Dysarthria: Articulation; Western PA Miniature Railroad Museum

This post will focus on how to manage deficits in articulation in children with dysarthria.  Traditionally, precise and accurate speech sound production has always been at the heart of improving articulation.  Thus, I recommend that you cue your child to exaggerate production of sounds (particularly consonants).  Please go to the right sidebar and click on the sound/letter that your child is having difficulty with to review previous posts that include strategies on how to produce each sound.

Another strategy to improve articulation is to decrease the rate of speaking.  Simply slowing down one's speech helps improve articulation because it provides more time for the "voice box," tongue and lips to coordinate in order to make sounds.  A good cue to provide for your child is, "Speak slowly."  If your child has difficulty slowing down her speech even with the provision of verbal cues, there is an alternative cue.  Ask her to tap her hand on the table or on her knee with each syllable or word.  Instruct her to tap her hand slowly, so that her hand is the pacer; the rate of her speech should mimic the rate at which she taps her hand.  It is important to also encourage your child to use pauses appropriately in sentences.  Pauses are helpful to the speaker because they provide a break, and are helpful for the listener because they help to break up information.

Recording your child's speech and then playing it back to her can help increase awareness of speech errors.  Record your child during a conversation, or while she is reading.  Then, play it back to her.  Ask her to listen to her speech and identify what she did well (this is important for self-confidence) and what could be improved upon.  This will allow your child to hear what you hear, and to obtain ownership in management of her speech.

A fun place to practice articulation in Pittsburgh is the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum.

 

 Image retrieved from http://curiouslittlekid.com/healthy-living/20-things-to-do-in-pittsburgh-for-under-20/.

Practice articulation at the word level with these words:

One syllable: train, track, car, steam, scale, freight, show, seat, speed, house, shop, rail
Two syllable: railroad, western, model, Pittsburgh, hobby, journey, caboose, layout, curve, urban, indoor, tunnel, incline, member, engine, display, bridges, station, cargo, diesel, commute, transit, whistle
Three syllable: museum, Gibsonia, history, library, industry, collection, railroading, passenger, engineer, suburban, Mon-Valley, exhibit, conductor, electric, monorail, regional
Four syllable: miniature, Pennsylvania, education, transportation, locomotive.

Practice articulation at the phrase level by describing the trains and scenery.  Ask your child what kinds of trains she sees.  Targets may include, "Long trains," "City trains," and "Big trains."  Also, ask your child what scenery she sees.  Targets may include, "Trains in tunnels," "Train on bridges," and "Little houses."

Practice articulation at the sentence level by asking your child to describe the scenes she sees.  Targets may include, "I see a town," "I see a train on a big bridge," and "I see train tracks and trees."

Practice articulation in conversation by engaging in a make-believe task.  Ask your child where she would like to take a train to.  Target may include, "I'd like to take a train see Grandpa.  He would he happy to see me.  We would bake cookies," or "I'd like to take a train to Disney.  I could see the world.  Then, I could go on ride."  Or, ask your child what it would be like to take a long train ride.  Targets make include, "I think it would be fun.  I could hear the train whistle.  I could see trees.  I could sleep on a train!"