A bite-sized guide to Speech and Language Therapy: feeding and swallowing

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
|

What is a Speech and Language – Feeding Therapist?

You’ve probably heard of speech therapists helping people who stutter or struggle to pronounce words. But did you know that they also work with children and adults who have problems with eating and swallowing? This specialised area is called Speech and Language Therapy: Feeding and Swallowing, or Dysphagia Therapy.

Why does a Speech Therapist help with eating and swallowing?

The mouth, tongue, and throat are all involved in both speech and swallowing. When there’s a problem with any of these parts, it can affect both your ability to talk and to eat. For example:

  • Weak tongue muscles: Can make it hard to chew food and to form sounds.
  • Difficulty coordinating swallowing: Can lead to choking or aspiration (when food or liquid goes into the lungs).
  • Sensory issues: Can make certain textures or tastes feel unpleasant or overwhelming.
  • Communication: If we are not able to express ourselves we are likely to have difficulties during daily mealtimes: how do we ask for ‘more’ of something, how do we say we have had enough or we don’t like a particular food?

How does a Speech and Language Therapist help?

Our work involves a combination of assessment and therapy. We carefully observe how your child feeds, eats and swallows, and we look into your child’s mouth to help us see what the cause of the difficulties are: could be a very highly-arched palate, it could be a very flaccid/low tone tongue, it could be poor dentition. Then, we create a personalised treatment plan to address your specific needs.

Here are some of the things we might do:

  • Teach swallowing techniques: We can help your child learn strategies to improve or facilitate a safe swallow.
  • Recommend dietary modifications: We may suggest changes to your child’s diet to make it easier to eat and swallow.
  • Provide sensory therapy: If your child has sensory needs we can help your child become more comfortable with different textures, tastes, and smells.
  • Work on oral motor skills: We can help to encourage more effective chewing, or drinking skills, or we can help your child to close his/her mouth more during chewing or drinking from a straw.
  • Collaborate with other professionals: We often work closely with doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, and dietitians to provide comprehensive care.

What kinds of problems do Speech and Language Therapists help with?

We see a wide range of feeding and swallowing difficulties, including:

  • Delayed feeding: Children who are slow to develop feeding skills or who have difficulty transitioning to solid foods.
  • Tongue-ties: Babies can have significant difficulties with feeding when the tongue is very tightly tethered to the floor of the mouth.
  • Refusal to eat: Children who refuse to eat certain foods or textures.
  • Aspiration: When food or liquid goes into the lungs, which can lead to pneumonia and other serious complications.
  • Chewing difficulties: Problems with chewing food, such as difficulty breaking down food or keeping food in the mouth.
  • Swallowing difficulties: Problems with swallowing, such as feeling like food is stuck or choking.
  • Neurological conditions: Conditions like cerebral palsy, down syndrome or other genetic syndromes can affect feeding and swallowing.
  • Developmental delays: Children with developmental delays may have difficulties with feeding and swallowing.

Is there hope?

If your child is struggling with feeding or swallowing, know that there is help available. Speech and Language Therapy can make a significant difference in your and your child’s quality of life. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Remember, you don’t have to suffer in silence. If you’re concerned about your child feeding or swallowing, please reach out. You can find a Speech and Language Therapist with a Feeding/dysphagia qualification near you via www.asltip.co.uk or contact me.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Similar Posts

  • · ·

    Explaining pronoun reversal: A window into gestalt language processing

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Explaining pronoun reversal: A window into gestalt language processing

    Have you noticed your child referring to themselves as ‘you’, or calling you ‘me’? This seemingly confusing mix-up of pronouns, known as pronoun reversal, often raises concerns for parents. Below I outline why your child does this and want to reassure you that it is to do with his or her unique language learning style.

    Gestalt language processing: Learning in chunks

    Many children, particularly those on the autism spectrum, use a gestalt language processing approach. Unlike analytic language processors who learn individual words and build sentences, gestalt language processors learn language in whole ‘chunks’ or ‘gestalts’. Think of these gestalts as pre-packaged scripts they pick up from their environment — phrases, sentences, even snippets of songs or movie lines.

    As Marge Blanc, author of Natural language acquisition on the autism spectrum, explains, ‘When a child picks up an entire gestalt (script), he’s got the pronoun of the original speaker. So ‘pronoun reversal’ is nothing more than that.’

    So your child is simply repeating what they’ve heard, without yet understanding the individual word meanings or grammatical functions.

    Imagine your child hearing ‘You want a rice cake?’ repeated frequently. They might then use this phrase to express their own desire for a rice cake, even though it doesn’t grammatically fit. So they are thinking and saying ‘You want a rice cake?’ and the meaning of this phrase is: ‘I want a rice cake’. This isn’t a sign of confusion, but a natural step in their language development. They’re working with the tools they have: the scripts they’ve acquired.

    How can we support their natural language journey

    Instead of trying to ‘correct’ pronoun usage, our role as caregivers and speech therapists is to support the child’s natural language progression. Here’s how we can do this:

    1. Learn about their gestalt stage and run with it: In the early stages (1–3) of gestalt language development, correcting pronouns can be counterproductive. These children are still processing language as whole units, not individual words. Direct corrections can lead to frustration and hinder their natural language exploration.
    2. Patience and trust: Gestalt language processing follows a predictable, albeit sometimes non-linear, path. By understanding their current stage, we can provide targeted support. Language sampling and scoring, guided by the Natural Language Acquisition framework, help us pinpoint their stage and tailor our approach.
    3. Model language strategically: In the early stages, avoid using pronouns like ‘you’ and ‘you’re’. Instead, model language from the child’s perspective or use joint perspectives. For example, instead of ‘Are you thirsty?’, try ‘I’m thirsty!’ or ‘Let’s get some water’,

    The big picture: Language unfolds naturally

    Pronoun reversal is a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. As gestalt language processors progress, they begin to break down these gestalts into smaller units and develop their own self-generated language. This is when their understanding and use of pronouns naturally emerge.

    By shifting our perspective from ‘error correction’ to ‘developmental support’, we create a nurturing environment for these children to thrive. We empower them to navigate their unique language journey, ultimately leading to more meaningful and independent communication.

    So, to summarise:

    • Pronoun reversal is a typical characteristic of early-stage gestalt language processing.
    • Focus on modelling language from the child’s perspective or a joint perspective.
    • Avoid correcting pronouns in the early stages.
    • Trust the process and support the child’s natural language development.

    Let’s celebrate the diverse ways our children learn to communicate and empower them to find their unique voice!

    If you have any questions or would like some help with understanding your little gestalt language learner, please get in touch with me via my contact form.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    1
  • · · ·

    The purpose and nature of a speech and language therapy assessment

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    If you have ever wondered what happens when you bring your child to a speech and language therapy assessment, then this blog will shed light on the ins and outs of it for you.

    At its heart, a speech and language therapy assessment is a systematic and thorough evaluation of your child’s communication or eating/swallowing abilities. It’s more than just asking a few questions. It is a carefully constructed process designed to identify strengths, pinpoint challenges, and ultimately pave the way for effective intervention.

    Establishing a detailed profile – a few bullet points:

    • Identification of communication and swallowing difficulties: I aim to determine if a communication or swallowing disorder exists. I will establish if the difficulty is a delay or a more complex disorder.
    • Diagnosis of the specific disorder/autism: The assessment delves deeper to pinpoint the specific type and nature of the difficulty. For instance, is your child’s language delay due to a specific learning disability, a developmental delay, or another underlying condition?
    • Knowing the aetiology or what is causing a difficulty is crucial for targeted intervention. And whilst we are on the topic let’s talk about an autism assessment: I am trained and experienced in assessing and diagnosing autism. However, when it comes to the diagnosis of autism I provide a preliminary ‘working hypothesis’ rather than giving a definite final diagnosis. The reason for this is that it is considered the ‘gold standard’ and ‘best practice’ to diagnose autism in a multi-disciplinary setting and context. Since I work on my own, I always refer to highly recommended multi-disciplinary clinics for the ultimate diagnostic assessment.
    • Determination of severity: Understanding the severity of the difficulty is essential for prioritising intervention and measuring progress. Is your child’s difficulty mild, moderate, or severe? This helps me choose a particular approach and then tailor it to suit each individual child.
    • Identification of underlying strengths and weaknesses: An assessment doesn’t just focus on what’s wrong. It also highlights your child’s strengths and areas of relative ease. This information is invaluable for building upon existing skills during therapy. Understanding weaknesses provides specific targets for intervention.
    • Guiding intervention planning: The assessment provides the crucial information I need to develop an individualised intervention plan. The findings directly inform the selection of therapy goals, strategies, and techniques. Without a thorough assessment, therapy would be a shot in the dark.

    A multi-faceted approach

    A speech and language therapy assessment is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ procedure. The specific tools and techniques used will vary depending on a child’s age, the nature of the suspected difficulty, and other relevant factors. However, most comprehensive assessments incorporate several key components:

    • Case history: This involves gathering information about your child’s developmental, medical, social, and educational background. We will go through all the relevant milestones and throughout the process I will make notes which will help bring all the puzzle pieces together.
    • Observation: I will observe how parent and child play together and we also look at how the child plays by themselves. Additionally of interest is how a child plays with me, the therapist. Through discussion I will also endeavour to find out how your child plays with other children, be it at the nursery or within the family.
    • Standardised assessments: These are commercially available tests with specific administration and scoring procedures. They provide norm-referenced data, allowing to compare the individual child’s performance to that of his or her peers. Examples include articulation tests, language comprehension and production tests, and fluency assessments. I tend not to use these assessments a lot.
    • Instead, I use non-standardised assessments: These are more flexible and allow to probe specific areas of concern in more detail. This might include language samples (analysing spontaneous speech), dynamic assessment (testing and teaching to identify learning potential), and informal observation of play or interaction.
    • Immediate feedback and report writing: During and thenfollowing the assessment, I will bring all the gathered information together and I will discuss with the parents what my findings are and what my recommendations in the short term are. Parents always go home with a good handful of useful strategies that they can implement at home right away. In addition, I provide a comprehensive report outlining the findings, diagnosis (if applicable), severity, strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations for intervention.

    In conclusion, a speech and language therapy assessment is a dynamic and essential process. It is a journey of discovery, aiming to understand a child and the child’s family and his or her unique communication or feeding profile. The assessment is usually the start of our wonderful learning journey together.

    Below is a short video clip of an assessment where you see me in action explaining a particular therapy approach to a set of parents. It perhaps shows a tiny bit of how relaxed we are in our sessions and that assessment is not at all daunting, but a hugely informative event overall which will leave you feeling empowered and hopeful.

    What happens after an assessment?

    Please feel free to get in touch with me via my contact form if you wish to have an assessment for your child’s communication difficulties or feeding difficulties.

    An assessment is always a stand-alone event and does not mean you need to automatically book follow up sessions at all. It will give a lot of information and based on this you can decide if you would like more therapy or follow up for you and your child. Many times ongoing therapy is not needed! I only recommend a course of therapy if it is really needed and where it would be immediately beneficial for your child.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    1

  • What is Total Communication, and why your child might need it more than just speech

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Sonja smiling

    When a child’s speech is difficult to understand, it can feel overwhelming for everyone involved. As a parent, your instinct is often to focus on helping your child ‘talk properly’. And that makes complete sense. Speech is important. But here’s the key message I want to share with you:

    Speech is just one way to communicate.

    And when speech is not yet clear, not yet reliable, or not yet available, children need other ways to get their message across.

    This is where Total Communication comes in.

    What is Total Communication?

    Total Communication is an approach that encourages the use of all available ways to communicate, not just speech.

    This can include:

    • spoken words
    • gestures and pointing
    • facial expressions
    • signing (such as Makaton)
    • pictures or symbols
    • drawing
    • electronic AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), such as apps like LAMP Words for Life

    It’s not about replacing speech. It’s about supporting communication in every possible way.

    Think of it like this: if speech is currently unclear or limited, why restrict a child to the hardest route? Why not give them more tools to succeed?

    ‘But won’t this stop my child from talking?’

    This is one of the most common concerns I hear in clinic.

    Parents often worry that if a child starts using signs or a communication device, they will become ‘dependent’ on it and stop trying to talk.

    The research tells us something very different.

    Studies consistently show that AAC does not prevent speech development. In fact, it often supports it.

    • A review by Millar, Light & Schlosser (2006) found that AAC interventions do not reduce speech production and may actually increase it.
    • Romski & Sevcik (2005) demonstrated that children given AAC often develop stronger overall communication skills, including spoken language.
    • More recent work continues to show that providing AAC early can accelerate language development, not delay it.

    So rather than ‘giving up on speech’, using AAC is actually building the foundations that speech needs.

    Why Total Communication matters, especially for unintelligible children

    When a child is very difficult to understand, they are often experiencing a hidden frustration:

    ‘I know what I want to say, but no one understands me.’

    Over time, this can lead to:

    • reduced confidence
    • behavioural frustration
    • withdrawal from communication
    • fewer opportunities to practise language

    If a child cannot successfully communicate, they communicate less. And when they communicate less, their language development slows down.

    Total Communication breaks this cycle.

    By giving a child reliable ways to be understood, we:

    • reduce frustration
    • increase interaction
    • build confidence
    • create more opportunities for language learning

    And importantly, we allow them to show us what they already know.

    AAC is a bridge, not a barrier

    Using AAC (whether that’s pointing to pictures, signing, or using a device) does something powerful:

    It separates language from speech.

    A child might have lots of ideas, vocabulary, and understanding but their speech system (especially in cases like phonological disorder or childhood apraxia of speech) cannot yet keep up.

    AAC allows the child to:

    • express complex ideas now
    • practise sentence structure
    • develop vocabulary
    • take part in conversations

    All while their speech is still developing.

    In other words, AAC doesn’t replace speech. It keeps language moving forward while speech catches up.

    What does this look like in real life?

    In therapy, I often use a combination of approaches:

    • modelling simple signs alongside speech
    • pointing to symbols while talking
    • encouraging children to gesture or show
    • using drawings to support understanding
    • incorporating an AAC device such as LAMP Words for Life

    You might see a child:

    • say part of a word
    • point to a symbol
    • use a gesture
    • and look at you expectantly

    That is communication success.

    And success builds motivation.

    ‘I just want them to talk’

    Of course you do. And I do too!! That’s always the goal.

    But here’s the important shift in thinking:

    Children learn to talk by communicating, not by waiting until speech is perfect.

    If we hold out for clear speech before allowing other communication methods, we risk:

    • limiting their ability to interact
    • reducing practice opportunities
    • increasing frustration

    But if we support all communication, we give them:

    • more chances to express themselves
    • more positive communication experiences
    • more input and feedback

    And that is what drives progress.

    A balanced approach

    Total Communication doesn’t mean ‘speech is no longer important’.

    It means:

    • we continue targeted speech therapy
    • we work on sounds and clarity
    • and we support communication in the meantime

    It’s not either/or.

    It’s both/and.

    Final thought

    If your child’s speech is difficult to understand, the most important question is not:

    ‘Are they talking clearly yet?’

    It’s:

    ‘Can they successfully communicate?’

    Because communication is the foundation of:

    • relationships
    • learning
    • confidence
    • wellbeing

    And every child deserves a voice, in whatever form that voice takes right now.

    Feel free to contact me if your child needs help with speech and communication.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    References (parent-friendly):

    Health Professions Council registered
    Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
    Member of ASLTIP

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    3
  • ·

    What Is Echolalia And Does It Have A Function? How Can Speech Therapy Help With Echolalia?

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    What Is Echolalia And Does It Have A Function? How Can Speech Therapy Help With Echolalia?

    Echolalia is a term used when assessing or treating children with Autism. The term refers to the repetition or echoing of utterances, either our own or others’. It can also be echoing phrases heard on television, advertising jingles or catchy repeat phrases used in tv programmes or nursery rhymes and songs. Whilst we all use echolalia occasionally and it can be observed in typically developing children, we tend not to see/hear it beyond the age of 2.5 years old. Children with ASD, however, do use echolalia often into late childhood.

    There are generally two types of Echolalia:

    Immediate echolalia

    Here the repeated phrases or words are produced immediately after someone has spoken the original words or within two conversational turns of the original utterance.

    Delayed echolalia

    The repeat echoing of the original utterance occurs sometime later, more than two conversational turns or with a much longer time delay. Due to the delay it can be hard to interpret the meaning of the echolalic utterance as it may refer to something that happened long ago and in a different context to the originally utterance.

    (Stiegler, 2015, Fay 1967, Blanc 2014)

    There are other unconventional speech behaviours which include:

    • Perseveration of Speech – persistent repetition of speech
    • Repetitive questioning – persisting even though answers were given
    • Vocalisations such as: humming, whistling, clicking, squealing etc.

    Much research has gone into the meaning and treatment of Echolalia and the following list consists of possible functions that have been identified:

    • Information sharing
    • Responding to answers
    • Labelling
    • Drawing attention to self
    • Protesting
    • Requesting
    • Giving instructions
    • Self-regulation, calming

    (Stiegler 2015, Prizant 1983)

    Echolalia does have a function and is part of the Gestalt Learning Process (where longer units of speech are memorised and then used as a whole without the individual words being meaningful).

    As a Speech and Language Therapist I promote sound and proven Intervention based on the Hanen Programme which helps provide a highly facilitative Interaction Style and I will tell you a bit more in my next blog how the “More Than Words” approach can help children with echolalia move through their Gestalt Learning into more analytic processing of language, grammar and meaning.

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

  • ·

    The importance of child-led therapy

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Child-led therapy is essentially what it says, therapy sessions that are directed by your child. You may think how can my child’s Speech and Language Therapist focus on goals if sessions are led by my child.

    Let us explain…

    Your child will be more receptive and motivated to take part in therapy if they have some form of input. E.g., they can choose what toys they want to play with, or how they want to play with the resources available. If sessions are child-centred then they are much more likely to engage and reach their goals, making intervention valuable. They will also be able to regulate their emotions, and use movement to support their need for regulation. E.g., some children like to jump whilst others like to run. As Speech and Language Therapists we need to use what is meaningful to your child to get the most out of intervention. By focusing on child-led therapy, we can build trust, which will allow us, in time, to use new techniques and activities that your child may enjoy. We want children to be themselves, to show their true personality. Therapy is about enhancing their skills in their own individualised way and child-led therapy allows for this.

    This way of working may seem daunting to some, but it doesn’t have to feel this way. Parents often feel if they are prepared then activities may go smoother. It might be the case, but perhaps it doesn’t give your child the opportunity for spontaneity. We’d like to suggest something that may lead to some surprises. Put out an activity that is your child’s favourite and then a completely new activity. Remember these activities don’t have to be complicated. Often, the simpler the better!

    So, no need to plan, just place two activities out and see what happens! Look out for anything which surprises you, which activity did they prefer? Do they have any sensory preferences? The freedom of choice is a wonderful thing to explore. So, just go with the flow!

    The kind of activities that are useful for child-led play can include:

    • Hide and seek
    • Cooking or baking
    • An Exercise ball
    • Small world play
    • Pretend play
    • Musical instruments (you could even have a go at making your own)

    Child-led therapy is a very useful resource. We have it at our fingertips. We don’t need special resources. You just need yourselves and your child! Sometimes, child-led therapy can be tricky to put in place. It sounds easy but is much harder in reality. So, make sure you give it time and reflect on your experiences. Ask yourselves ‘what went well’, and ‘what could be improved’. E.g., perhaps you gave your child time to lead to begin with, but you didn’t give them enough time to think about their options during the activity.

    How can parents become more child-led in the home environment?

    • Pause and use silence. This gives your child the opportunity to lead.
    • It’s perfectly natural to want to talk. Afterall, this is how adults maintain conversations. If you find yourself talking too much, count to ten! This will allow your child time to respond or initiate in the conversation or interaction.
    • Move down to your child’s level. It’s much easier to see what’s going on if you’re at the same height.
    • Videoing you and your child can really help you to see where your strengths lie. You’ll also be able to make minor tweaks to improve your communication during child-led play.

    Contact Sonja for more advice on speech, language and communication during child-led play.

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    0

  • Empty Set and Phonology approaches

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    I have been avoiding the use of the Empty Set approach for the longest time as I was not sure if it would work seeing that I am challenging two sounds my student struggles with at the same time. But I decided to give it a go and it works a treat!

    With this approach, we use two sounds that our student is struggling with. For example, in my video this student cannot produce /sh/ and /r/. Both sounds have different rules, so I decided to contrast them with each other.

    • The rules of /sh/ are: no voice, air is pushed out through teeth, produced at the front.
    • The rules for /r/ are: use your voice, produce the sound in the middle of the mouth by shaping your tongue in a particular way.

    So I chose the words ‘shoes’ and ‘ruse’ as their rules are quite different. Contrasting two sounds the student does not know has been shown to lead to greater change in the child’s articulation. And I can certainly vouch for this as my student is making the best progress with this approach.

    Phonology Therapy – what is it, why and how?

    Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language. It’s distinct from articulation therapy which focuses on the physical production of sounds.

    Phonology therapy focuses on rules. For example, sounds that are produced at the front of the mouth, in contrast to sounds that are produced at the back of the mouth, or sounds that are produced with a long air stream: /s/ or /f/ versus short sounds like /p/ or /t/; sounds are produced with voice or without voice.

    Many children, and sometimes adults, are unaware of some of the speech rules and confuse and replace individual sounds. They might say TAT instead of CAT or SIP instead of SHIP.

    A quick overview of phonology approaches I use:

    Minimal Pairs:

    This approach is good for single sound substitutions. We offer word pairs that differ by only one sound, like ‘ship’ and ‘sip.’ One of our first goal in therapy is to highlight the difference between the target sound (e.g., /sh/) and the sound the child uses (e.g., /s/). This helps discriminate and eventually produce the correct sound.

    Multiple Oppositions:

    A child might replace lots of sounds with a single sound like a /d/. So instead of ‘four’, ‘chore’ and ‘store’ our child says ‘door’, making speech very unintelligible.

    The approach is typically geared towards shaking up the phonological system. Our goal is to choose two to four targets that are different from each other, and different from the substituted sound. If our child’s favourite sound is /d/ they can use their voice and make a short sound by stopping their airflow. So I will choose a different target sound to change up the speech system. For example I might choose an /f/, a /m/ and a /k/ sound. So I would contrast: ‘door’ with ‘four’, ‘more’ and ‘core’.

    Maximal Oppositions:

    In the Maximal Oppositions approach the treatment sets consists of words that are minimally contrasted and that have maximal or near maximal feature differences between each word pair. One word in a pair represents a sound the child ‘knows’ (can say at word level) and the other represents a sound the child does not know (cannot say).

    For example, a child may ‘know’ /m/ and be able to say words like ‘man’, ‘mat’ and ‘mine’. However, the same child may be unable to say /f/ as in ‘fan’, ‘fat’ and ‘fine’. The consonants /f/ and /m/ are maximally opposed as follows.

    I am always delighted to work on speech sound disorders, I love the challenge and the successes we can celebrate together. Get in touch with me!

    Sonja McGeachie

    Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

    Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    The London Speech and Feeding Practice

    Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

    1