like this : I want some more sugar in milk.

In this way a kid will understand the basics behind sentence structure building and so also it will foster speech improvement.

7. Target reach

A fantastic technique to get your younger children talking is through toy cars. Make a road through the space using yarn or tape, and place many “stops” along the path that contain the desired word, sound, or statement. Encourage the kid to sound out the target word or sentence at each stop before continuing on to the finish line.

This will pour in a sense of awareness within the child and also enhance the speech due to pronunciation.

8. Play with consonant sounds

Consonant sounds make speech crisp, clear, and understandable, which makes it simpler for listeners to understand what is being said. Compared to vowels, consonants are simpler to learn. Each consonant sound can typically only be spoken in one way. You can also start clubbing vowels with the consonants to develop understanding for sounds.

For eg: R consonant clubbed with a,e,i,o,u will become “ra,re,ri,ro,ru”

Thus some of these exercises can effectively help in improving speech disorders.

Foods that can be helpful

Some of the foods that can help with the speech disorders include:

1. Nuts

All the nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashew, peanuts and hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E and help in boosting memory. They are also antioxidants which protect against cell damage. Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and are a valuable substance for brain function, memory and thinking abilities. This fatty acid also encourages cognitive functions and helps out with speech. (best nuts for protein)

2. Seeds

Apart from nuts, seeds like flax, chia, melon, sesame and pumpkins also contain powerful antioxidants like vitamin E that protect the brain from free radical damage. Sunflower seeds impact overall mood and mental processing powers and therefore it is considered a brain boosting snack. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, copper, and much higher in zinc than other seeds, which help in increasing concentration, memory and attention span. One of the easiest to feed brain boosting foods for kids

3. Cocoa Powder

Pure cocoa powder (unsweetened) contains brain boosting components as it is packed with a large number of antioxidants molecules, the main is epicatechin helpful to improve cognition and speech impairment in studies. Hence cocoa powder is also an important brain development food for children. (More benefits of cocoa powder)

4. Brahmi

Brahmi is a superfood for the brain and is believed to sharpen the brain by protecting cells and increasing chemicals associated with learning and memory. It has shown to improve spatial learning and retaining power in kids. That is why in older times, kids were often given Brahmi powder with ghee/honey. This would increase their focus and attention while keeping them calm and distressed.

5. Shankhapushpi

Shankhapushpi is a traditional remedy for increasing the functioning of the brain. The powerful antioxidants and flavonoids present in it improve the memory capacity, focus, concentration, calmness, alertness of an individual. Since it is a brain tonic and stimulator, people taking shankhapushpi have improved memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and other cognitive abilities.

6. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen. It is known to reduce anxiety and stress. Moreover, it increases acetylcholine levels which support better memory, mental focus and intelligence. Ashwagandha also improves communication between nerve cells and stimulates the body’s capacity to heal any nervous system damage. It also helps in speech improvement.

PRODUCTS

It’s no SECRET that following an Ayurvedic lifestyle has numerous advantages. This unique collection of Kids Ayurvedic Brain Booster is an easy solution to feed daily nutrition for Brain development to kids without any fuss. Made with Proven Ingredients. No Preservatives or Artificial Colour or Flavour. No Side Effects. Trusted by 20000+ Parents and Practitioners. To know more about kid’s ayurvedic foods – SHOP HERE.

India’s First Tasty Kids Nutrition fortified with Ayurvedic herbs.

CHECK MORE PRODUCTS FOR:

Immunity, Gut health, Digestion, Weight, Brain development, Speech delay, Epilepsy, Eye health, Hormones, Sleep, Hyperactivity, Bones and Overall growth

Asperger syndrome: causes, symptoms and remedies

October 14, 2022October 20, 2022 | aadyasathe

Does your kiddo struggle to express their emotions? Did your child find it difficult to communicate with others? Does your kid become upset when even small things change? Is your kid highly sensitive to light or sound? If yes, these are all the common signs of Asperger syndrome.

Let’s try to understand it more deeply.

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What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

Asperger’s syndrome is the milder type of autistic spectrum disorder. The majority of the people affected by Asperger’s syndrome were smart and able to carry out their daily duties, however they may struggle with social interactions. They may have repeated thoughts and behaviour patterns. Additionally, they struggle to express themselves with gestures, facial expression and body language.

Also check, Early signs of Autism.

Causes of Asperger’s syndrome

Abnormalities in the brain cause Autistic Spectrum Disorder, although the specific origin of these abnormalities that causes Asperger’s syndrome is still unknown. It was believed that genetics and a polluted environment are the major elements to cause autism.

Also check, Vocal stimming in Autism.

Symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome

Every child with Asperger Syndrome is unique. Their peculiar interpersonal skills and obsessed behaviour differentiate them from one another. Here are some of the symptoms of Asperger syndrome listed below,

Not able to make eye contact
Feel uneasy in social gathering
Struggle to communicate with others
Neglect interpersonal signs such as body language or facial expressions.
Inability to understand the emotions of others
Don’t express anything like laughing
They are abnormally sensitive to light or sound.
Engage themselves in obsessive activities
Quickly recalls the facts and information.
Minor changes in their life will make them furious

Tips to manage Asperger’s syndrome

Parents play a crucial role in a child’s success. Parents of children with Asperger syndrome symptoms can take following steps:

Dialectical/ Cognitive behavioural therapy

DBT is a kind of cognitive-behavioural therapy that seeks to alter behaviour by helping people acknowledge and embrace their emotions. It seeks to alter their behaviour by acknowledging and accepting their current emotions and providing tools that can help with regulating their emotions and improving tolerance and mindfulness. This cognitive behavioural therapy has been adapted to accommodate the unique needs of children. Its main goals are teaching coping mechanisms, identifying problematic thought patterns, and regulating intense emotions.

Also check, Common behavioural disorders in kids.

Behavioural therapies

A scientific method for analysing behaviour is called Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). A set of guiding principles known as ABA are concerned with how learning occurs as well as how behaviors change or are impacted by the environment. To improve and teach new behaviors, ABA calls for the application of well-established learning principles, behavioural methods, and contextual changes. Positive reinforcement is used to teach new abilities and alter behaviors in autistic children using a variety of adaptable strategies and interventions. The entire family’s quality of life would increase if you chose ABA behavioural therapy for your child.

Also check, Benefits of Behaviour Therapy in Autism.

Speech therapy

Speech therapy is a crucial therapeutic choice for Asperger’s syndrome patients since they struggle with social communication. It improves an individual’s communication abilities with a certified speech-language pathologist, enabling them to express their needs and wishes more clearly. When speech-language pathologists collaborate with teachers, support staff, families, and the child’s classmates to encourage functional communication in natural contexts, speech treatment for people with Asperger’s syndrome is frequently most effective.

Also check, Speech sound disorders in kids.

Occupational therapies

This type of treatment helps children learn life skills such as eating and dressing themselves, bathing, and understanding how to interact with others. The skills they learn are helpful to them living as independently as possible.

Also check, Types of Therapies for Autism.

Social-emotional skill training

This training helps children to learn ways to communicate with other people and present themselves in a more socially acceptable manner.

Educating parents

Family counselling includes mom, dad, siblings and also the other family members to take part in the therapy session. It can aid in improving family communication and teaching parents some tactics for handling conflicts with their children with Asperger’s syndrome to make it safer in the family.

Also check, Gut brain connection with speech delay.

Nutrient requirements for kids with Asperger’s syndrome

There is no cure for Asperger syndrome yet. But, the associated complications of Asperger’s syndrome are decreased by consuming foods which are high in vitamins B6, C, D, magnesium, and other nutrients.

NUTS:

All the nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashew, peanuts and hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E and help in boosting memory. They are also antioxidants which protect against cell damage. Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and are also a valuable substance for brain function, memory and thinking abilities. This fatty acid also encourages cognitive functions.

Also check, best nuts for protein.

SEEDS:

Apart from nuts, seeds like flax, chia, melon, sesame and pumpkins also contain powerful antioxidants like vitamin E that protect the brain from free radical damage. Sunflower seeds impact overall mood and mental processing powers and therefore it is considered a brain boosting snack. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, copper, and much higher in zinc than other seeds, which help in increasing concentration and memory. One of the easiest to feed brain boosting foods for kids.

Also check, Soaked and sprouted seeds benefits.

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS:

Multiple studies have shown the link between low omega 3 fatty acids and poor development, ADHD, speech delay, poor focus and also the concentration. These healthy fats are crucial for brain development and help to manage speech disorder and delay in kids. ( What are some home benefits of omega 3?)

Also check, Omega 3 Foods for Brain development.

COCOA POWDER

Pure cocoa powder (unsweetened) contains brain boosting components in the form of number of antioxidants molecules. The main is epicatechin helpful to improve cognition and speech impairment in studies. Hence, cocoa powder is also an important brain development food for children.

Also check, More benefits of cocoa powder.

ASHWAGANDHA:

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen. It is helpful in reducing anxiety and stress. Moreover, it also increases acetylcholine levels which support better memory, mental focus and intelligence. Ashwagandha also improves communication between nerve cells and so also, stimulates the body’s capacity to heal any nervous system damage.

Also check, Health benefits of Ashwagandha.

BRAHMI:

Brahmi is a superfood for the brain. It helps to sharpen the brain by protecting cells and increasing chemicals associated with learning and memory. It has shown to improve spatial learning and retaining power in kids. Kids were given Brahmi powder with ghee/honey in the olden times. This would also increase their focus and attention while also keeping them calm and distressed.

Also check, How to improve child’s memory.

SHANKHAPUSHPI:

Products

It’s no SECRET that following an Ayurvedic lifestyle has numerous advantages. This unique collection of Kids Ayurvedic Brain Booster is also an easy solution to feed daily nutrition for Brain development to kids without any fuss. Made with Proven Ingredients. No Preservatives or Artificial Colour or Flavour. No Side Effects. Trusted by 20000+ Parents and Practitioners. To know more about kid’s ayurvedic foods – SHOP HERE.

India’s First Tasty Kids Nutrition fortified with Ayurvedic herbs.

CHECK MORE PRODUCTS FOR:

Immunity, Gut health, Digestion, Weight, Brain development, Speech delay, Epilepsy, Eye health, Hormones, Sleep, Hyperactivity, Bones and Overall growth

SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS IN KIDS

October 10, 2022August 7, 2023 | aadyasathe

Is your child pronouncing a word by omitting or adding some sounds like “Sh” or “ca”? Does your child speak unclear words that you cannot understand? Does your child abruptly alter the tone while speaking? Is your child not able to speak fluently? All these things, if continued above 2 years of age, will be considered as “Speech sound disorder”. Speaking skills of Kids will improve with age. However those who make mistakes on a regular basis may be dealing with speech sound disorder. Here are some symptoms and factors that can help you identify a speech sound disorder, as well as some advice and foods that can help you fix it.

Lets try to understand it little deeper!

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Home Therapy Video Course for kids.

For kids who has speech delay, Try Home Therapy Video: Speech (Level-1) | Exercises for Speech Development | 5 Activities for kids to practice at home using household items | ORDER |

Feedback from parents

What is speech sound disorder?

Speech sound disorder can be associated with speech delay in kids. Children who are dealing with speech sound disorder have difficulty speaking correctly and pronouncing the words with proper sound. They might find it challenging to produce a particular sound or modulate their voices. Others struggle with stammering and pronouncing “s or z” sounds with “th” sound.

What are the types of speech sound disorder?

Articulation disorder : Articulation means “producing sounds”. Speaking is facilitated by a variety of different muscles and nerves associated with tongue, lips, teeth, roof of the mouth and lungs. Articulation disorder is the inability to produce sounds.

Phonological disorder : Phonetics is the study of how sounds are combined to form words. Kids with phonological disorder struggle to speak, read or write. This includes omitting sounds of some letters from the words.

What are the major causes of speech sound disorders?

The reason for a speech sound disorder is usually unknown. However, some speech sound issues might be caused due to the following reasons.

The physical conditions called cleft palate or cleft palate, is the fissure in the roof of the mouth or lips which in turn causes speech-impairment
Developmental or cognitive impairment
Damage of speech-related nerves
Hearing impairments

Also check, speech disorders in kids.

signs and symptoms of speech sound disorder?

Remember that an accent may cause alteration of some sounds. It may not be a speech sound disorder. Clarify your confusions by reading the below symptoms.

Children with articulation disorder will have the following symptoms

Alter the pronunciation of the word with a specific sound- While pronouncing “fish” they will say “fith”.
Modifying the sound of words- Instead of saying “rhino” they will say “whino”.
Making words with sound- Instead of saying “clay” they will say “culay”.

Children with phonological disorders will have the following symptoms

Say word with only one syllable – Instead of saying “lady” they will say “lay”.
Repeating the same syllable two times- Instead of saying “waffle” they will say “wawa”.
Omitting consonant sound from a word- Than saying “cat” they will say “ca” or “at” .

Other symptoms

Kids will find difficulty moving the lips, tongue, and jaw.
A scratchy or dry voice while speaking.
Having trouble breathing while speaking

Tips for managing the speech sound disorder

While it is critical to identify the underlying cause of your kid’s speech disorder, you can take several steps to address it. Here are a few recommendations:

Spend a lot of time communicating with your baby. Sing a song or rhyme and encourage imitation of sound and gesture.
Talk slowly and clearly. Use simple and short sentences.
Read stories to your child daily. Encourage them to talk to you about the plot and characters, ask them how they think a character could behave, let them ask questions whenever they feel like they’re simply learning how to express themselves.
Don’t miss any opportunity and use everyday situations to create communication. Keep on telling the name of different objects around the house.
Explain what you are doing as you are cooking, dish washing or cleaning or engage them by saying let’s do this or that.
If you are not watching the television, turn it off and also the excess background noise can cause delays in the formation of words
Let the child lead the conversation.
Ask a lot of daily questions and give time to your child to answer questions.
Give lots of praise and positive reinforcement while also correcting, instead of criticizing the child for not saying the word properly.
Encourage your baby to use straw for drinking or just to blow air through it. This helps the child to develop the oral muscles used for speech.

Also check, Speech Apraxia in Kids.

Food that help to manage the speech sound disorder

Without the brain, there would be no language. The human brain has a few areas that are specific to language processing and production. Adding foods that support brain development can help to improve speaking difficulty.

ASHWAGANDHA

Also check, Health benefits of Ashwagandha.

BRAHMI

SHANKHAPUSHPI

NUTS

Also check, Best Nuts and seeds for protein.

SEEDS

Apart from nuts, seeds like flax, chia, melon, sesame and pumpkins also contain powerful antioxidants like vitamin E that protect the brain from free radical damage. Sunflower seeds impact overall mood and mental processing powers and therefore it is considered a brain boosting snack. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, copper, and much higher in zinc than other seeds, which help in increasing concentration and memory. One of the easiest to feed brain boosting foods for kids.

Also check, Health benefits of Pumpkin seeds.

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

Multiple studies have shown the link between low omega 3 fatty acids and poor development, ADHD, speech delay, poor focus and concentration. These healthy fats are crucial for brain development and also help to manage speech sound disorders and delay in kids.

Also check, 10 reasons of giving the kids Omega rich foods.

COCOA POWDER

Also check, More benefits of cocoa powder.

Products

It’s no SECRET that following an Ayurvedic lifestyle has numerous advantages. This unique collection of Ayurvedic spreads is an easy solution to feed daily nutrition for Immunity, Eye, Brain development, Bone strength and overall growth to kids without any fuss. To know more about kid’s ayurvedic foods –SHOP HERE.

India’s First Tasty Kids Nutrition fortified with Ayurvedic herbs.

CHECK MORE PRODUCTS FOR:

Immunity, Gut health, Digestion, Weight, Brain development, Speech delay, Epilepsy, Eye health, Hormones, Sleep, Hyperactivity, Bones and Overall growth

Does high screen time cause Speech Disorders in kids?

September 21, 2022December 10, 2022 | Srilekha

Does your child always love to sit in front of the screen with absolute unawareness about his surroundings? Despite calling out his name like 1000 times, does he not get his eyes off the mobile screen? All these things, if continued ahead, can creep in a kid, a sense of complete social detachment with the world! Perhaps you may be wondering, can prolonged screen times cause speech disorders in the child? Yes, it can! Continue reading to know more!!

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Feedback from parent

How does High screen time cause speech disorders in kids?

The early years of a child’s life are critical for their language development. Children who spend too much time in front of screens essentially miss out on opportunities to engage with others and learn via observation of their surroundings. Other than the visual and auditory senses, a child’s other senses are not sharpened by more screen time. This may be one of the main causes of speech disorders.

Kids engrossed in the screens in front of them get so much bonded to it that it becomes an addiction for them. This can not only hamper the eyes, but also harm the brain development and can result in speech delay. Thus, sincere efforts must be put in to reduce the screen time for kids and instead involve them in productive activities which will also foster language development!

Causes of Speech disorders due to prolonged screen-times

1. Hampers the attention span:

Kids sitting all the time in front of television , computer screen or playing video games on the mobile screen can eventually not be able to pay attention to other important things around. Their crazy engrossment on screen does not allow them to sincerely pour their attention into things which they actually need to! This can interfere with their expressive abilities and negatively affect language development.

Also, check Autism and Sensory Sensitivity

2. Downfall in receptive language:

Receptive language is indeed the understanding of information provided in a multitude of ways such as sounds and words; movement and gestures; and signs and symbols. With screen as a constant in a kid’s life, it can also mess up with his understanding of words and expressions. Without face to face interaction a child will certainly not be able to sharpen his receptive language and would probably suffer with delay in speech.

Also, check Tantrums and ADHD: How to manage?

3. Fear of human interactions:

Getting so heavily involved in screen sittings, children will often lose interest in talking to people, understanding their emotions, analysing their expressions and responding correctly in return. If the child won’t mix up or talk to anyone, his vocabulary of words will also be put at stake! And the inability to express will ultimately lead to speech regression.

4. Losing interest in daily chores:

This can also be a cause for speech delay. Unceasingly remaining engaged on the screen, a child develops disliking in performing his routine tasks. Due to this, he/she will not get acquainted with studying, reading books, solving mathematical problems, working upon language and grammar, etc. Thus if a person is trying to explain something to a kid, he may not be able to interpret and respond to it due to lack of understanding and exposure.

Also, check Sensory Processing disorder

42% of kids under 8 own a smartphone, according to Common Sense Media. That’s up from 7 percent just 4 years ago. Isn’t that alarming? Are we not spoiling our upcoming generations with technological advancements? It’s the need of an hour to connect the kids more authentically with the outer world!

TIPS TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME AND IMPROVE SPEECH IN KIDS:

Try to engross the child in activities which will encourage language development in them and enhance their social interaction. To know about some ways to tackle speech delay issues, keep reading!

1. Five New words each day:

Try to talk with the child at your best. Read out story books or poems to him. Try to explain the meaning of words by playing some role or performing some actions. This will make it easier for the child to understand the meaning of words and so also the emotions behind them. Make the child try to learn any 5 words each day and try to use them in some simple sentences. This will boost his language grasping and improve speech delay.

2. Adding Limits:

Try to limit the screen time gradually. Reduce it by 5 minutes each day and try to arrive at a good time span for screen watch. This will help the child to also develop interest in performing other activities at his fullest potential. Immediate reduction of screen time can make the child feel frustrated about everything. And thus take one step at a time.

Also, check Tips to reduce screen time in kids

3. Audio learning:

Within a child’s routine, try incorporating audio learning each day for a span of about an hour. You can let the child listen to any song, poems or talks. After that, ask the child to sing that song or say out the poem or try to explain what he understood from any particular talk in brief. While doing so, he will be pushed to his highest potential to express himself at his best. In this way audio learning can help out with speech delay.

Also, check 8 Fun and Engaging Activities for kids

4. Decoding the drawings:

If a child has liking towards drawing or watching animations on the screen, ask the child to decode the animated video and write it down on a sheet of paper as per his understanding. In this way, a child will try to make a choice of best words for describing any scene within the animation. This will challenge his ability to think in a broader dimension and significantly enhance his grip over language. This will also help him out with his expressive development.

FOODS THAT HELP WITH SPEECH Disorders:

Apart from all this, Nutrition also plays a primary role in the overall development of a child. Let’s take a look at times of foods that can help with speech disorders.

Some of the foods that can help with the speech delay include:

1. Nuts:

2. Seeds:

Apart from nuts, seeds like flax, chia, melon, sesame and pumpkins also contain powerful antioxidants like vitamin E that protect the brain from free radical damage. Sunflower seeds impact overall mood and mental processing powers and therefore it is considered a brain boosting snack. Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, copper, and much higher in zinc than other seeds, which help in increasing concentration, memory and attention span. One of the easiest to feed brain boosting foods for kids

3. Cocoa Powder:

4. Brahmi:

5. Shankhapushpi:

Also, check Stimming in Autistic kids

6. Ashwagandha:

Products:

India’s First Tasty Kids Nutrition fortified with Ayurvedic herbs.

For Speech delay and high screen time, give Kids & Teens Brain Booster Chocolate/ Savoury Spread & Eye Health chocolate spread | 0% preservatives | 0% refined sugar | 0% palm oil | Fortified with SHANKHAPUSHPI, ASHWAGANDHA, BRAHMI, GINKGO, LUTEIN, ZEAXANTHIN | ORDER |

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Early Signs of Autism in Kids

July 29, 2022December 2, 2022 | Srilekha

(Co-Authored by Mother of 4.5-yr-old child)

An Indian Mother talks about the journey of her Autistic Child!

Mother of 4.5-yr-old child clearly sheds light on the early signs of autism that parents usually ignore in their kids. Check out the full article below.

My son was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. I suspected he might have autism because he was behind on some milestones, but it wasn’t until he was 3 that it was medically confirmed. This was due to a lack of awareness and acceptance of the Autism among the family members.

The most difficult thing for any parent is when there is no hope for a better future for their children. “I chose to speak out and help other parents with autistic children learn about what it is like to live with autism and feel hopeful about the future”.

“Autism doesn’t come with a manual. It comes with a Parent that never gives up”.

Early signs of autism might be difficult to detect because not every child follows the same way or exhibits the same symptoms. However, it’s more typical for symptoms to become apparent between the ages of 2 and 3. Around 18 months, children’s development toward some milestones appears to stop or regress, which causes the loss of previously mastered abilities like babbling, waving, pointing, or using other social gestures. Some parents may notice symptoms in their child before the first birthday. Some signs of autism are mild and undetectable until the child enters school. Autism frequently coexists with sensory sensitivities, physical conditions including gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, seizures, or sleep disorders, as well as psychological difficulties like anxiety, depression, and attention deficits.

SOME Early Signs of Autism THAT MOST OF THE PARENTS IGNORE:

Lack of eye contact
Speech disability/ disability
Difficulty in pointing out things
Doesn’t like physical touches like holding or cuddling
Doesn’t smile or very less smile or laugh
By 12 months they fail to respond to their name when called
Can’t follow simple instructions
Don’t listen properly- Auditory issues
Very obsessed with certain things or order
Resist change and cannot follow a routine
Repetitive movements – flaps hands, rocks, or spins the body in a circle
Has difficulty babbling back and forth
Always prefer solitude and don’t mingle with others
Cannot show their emotions and understand other’s feelings
Use repetitive phrases or words or use monotone
Have behavioural problems
Have very less food choices and unusual food preferences

other signs of autism:

One of the biggest mistakes parents do when it comes to autism is ignoring the signs. Not all autistic children will be hyperactive, some will be calm and quiet. There are different levels of autism and the treatment or therapy differs for each child as per the level they are in. So, awareness should be made regarding the signs and symptoms of ASD, so that parents can identify it early which makes it easier for diagnosis and treatment.

If you notice any of the above-mentioned signs of autism then consult a doctor for a complete diagnosis. A team of child psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists do screening and evaluations. If you are sure that the child is autistic don’t hesitate to take him/ her to therapy sessions and treatment or think that the symptoms will get better as they grow up. Autism can be diagnosed as early as 8 months, provided you watch closely the behaviour and small changes in their actions.

Also, check Difficulties in learning and writing in kids

Different Levels of Autism:

Levels of Autism		Signs and Symptoms
Level 1 – Mild Autism		Children with level 1 ASD have difficulty speaking properly with others. A person with ASD level 1 is normally able to converse and talk in full sentences. They may try to make friends but are unlikely to succeed. They may also struggle to transition from one activity to another or to try new activities. Furthermore, they may struggle with organization and planning.
Level 2 -Moderate Autism		People with ASD level 2 will have more noticeable difficulties with verbal and social communication than those with ASD level 1. Similarly, they will find it more difficult to adjust their focus or transition from one activity to the next. Level 2 children have relatively narrow interests and engage in repetitive behaviours, making it difficult for them to perform in certain situations.
Level 3 – Severe Autism		Children in this group exhibit many of the same behaviours as those in levels 1 and 2, but to a greater extent. Problems expressing yourself verbally and nonverbally can make it difficult to operate, communicate socially, and adjust to a shift in focus or location. Another sign of level 3 ASD is engaging in repetitive behaviours.

Levels of Autism

DIAGNOSIS:

Medical exams like blood tests, hearing test
Gathering information about the symptoms that exist, and from when these symptoms started
Whether these symptoms are affecting their day-to-day life, or they find it difficult to socialize
Family history of ASD
It may also involve interviews or questionnaires for family members, teachers and others close to the child to know the causes of autism

TREATMENT AND THERAPIES:

While there is no cure for ASD, currently available treatments can help reduce symptoms and improve functioning. Treatments include medication, psychotherapy, education or training, or a combination of treatments.

Medication to treat some symptoms like irritability, aggression, repetitive behaviour, hyperactivity, anxiety and attention problems.
Behavioural, psychological, educational, or skill-building therapy to build self-confidence.
Speech-language pathologists are therapists who specialize in treating language problems and speech disorders. They are a key part of the autism treatment team.
Find an autism support group. Sharing information and experiences can help children with ASD and/or their caregivers learn about treatment options and ASD-related programs.

HEALTHY ASD DIET FOR KIDS:

It is very important to feed kids a nutritious diet from the early years, even more, important if the child is suffering from ASD. Along with the treatment and therapies, a healthy ASD diet for kids including essential nutrients is a must, which may help in reducing the symptoms. Experts say whatever is good for the brain is likely to be good for ASD and speech delay. Below is the list of essential nutrients and foods recommended as a part of a healthy ASD diet.

Protein
Omega 3 fatty acids
Magnesium
Zinc
Nuts
Seeds
Cocoa powder
Ashwagandha
Brahmi
Shankhapushpi

Refer here for the Healthy Diet Plan for Autistic Child

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Speech Apraxia in Kids

July 18, 2022December 10, 2022 | vandana

Babies normally get approximately 50% of their speech development by the age of two, and 75% by the age of three. However these days many kids suffer from speech disorder/delay. Lot of parents have plenty of questions about their child’s developing speech skills. Like “My son is 3 but still not talking clearly!!”; “It seems like he is trying to pronounce the word, but can’t get it out,” and “He spoke that word once, and then I haven’t ever heard it once again”. These may be the symptoms of speech disorder (or Speech Apraxia). Read on for some remedies and foods that help in Speech Apraxia.

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WHAT IS CHILDHOOD SPEECH APRAXIA?

In children with childhood Speech Apraxia, the brain has trouble coordinating the intricate oral motions required to turn sounds into syllables, words into phrases, and phrases into sentences. To speak correctly, your child’s brain must develop the ability to create plans that instruct the lips, jaw, and tongue muscles to move in ways that produce appropriate sounds and words spoken with typical speed and rhythm. The brain, however, finds it difficult to create plans for speech movement in case of speech disorder. The speaking muscles are not weak with this condition, yet they don’t function as they should. There are only 1 or 2 children with speech apraxia out of every 1,000 who see a speech therapist, which is pretty uncommon.

Also check, Speech disorder in kids

CAUSES:

Majority of the times, this disorder of speech has no identified cause. In rare circumstances, brain injury results in speech apraxia. A genetic condition or syndrome, a stroke, or a severe brain injury can all be the reasons for this condition.

SYMPTOMS:

A child with a speech disorder may not always pronounce words the same way each time, have a tendency to stress the wrong syllable or phrase, distort or change the sound of words, or couldn’t say longer words. Additionally, they could struggle with basic motor abilities, delayed language, issues with reading and spelling, or difficulties with writing.

Also check, Baby’s milestone: 6 foods that help in walking

REMEDIES FOR SPEECH APRAXIA

Despite the fact that speech disorders cannot be fully treated without medical intervention, the condition can be addressed by simple tips such as:

Spend a lot of time communicating with your baby. Sing a song or rhyme and encourage imitation of sound and gesture.
Talk slowly and clearly. Use simple and short sentences.
Read stories to your child daily. Encourage them to talk to you about the plot and characters, ask them how they think a character could behave, let them ask questions whenever they feel like they’re simply learning how to express themselves.
Don’t miss any opportunity and use everyday situations to create communication. Keep on telling the name of different objects around the house.
Explain what you are doing as you are cooking, dish washing or cleaning or engage them by saying let’s do this or that.
If you are not watching the television, turn it off. The excess background noise can cause delays in the formation of words
Let the child lead the conversation.
Ask a lot of daily questions and give time to your child to answer questions.
Give lots of praise and positive reinforcement while also correcting, instead of criticising the child for not saying the word properly.
Encourage your baby to use straw for drinking or just to blow air through it. This helps the child to develop the oral muscles used for speech.

FOODS THAT HELP WITH SPEECH DELAY/SPEECH APRAXIA