Can AI help my child’s speech delay? What it can do and what it can’t

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

If you’re worried about your child’s speech, you are absolutely not alone. Many parents I work with tell me the same thing:

‘I’ve been Googling…’
‘I asked ChatGPT what activities to try…’
‘TikTok said we should practise this sound every day…’

It makes complete sense. When waiting lists are long, evenings are quiet, and your child is struggling to communicate, it’s natural to look for help wherever you can find it.

AI tools can actually be helpful in some ways. But they also have clear limits especially for children with significant speech delays or speech sound disorders.

Here’s an honest, balanced guide to what AI can do, and what it simply can’t.

✔️ What AI can help with

1. Explaining things in simple language

AI can be very helpful for explaining speech and language terms in a way that’s easy for parents to understand for example, what a phonological delay is, or what Childhood Apraxia of Speech means. It can also suggest possible reasons for a child’s speech delay based on the information you provide.

The difficulty is that parents (or teachers) can only ask questions based on what they notice or perceive to be the problem. In practice, this doesn’t always tell the full story. For example, parents often report that their child ‘can say certain words’, but during an assessment we may find those words are actually produced with consistent error patterns. These patterns give important clues about the underlying nature of the difficulty, whether it’s a delay or a disorder and they guide the speech therapist in choosing the most effective targets to improve intelligibility.

2. Suggesting games and activities

AI is very good at suggesting ideas for games and practice, such as word lists, simple play activities, sound practice games, book suggestions, and ways to encourage talking within everyday routines. These can be especially helpful when you feel stuck or want some fresh inspiration for supporting your child at home. It can help to think of AI as a big ideas bank, somewhere to dip into when you need new, playful ways to keep practice engaging.

3. Helping you prepare questions for a therapist

Some parents use AI to list questions before an assessment, understand reports and organise concerns.

This can make therapy feel less overwhelming and more collaborative.

Used this way, AI can actually support the therapy process.

❌ Where and why AI cannot replace real life speech therapy

There is substantial research supporting the effectiveness of real-life speech therapy compared to generic online resources or AI-generated suggestions. Here are some key points highlighting why in-person therapy is often more beneficial:

  • Personalisation: Speech therapists assess each child’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges through direct observation and interaction. This personalised approach allows for tailored interventions that address specific issues, which generic resources cannot provide.
  • Nuanced understanding: Therapists are trained to recognise subtle cues in speech production, including the nuances of sound articulation, language comprehension, and social communication. This expertise enables us to identify underlying issues that may not be apparent through generic assessments.
  • Motivational support: A speech therapist can provide encouragement, motivation, and emotional support, which can significantly enhance a child’s willingness to participate and engage in therapy. This relational aspect is crucial for building confidence and reducing anxiety around communication.
  • Evidence-based practices: As a highly trained and specialised speech therapist I utilise evidence-based practices that are grounded in research, ensuring that the techniques used are effective and up to date. This contrasts with generic online information, which may not always be reliable or validated.
  • Progress monitoring: In-person therapy allows for ongoing assessment and adjustments to the treatment plan. We track progress over time and modify strategies as needed, ensuring that the therapy remains effective and relevant.

Research studies consistently show that individualised, face-to-face interventions lead to better outcomes in speech therapy than generalised approaches. For parents and caregivers, seeking professional help tends to provide a more effective path toward improving their child’s communication skills.

The healthiest way to think about AI

AI works best as a starting point, not a substitute. You might use it to understand your child’s report and learn how speech develops,

But if your child has significant delay or difficulty being understood, what makes the real difference is:

  • A tailored assessment
  • A clear therapy plan
  • Expert target selection
  • Ongoing adjustment
  • Support for both child and you the parent!

Dear parents,

If you’ve been turning to AI for help, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you care!

But please know the best outcomes usually come from combining your daily support at home with guidance and support from your speech therapist who knows you and your child.

Many of my past and present clients tell me that they really value my ‘handholding’ and me guiding them in between the sessions. A quick check in is often all that is needed but it makes a huge difference!

If you’d like support or advice, please contact me and I can help guide the next steps.

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.

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    Explore how Intensive Interaction develops Autistic children’s communication

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Intensive Interaction is an approach that I might suggest for your child. Here is an overview of this approach to increase your knowledge. There are a range of approaches that overlap and having trained in them all I use them all interchangeably to tailor to each child individually. This approach is particularly good for children who work mostly to their own agenda and find it hard to engage with others.

    So, what is Intensive Interaction?

    According to its founder, Hewett (1980), the approach “involves mirroring a person’s actions, sounds and facial expressions.” This allows your child to recognise and form communication between themselves and another, in a fun, play-based setting. Attention and listening are the fundamentals to speech and language development. By using the Intensive Interaction approach, we can increase the time your child can attend for and with another person. We are working towards a child enjoying another person’s presence. We are hoping to make gains with playing together with a child, taking turns and achieving reciprocity. That is the platform which we need to start with to build communication, language, words and perhaps even speech.

    There are many aspects that this approach supports:

    • such as using facial expressions
    • being in the presence of other people
    • having a shared space
    • attending to others
    • recognising and using non-verbal behaviours (e.g., gestures)
    • making sounds/noises (vocalisations) that have meaning
    • and eye contact. Although, we must be careful when suggesting ‘improving’ the use of eye contact. For some individuals making eye contact can be physically painful. So be aware that we are not making our children ‘look’ we are encouraging their natural behaviour.

    Who benefits from Intensive Interaction?

    Children with more complex communication and learning delay can benefit from the Intensive Interaction approach. Each session can be adapted to the needs of the individual and the sessions can be designed to use the whole or part of the approach. It is especially useful for children who are finding it hard to engage in any way socially with another person. Autistic children who tend to work to their own agenda often benefit from this approach.

    How is Intensive Interaction implemented?

    You need to have an environment that your child is comfortable in, and to be able to come down to their level so that you can see each other. This is why I often visit children in their own homes to ensure that they are comfortable and that they can withdraw for periods of time if they need to as well.

    Ensure your child knows you’re there and you are 100% present. This is very important. I would recommend that you put your phone away for some 10 minutes or so and give your undivided attention to your child for that period of time.

    Waiting

    Waiting is very important: we need to give your child time to process what is happening around them. After waiting for a response, you might want to start copying any gestures they use, any facial expressions they make, or perhaps imitate any sounds. You’ll want to continue with this for a few minutes to see if the communication between you and your child changes. Remember always take the cues from your child; if they communicate a message with you, respond. It might be that they are ready to finish and that they’ve shown this by walking away or signing.

    Giving your child a way to respond is vital. We can use visuals to support their communication. We can create ‘yes’ and ‘no’ symbols so they can use them in a functional way.

    A top tip in these sessions is to use mirrors, so that your child can see and begin to recognise their own facial expressions.

    There are other programmes that overlap with Intensive Interaction such as Hanen with following your child’s lead and the Gina Davies Curiosity Programme.

    Now you know a bit about Intensive Interaction, why not book a call to discuss how we can support your Autistic child’s communication using this evidence-based approach.

    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.

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  • Quick Overview Of How To Implement Those Early Hanen Speech And Language Strategies

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Quick Overview Of How To Implement Those Early Hanen Speech And Language Strategies

    First up try and get down at eye level or Face-to-Face with your child

    Try to sit so that your child can see you easily, i. e. your child does not have to look up to make eye contact with you. We call that Face to Face: try and sit opposite your child. This makes it easier for you to see facial expressions and therefore pick up nonverbal /pre-verbal communication. Now you can connect and share the moment with your child.

    OWL (Observe, Wait and Listen)

    Never skip this step as it prepares us for what happens next !

    Observe

    First, try and simply watch your child quietly and listen and observe what he/she says or does; you need to know what your little one is interested in. For example with this toy (pictured below) we could observe that your child loves the actual spinning of the marble, perhaps more than that noisy click-clacking down the run. Or perhaps he loves collecting the marble at the end and feeling it in his hand.

    You could start off with showing once how the marble goes down and say:“ look it goes round and round !” Then hold back and observe, without speaking, so that your child has time to explore the toy.

    Wait

    Just sit and avoid telling or showing your child what he or she could do with the toy. This gives your child an opportunity to explore and experiment.

    Listen

    Listen to what your child says, or look at your child’s non-verbal communication without interrupting. Your child will now feel and know that you are really present and that what they have to say is important. It’s best to avoid questions like, “What are you doing or “What’s this?” as that might be a lot of pressure when they don’t know what to say about that yet.

    Respond immediately by showing interest

    Once you have all the information from OWLing you can respond in the right way, for example: if she catches the marble at the end of the run and looks up with a smile or a sound you could respond with: you’ve got it! One marble in your hand! Nice playing!

    Now how to join in the play:

    First you can copy what your child is doing

    If your child puts the first marble at the top of the run you can take a turn and do exactly the same once his marble is done. Ideally you might have another marble run, perhaps a similar one, it does not have to be exactly the same! Once your child has put the first marble in you can do the exact same with your own marble on your run. Your child is likely to look at what you are doing and you might well see a smile on their face or perhaps she might say: look at mine!

    Next you can build on that

    You can respond with simple comments like: “Wow! Yes I am looking at yours now! It’s spinning on the red one lots! I love the noise!” Now wait once more to see what your child says or does.

    To summarise

    We are signalling to our child that we are really interested in what they are doing and saying so we can “collect” our child, i.e. bring him/her back into a joint interaction.

    Important

    We want to try and not direct our child but respond with interest and fun! This creates a lovely stage for interaction and joint play! And this leads in turn to practising conversation and ever more opportunities for great speech and language skills to emerge.

    Great activities we use in Speech and Language Therapy:

    • Any cause and effect toys like this Marble Run
    • Creative activities, such as mark making with crayons
    • Train tracks (building and running the trains)

    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 joyful language toolkit: Strategies for connecting with your child through play

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    As parents and therapists, we all want to help our children communicate. But sometimes, the process can feel like ‘work’. If I had a penny for every parent saying ‘I find it so boring!’… Ok hang in… what if I told you the most effective therapy happens when it doesn’t look like therapy at all?

    My approach centres on connection, enthusiasm, and multi-sensory engagement. We don’t just teach words; we teach the joy of using them. These strategies can be used whether your child is speaking, using a core board, or communicating in his or her own unique way.

    Some of my favourite strategies

    Today I want to share a few of my favourite strategies to turn everyday interactions into powerful communication opportunities regardless of why or how big a delay your child is having.

    1. Facial expressions & exaggeration: Use an exaggerated facial expression to show surprise (wide eyes!), excitement (big smile!), or confusion (a crinkled brow!). Your face is a powerful teaching tool. I am always talking like a clown in my sessions. I can announce that I have also a normal speaking voice outside my clinic room! 😊
    2. Using your voice with intonation: Your voice is music! Use a singsong or ‘tuneful’ repeat to make words stand out. For example, ‘It’s a BIIIG ball!’ or ‘Let’s GO-O-O!’. Again think: clown!!
    3. Hands and body to show: Use gestures, hands, and body movements to demonstrate. Say ‘OPEN’ while pulling your hands apart, or ‘UP’ while raising the toy high above your head.
    4. Elongating our words: Stretching out key sounds or words gives them emphasis and more time for your child to process. ‘Criiiinkley’ ‘tiiickleyyyy’
    5. Core board & language modelling:
      • Model the core board with joy: Don’t just point: point with energy!
      • Model the core board repeatedly throughout the activity, showing genuine excitement. This demonstrates the board is a joyful tool, not homework.
      • Pointing to the core board: When you say a core word, point to the corresponding symbol. You are showing your child, ‘My words live here, and your words can too’.
    6. Describing it for your child: Help your child build his or her vocabulary by providing rich sensory language. ‘It’s squishy’, ‘It’s very noisy’, or ‘It’s so smooth’.
    7. Catchy phrases: Repetitive, positive phrases create a sense of shared fun. Use them consistently: ‘Oh, that’s a nice one!’ or ‘We like that!’
    8. Following your child’s Interest: Put down your agenda and follow your child’s lead. If they pick up a block, talk about the block. This ensures they are engaged and ready to learn.
    9. Allowing for pauses: This is critical! After you made a comment, allow for a significant pause (count to five in your head) for your child to fill. The silence creates a powerful opportunity for them to initiate communication.
    10. Copying your child’s sounds: If he or she makes a sound (‘buh!’), you make the sound back! Copying your child’s sounds shows him or her ‘I hear you, and your communication is important’.
    11. Lots of repetition: Hearing a word many times in meaningful contexts is how we learn! Repeat key phrases and core words throughout the activity. Repetition is the key to retention.
    12. Getting turns: Explicitly teach and celebrate getting turns in a game. ‘My turn! Your turn!’ This is a foundational social and communication skill.
    13. Using tidy up as a teaching activity: Turn cleanup into a fun game! It’s a goldmine for core words like PUT IN, ALL DONE, HELP, and MORE. For example, ‘Let’s PUT IN the red block! Yay!’
    14. Using exaggerated repeats: When your child tries a sound or word, give it back with exaggerated, tuneful repeats.

    Try out all or even just a few of these strategies, and I can promise you, you’re not just encouraging language; you’re building a joyful, reciprocal relationship based on genuine communication!

    Which strategy are you excited to try first? Let me know in the comments!

    If I can help you with any of the above, if you want to practise these a bit more, I would love to help you!

    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.

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  • · ·

    When speech difficulties overlap: Helping children with phonological delay and childhood apraxia of speech

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    One of the questions parents often ask is:

    ‘What kind of speech difficulty does my child have?’

    It’s a very understandable question. We often hear different terms such as phonological delay, articulation difficulties, or Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), and it can be confusing.

    The reality is that many children don’t fit neatly into one single category.

    In fact, quite often I see children whose speech profile includes a mixture of difficulties. They might have some phonological patterns (where they substitute one sound for another) alongside challenges with motor speech planning, where coordinating the movements needed for speech is harder.

    When this happens, therapy needs to be flexible, responsive, and tailored to the child sitting in front of us.

    Example

    Recently I filmed a short clip from one of my therapy sessions which shows exactly how this works in practice.

    The child I was working with has difficulties with several speech sounds. Part of the challenge relates to a phonological pattern called fronting.

    Fronting is when sounds that should be made further back in the mouth (like /K/ or /G/) are produced further forward instead.

    At the same time, this child also shows signs of motor speech planning difficulty, which means the brain has to work harder to organise and sequence the movements of the tongue, lips and jaw for speech.

    This type of profile can sometimes overlap with characteristics seen in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

    When difficulties overlap like this, therapy cannot rely on a single approach. Instead, it needs to draw on multiple evidence-based strategies.

    That is exactly what you see happening in the clip. We started out generalising the /K/ sound which until recently had been replaced by a /T/ sound. Whilst looking at a sound loaded picture of /K/ sounds we somehow got talking about a ‘dent’ (I don’t recall how we got there!) but the ‘dent’ was a ‘det’ and I decided to tackle this there and then because there are other great words that end in ‘nt’ like : ‘count’ ‘giant’ ‘point’ or ‘paint’.

    Using visual cues to support motor planning

    Speech is incredibly complex. For children with motor speech difficulties, the challenge is not only knowing what sound they want to say, but also how to move their mouth to produce it.

    This is where visual cues can be incredibly helpful.

    In the clip, you can see me using a whiteboard with pictures and simple visual prompts. These help to:

    • Focus attention on the target sound
    • Understand where the sound occurs in the word
    • Remember the sequence of sounds needed

    Visual supports can act almost like a map for the mouth, guiding children as they practise new speech movements.

    For children with motor planning difficulties, this type of cueing can make a huge difference.

    Why repetition of a single word (massed practice) is so important

    Another key feature you will notice in the clip is lots of repetition.

    This is very deliberate.

    When we are supporting children with motor speech challenges, the brain needs repeated opportunities to practise the correct movement patterns. Just like learning a musical instrument or a new sport, repetition helps the brain build stronger and more efficient pathways.

    In therapy we call this massed practice.

    Rather than saying a word only once or twice, we practise it many times in a structured way, helping the child stabilise the new speech pattern.

    But repetition alone is not enough. The child also needs to understand why the sound matters.

    Showing children that sounds change meaning

    This is where another powerful therapy approach comes in: minimal pairs.

    Minimal pairs are word pairs that differ by only one sound. For example:

    • debt
    • dent

    In the clip, I use these two words to help the child realise that the /N/ sound makes a meaningful difference.

    Without the /N/, the word becomes something else entirely.

    This approach helps children recognise that speech sounds are not random: they carry meaning. If a sound is missing or substituted, the message may change.

    Helping children notice these differences can be a very motivating moment in therapy. Suddenly the sound is no longer just an abstract exercise; it becomes part of real communication.

    Blending approaches for the best outcomes

    In this short therapy moment, I am combining:

    • Visual cueing

    • Motor speech practice

    • High repetition (massed practice)

    • Minimal pair contrasts

    • Listening and awareness of sound differences

    Each element supports a different part of the speech system.

    Some strategies help with motor planning, others support phonological awareness, and others build accuracy and consistency.

    Together they create a therapy session that is both structured and responsive.

    Every child’s speech journey is unique

    One of the most important things I want to convey is that speech development is not always straightforward.

    Two children may both struggle with speech sounds, yet the underlying reasons may be very different.

    This is why careful assessment is essential, and why therapy needs to stay flexible as we learn more about how a child’s speech system works.

    Sometimes a child needs more motor-based work.

    Sometimes the focus shifts towards phonological contrasts.

    Often, as in this example, the most effective therapy uses both.

    Small steps lead to big progress

    Every session helps us understand a little more about how a child’s speech system works and what support will help them move forward.

    And when the pieces start to come together, when a child realises that one tiny sound can change a whole word, that is when the real progress begins.

    If you are concerned about your child’s speech sounds, clarity of speech, or possible motor speech difficulties, early support can make a significant difference. A detailed assessment can help identify the nature of the difficulty and guide a therapy approach tailored to your child’s individual needs.

    Feel free to contact me on www.londonspeechandfeeding.co.uk

    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.

    Reference

    McNeill, B. C., Gillon, G. T., & Dodd, B. (2009). Effectiveness of an integrated phonological awareness approach for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 25(3), 341-366.

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  • · · · ·

    Holiday disruptions & New Year routines: How to support your child’s feeding, communication and regulation over the festive season

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Holiday disruptions & New Year routines

    The festive season is a wonderful time for many families, but for children with feeding challenges, sensory differences, or autism traits, December can feel overwhelming. Changes in routine, busier environments, travel, new foods, disrupted sleep, and well-meaning relatives giving ‘advice’ can all affect a child’s feeding, communication and overall regulation.

    As a speech and language therapist specialising in Early Years, I see the same pattern each year: children often make progress during the term, only to struggle in late December when everything becomes unpredictable. The good news? With a bit of preparation, children can not only cope better, but they can actually make significant developmental gains during the holidays.

    This blog will help you feel confident, supported and prepared for the transition from ‘festive mode’ to a smoother, regulated start in January.

    1. Why routines matter so much. Especially now

    Young children thrive on predictability. For neurodivergent children or those with sensory, feeding or communication needs, routine isn’t just helpful: it’s the backbone of emotional regulation.

    In December, typical patterns change:

    • Mealtimes shift or become irregular
    • Bedtime slides
    • New foods appear
    • Loud social gatherings overwhelm
    • Travel disrupts naps and comfort routines
    • Therapies pause
    • Childcare closes

    Any one of these can lead to feeding refusals, more meltdowns, increased stimming, reduced communication attempts or regression in speech sounds.

    It’s simply the nervous system responding to too much change.

    2. Protecting feeding progress during holiday mealtimes

    My last blog and insta post have a nice social story on festive meals. They are often the trickiest part of the season for families I support. Children with sensory-based feeding challenges, or ARFID traits may find holiday foods completely unfamiliar and challenging.

    What helps:

    • Offer one ‘safe food’ at every meal
    • Keep portion sizes tiny
    • Use the ‘buffet rule’
    • Rehearse tricky moments

    3. Supporting communication when routines are disrupted

    Holiday time actually offers more opportunities for communication, just in different ways.

    Strategies:

    • Slow down and follow your child’s lead
    • Use everyday routines as language opportunities
    • Keep AAC going even if casually

    4. Understanding holiday ‘regressions’ and know they’re temporary

    This is almost always due to nervous system overload. Children don’t truly ‘lose’ skills; they temporarily prioritise regulation over learning.

    5. A gentle January reset: How to start the New Year smoothly

    • Re-establish predictability early
    • Return to preferred foods
    • Book early support if needed
    • Focus on regulation first

    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.

    Reference:

    Bronson, M. (2000). Self-regulation in early childhood. Guilford Press.

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  • Tongue-Tie: A complex issue requiring careful assessment

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, is a condition where the lingual frenulum, the thin piece of tissue that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is too short or tight. Tongue-tie is quite common in babies and is often not detected after birth. Tongue-tie can lead to a difficult start with breast feeding as it makes it very difficult for the baby to latch effectively.

    In my clinical experience as a feeding therapist, I have seen many babies who were not able to latch well due to the frenulum being tight. In many cases an experienced feeding speech therapist/lactation consultant can really make a difference and help a new mum to latch the baby even though the tongue is tethered to the floor of the baby’s mouth. In some cases the frenulum can be divided and once this has been done, in some cases, feeding improves immediately or soon after the division. But this is not always the case. I have seen several babies who have had as many as four tongue-tie divisions and feeding was still difficult.

    It is important to say that while tongue-tie can sometimes impact speech and feeding, it’s important to note that it’s not always the root cause of these difficulties. In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in tongue-tie division surgeries, with some cases being unnecessary. It’s crucial to understand the complexities of tongue-tie and the role of speech therapy in addressing related challenges.

    The impact of tongue-tie on speech and feeding

    When tongue-tie is severe, it can interfere with the tongue’s ability to move freely, affecting speech production and swallowing. Some common speech and feeding difficulties associated with tongue-tie include:

    • Feeding difficulties: Challenges with sucking, chewing, and swallowing.
    • Drooling: Excessive drooling due to difficulty controlling saliva.
    • Speech problems: Difficulty producing certain sounds, such as /l/, /r/, /t/, /s/ and /d/.

    The importance of comprehensive assessment

    Before considering any surgical intervention for tongue-tie, it’s essential to undergo a thorough evaluation by a qualified speech-language therapist (SLT). An SLT can assess the severity of the tongue-tie, its impact on speech and feeding, and determine if surgery is necessary.

    • Functional assessment: The SLT will assess the tongue’s range of motion, its impact on speech sounds, and the child’s overall oral motor skills.
    • Feeding evaluation: The SLT will observe the child’s feeding patterns and identify any difficulties related to tongue-tie.
    • Differential diagnosis: The SLT will rule out other potential causes of speech and feeding difficulties, such as apraxia of speech, dysarthria, or sensory processing disorders.

    The role of speech therapy

    Even in cases where tongue-tie is present, speech therapy can often be highly effective in addressing speech and feeding difficulties. Here’s how speech therapy can help:

    • Articulation therapy: Targeting specific speech sounds that may be affected by tongue-tie.
    • Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): if the diagnosis by the SLT has shown that in fact the child has motor planning difficulties then there are very specific and effective treatment programmes that help with this and can make a real difference over time.
    • Feeding therapy: Strategies to improve swallowing, chewing, and oral-motor skills.
    • Sensory integration: Addressing underlying sensory processing issues that may contribute to feeding difficulties.

    London Speech and Feeding Case Study: The importance of comprehensive assessment

    One of my clients was initially diagnosed with tongue-tie and recommended for surgery at the age of eight years old. His speech had been perceived by parents and teachers as ‘mumbled and unclear’.

    However, after a thorough evaluation, I was able to determine that the child’s primary issue was apraxia of speech, a neurological disorder that affects motor planning for speech. Parents decided to wait with surgery and trust my judgment and we proceeded with weekly intensive speech therapy to address motor planning difficulties around tricky sounds and words. I am delighted to say that the child’s speech has improved significantly, demonstrating the importance of comprehensive assessment and individualised treatment. He is no longer seen as a candidate for an operation, which would have been traumatic for him at his age and, as it turned out, entirely unnecessary.

    Below is a short video clip of my working on the /l/ sound with this child.

    Using the Gingo Puppet from GingoTalk

    Conclusion

    Tongue-tie is a complex issue that requires careful evaluation and individualised treatment. While surgery may certainly be necessary in some cases, it’s essential to consider the potential benefits and risks. Speech therapy can be a highly effective approach for addressing speech and feeding difficulties associated with tongue-tie, even in cases where surgery is still required. By working with a qualified speech-language therapist, parents can ensure that their child receives the best possible care and support.

    Please feel free to 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.

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