Stage 2 NLA

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
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Image by Freepik

Last time we asked: is our child ready tp move to Stage 2 NLA (Natural Language Acquisition stage 2) and we looked at how we can know. Now we know: he/she is ready, they are mixing and matching those scripts quite liberally! Hurrah!

So for example we hear phrases like:

  • ‘let’s go’+ ‘downstairs’
  • ‘it’s’ + ‘downstairs’
  • ‘I see it’ + ‘downstairs‘
  • ‘I want to’ + ‘shoes downstairs’ (I want to put my shoes on downstairs)

To recap, it’s important to listen out to a variety of contexts because if we only hear the single version of a gestalt —this is so great, hurrah!— but that’s not yet Stage 2.

What we can now do on a daily basis to help and support at this time:

1. We need to offer more ‘mix and match’ phrases to help our child establish this new way of communicating.

Good phrases:

  • It’s … raining / cooking / eating / washing / brushing
  • That’s … great / cool / amazing / wow / so good
  • Let’s … see / look / go / run / chase
  • How’bout … some food / playing / I’ll chase / sleeping / we read a book
  • I see a … bird / large car / fire engine
  • I wanna … have a biscuit / have a book / have a snuggle
  • We’re … going out / going home / going in the car / going upstairs

Here in my video clip of train play I use:

  • Let’s go
  • It’s going up the hill
  • It’s coming down
  • Ooops it falls!
  • It’s stopping
  • Let’s put on another parcel
  • Ready steady go
  • Off we go
  • It’s come off!
  • Let’s fix it
  • I can do it
  • I don’t need help

You can offer these gestalts either with an AAC as you can see me do in the video clip or you can just verbally offer these.

2. Watch out for Pronoun confusion or reversal:

Gestalt kids repeat gestalts, so we don’t want to create ‘pronoun reversal’.

Instead model from a:

  • first person perspective: ‘I’ / ‘Our’ / ‘Us’
  • joint perspective: ‘We’ / ‘Let’s’ or a
  • neutral perspective: ‘It’

You can turn almost any sentence into a good language model once you get used to it. And you can avoid ‘you’ and ‘your’ at the same time!

So instead of saying, ‘Do you want to go to the park?’

You could say:

  • We wanna go to the park?
  • Let’s go out?
  • Shall we go out / to the park?

3. Start providing ‘variation’ in your language modelling:

Instead of just modelling something one way, start thinking about offering a pattern in a couple of other ways, in a couple of different situations, then several ways in several different situations.

Example: once you hear your child saying: ‘it’s raining’ and you know it’s a mitigation, because you don’t often say ‘it’s raining’, or haven’t said it in a while and you know your child says other ‘it’s’ phrases.

Repeat: ‘it’s raining!’

Then: ‘it’s’ + ‘raining hard’ / ‘it’s wet out there’ / ‘It’s’ + ‘raining lot’s’.

Then later think of other combinations for ‘it’s’ + ‘something’:

  • (rice) ‘It’s’ + ‘cooking’
  • (water/tap) ‘It’s’ + ‘running’
  • (radio) ‘It’s’ + ‘singing
  • (dog) ‘It’s’ + ‘peeing’ / ‘it’s’ + ‘running’ / ‘it’s’ + ‘jumping’

In my train video clip:

  • Let’s go
  • It’s going
  • Let’s make it go
  • Ready steady go
  • Oops its gone

4. Use natural intonation that shows you really mean what you’re saying.

You can be animated or try for musical if your child prefers that / doesn’t mind you singing —they might not like it if their hearing is pitch perfect and your singing is off key…—

  • ‘I’m’ + ‘trying to find you!’ (animated, goofy face)
  • ‘I’m’ +’ getting tired!’ (exaggerated stretch and yawn)
  • ‘I’m’ + ‘catching up with you!’ (animated goofy)
  • ‘I’m’ + ‘gonna get you!’ (animated goofy)
  • ‘I’m’ + ‘sad right now’ (exaggerated face and tone of voice)

5. USE SILENCE!

Important, I might not have said this before but we need to hold back sometimes (hard I know) and not constantly offer models. Let our child sit in a bit of silence with us there just observing and waiting for their own offers. This is a very important point. Silence is golden sometimes. Try it out. I am not talking about the silence that comes with a person scrolling on their phone though, we do need to be present and receptive.

You will see this works wonders!

Do get in touch if you would like some in-person or on-line 1:1 support with this. It can be overwhelming to figure it all out alone.

You can also check my friend’s lovely handmade jewelry on her website.

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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    Feeding therapy: A guide for parents and caregivers

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding
    Image by gpointstudio on Freepik

    Feeding therapy is a specialised form of therapy and support that helps children develop healthy eating habits and overcome challenges related to food. It’s often used for children with picky eating, feeding disorders, or sensory processing issues.

    What is feeding therapy?

    Feeding therapy involves a series of techniques designed to improve a child’s eating skills and attitudes towards food. In the UK it’s typically provided by speech and language therapists and dietitians. These professionals work closely with parents and caregivers to create a personalised treatment plan tailored to each child’s unique needs.

    How does feeding therapy work?

    Feeding therapy sessions are typically 30–60 minutes long and involve a variety of techniques, including:

    • Family counselling: Providing support and guidance to parents and caregivers. This can help address any practical, behavioural and emotional issues that may be impacting the child’s eating.
    • Play-based activities: Engaging children in fun activities while introducing new foods or textures. This can help alleviate anxiety and make mealtimes more enjoyable.
    • Sensory exploration: Helping children become more comfortable with different tastes, smells, and textures. This can be achieved through activities like touching, smelling, and tasting various foods.
    • Oral motor exercises: Improving chewing, swallowing, and lip coordination. These exercises can help children develop the necessary skills for eating independently.
    • Behavioural techniques: Using positive reinforcement to encourage healthy eating habits. This can involve rewarding children for trying new foods or eating a variety of meals.

    When is feeding therapy needed?

    Feeding therapy may be beneficial for children who:

    • Are picky eaters: Refuse to eat a variety of foods or have strong preferences.
    • Have feeding disorders: Experience difficulties with eating, such as swallowing or chewing.
    • Have sensory processing issues: Are sensitive to certain textures, smells, or tastes.
    • Have medical conditions: Such as autism, cerebral palsy, or gastrointestinal disorders.

    Feeding therapy strategies you can try at home

    While professional feeding therapy can be invaluable, there are several techniques you can try at home to support your child’s eating development:

    • Create a positive mealtime environment: Make mealtimes enjoyable and stress-free by avoiding distractions, limiting screen time, and creating a calm atmosphere.
    • Create regular mealtimes and mealtime routines: Introduce set ways of announcing meal times, including songs or short nursery rhymes, try and involve your child with table setting, even just carrying their spoon to the table and putting the beaker next to the plate and ensure that meal time finishes after about 30 minutes, again with a set routine so that the child always knows: this is how we do it in our home, now I am finished and meal time is over.
    • Introduce new foods gradually: Start with small amounts and gradually increase exposure. This can help reduce anxiety and make new foods less overwhelming.
    • Model healthy eating: Show your child how to enjoy a variety of foods by eating a balanced diet yourself.
    • Avoid forcing food: Allow your child to choose and explore foods at their own pace. Forcing them to eat can create negative associations with food.

    Seek professional help

    If you’re concerned about your child’s eating habits, consult with a feeding therapist. We can provide guidance and support.

    Remember, feeding therapy is a collaborative process between parents, caregivers, and professionals. With patience, understanding, and the right strategies, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits and enjoy meals.

    Would you like to know more about specific techniques or have any other questions about feeding therapy?

    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.

    1
  • · ·

    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.

    2
  • · ·

    Navigating the exciting 9–18 months journey: Your baby’s communication milestones

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    Between 9 and 18 months, your little one undergoes a remarkable transformation, blossoming from a curious explorer into a budding communicator. This period is filled with exciting milestones in speech, language, and social development. Let’s delve into what you can expect.

    9–12 months: The world opens up

    Communication takes flight

    • Babbling becomes more complex with a wider range of sounds. By babbling we mean syllables like: pa ga ka ma da and then ‘baba’ gohgoh’. First we hear one and two syllables together and then longer and longer strings! This is so exciting!
    • First words! One day around the 12 months–14 months mark we hear a first word! My older son’s first word was ‘Licht’ which is the German word for ‘light’ as literally every time I carried him along the corridors in our home, I pointed out the light switches to him and turned them off and on a few times. And each time I said ‘Licht!’ and it stuck! PS: sadly I cannot remember what my younger son’s first word was… poor second and third babies they just have to muddle along and call loudly to get noticed!
    • Understanding grows! Baby now understands simple instructions like ‘where is your ball’ and responds by looking to the ball across the room!

    Social butterflies

    • Your baby now starts to show interest in other children, and may try to copy their actions. Now we are getting proper traction with simple social games like peek-a-boo and patty-cake. Whilst your baby is generally interested in other people and children he or she may show separation anxiety when mum or dad or other familiar person suddenly leaves the room and they feel alone with strangers.

    Fine motor skills

    • Pincer grasp develops. This is where your child puts an index finger to the thumb in order to pick up of small objects, hold them and transfer them to either a box, back on the floor or into the other hand.
    • Your baby may start to explore objects by banging, shaking, and mouthing.

    12–15 months: Words are taking shape

    • Language explosion: From our early words we now suddenly see baby’s vocabulary expanding, with new words added each week. I would highly recommend parents keep a little journal of all the words they hear. If nothing else this is a wonderful aide-memoire for years down the road when you might like to reminisce about the first ten words. I promise you otherwise you won’t recall! (especially for second and third babies; I would do this now, had I the time again).
    • Understanding grows:
      • By about 15 months our baby can follow simple two-step instructions like ‘Go get your shoes and bring them here.’
      • Begins to understand the concept of ‘no.’ and that’s a very useful thing. Though before you breathe a sigh of relief… your toddler may well show you that he is understanding a ‘no’ though he may not stop doing what he is doing or come down off the table!
    • Playtime gets interactive:
      • Now we engage in more complex play, such as stacking blocks, pretending to eat with a spoon, and imitating actions.
      • Many toddlers now start showing an interest in picture books.

    15–18 months: Communication blossoms

    • Words combine: Towards 18 months or around about then your toddler may start to put two words together, such as ‘more milk’ or ‘bye-bye dada.’
    • Gestures and sounds: Now we also use gestures to communicate, such as pointing, shaking head ‘no,’ and waving ‘bye-bye.’
    • Exploration and curiosity:
      • Your toddler is now EVERYWHERE! Turn your back and he or she is gone! Your toddler now shows a strong sense of curiosity and explores their environment with enthusiasm.
    • Copying
    • Look out for actions and gestures your toddler will copy such as clapping hands or patting a cushion or banging a spoon on the table .

    Remember

    • Every child develops at his or her own pace.
    • These are just general guidelines, and some children may reach certain milestones earlier or later than others.
    • If you have any concerns about your child’s development, please consult with your speech and language therapist. We are always keen to hear from parents and happy to help promote all those lovely early skills.

    General tips to encourage communication if you feel your child needs a little more help

    • Talk, talk, talk! Engage in frequent chatting with your child.
    • Listen to your child: Allow for periods of silence when playing with your child to allow them to say something or make sounds which you can then copy and respond to.
    • Read aloud regularly. Use books with simple words and pictures.
    • Play interactive games: Hickory Dickory Dock, Row Row the boat, Old McDonalds, 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed, chasing and catching, tickling games.
    • Respond to your child’s babbling and gestures. You can copy them or if your toddler says long strings of babbling you cannot understand you could just say: ‘Oh ok!? ‘yes that’s great!’ ‘who knew!’ ‘wow you’ve got much to say!’ as if you understood.
    • Limit screen time or if your child is very passionate about watching clips then sit and watch with your child so that you can see what is the best bit, which songs they like the best and what sort of phrases they love hearing.

    This exciting period of rapid growth and development is a precious time for both you and your child.

    By providing a loving, stimulating, and responsive environment, you will naturally nurture their communication skills! Any more questions, please get in touch!

    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
  • ·

    How we can help shape smooth consonant blends

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    For many children, especially those navigating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), the challenge isn’t just making individual sounds. It’s the ‘speech gymnastics’ required to move smoothly from one sound to the next.

    You might notice that instead of saying ‘Train’, your child says ‘Ter-ain’, or for ‘Frog’, you hear ‘Fer-og’. That sneaky little ‘uh’ sound in the middle is what we call a schwa vowel. In the world of speech science, this is known as epenthesis. It’s essentially a ‘repair strategy’ the brain uses to break up a difficult cluster of sounds into two easier pieces.

    While it might seem like a small detail, that tiny vowel makes a big difference in how fluent and clear a child’s speech sounds. In today’s post (and the video below), I am working with my student on ironing out that schwa by focusing on co-articulation—the art of getting the mouth ready for the second sound while still finishing the first.

    The ‘best friends’ strategy

    To help my student understand this complex movement, I use visual cues and a story. There are many ways to portray two sounds living closely together, but for this session, I used the ‘Best Friends’ story.

    In our story, the /T/ and the /R/ are older brother best friends who want to play together. The ‘schwa’ sound is represented by a little sister who keeps trying to jump in the middle of their game! Because my student has a younger sister, this scenario was instantly familiar and helped him visualise why we needed to ‘close the gap’ between those two sounds.

    Alternative methods I often use:

    Beyond stories, I often use other visual and tactile methods to show the closeness of two sounds:

    • The sliding finger: I draw two dots on a paper—one for /T/ and one for /R/. We slide a finger quickly from one to the other. I might say, ‘Don’t let the ‘uh’ monster jump in the gap!’
    • The rubber band: We stretch a rubber band as we speak. I tell my student that the word is one long, smooth stretch, rather than two separate ‘pops’.
    • Visual cues for ‘quiet’ sounds: I often put my finger to my lips or tap my throat to remind a child to keep the first sound voiceless. If the voice stays ‘off’ during the /T/, it’s much harder for that schwa vowel to creep in.

    The importance of ‘pure’ modelling

    A major hurdle in clearing up these blends is how we, as adults, model sounds. Often, when teaching the alphabet, we say ‘Kuh’, ‘Puh’ or ‘Tuh’. But if you listen closely, you’re actually adding a vowel! If a child learns that /K/ says ‘Kuh’, it’s only natural they will say ‘Kuh-R’ for /KR/.

    To give your child a cleaner blueprint, try modeling ‘pure’ sounds. Think of whispering rather than talking:

    • The /K/ sound: A short, sharp burst of air from the back of the throat. No voice! (A quiet /K/ click).
    • The /P/ sound: Just a ‘pop’ of air from the lips. If your throat vibrates, the vowel has snuck in.
    • The /T/ sound: A tiny tap of the tongue behind the teeth.

    Why is this important?

    You might ask, ‘If I can still understand them, does it really matter if they say “ter-ain”?’

    The goal of speech therapy isn’t just functional communication; it’s building phonological awareness. When a child adds extra vowels, it can eventually impact their literacy. If they hear ‘ter-ain,’ they are much more likely to eventually spell it as ‘terain’ or ‘traint’.

    By helping them master these clusters through co-articulation now, we are setting them up for success in reading and writing. And we are giving them the confidence to speak with ease.

    Feel free to contact me if your child needs help with clusters or other difficulties either aligned with Childhood Apraxia of Speech or other articulation difficulties.

    Sonja McGeachie

    Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

    Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

    References

    • Hall, N. (2011). Vowel Epenthesis. In The Blackwell Companion to Phonology (eds M. Oostendorp, C.J. Ewen, E. Hume and K. Rice). In this work, epenthesis is defined as the insertion of a vowel to break up complex consonant clusters into simpler, more manageable syllables. This is often viewed as a ‘repair strategy’ used by the brain when a transition between sounds is too complex to execute quickly.
    • Aichert, I., & Ziegler, W. (2004) Brain and Language 88(1):148-59. Syllable frequency and syllable structure in apraxia of speech. This research highlights that children with Apraxia often struggle specifically with word-onset clusters, leading to distortions like the schwa.
    • Browman, C. P., & Goldstein, L. (1992) Phonetica 1992;49(3-4):155-80. Articulatory Phonology: An Overview. This paper explains that fluent speech requires ‘gestural overlap,’ where the movements for two different sounds happen simultaneously. This supports the ‘Best Friends’ method of keeping sounds close together.
    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

  • Help! My child has a lisp. What can we do about it?

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    What is a LISP?

    There are different types of LISPS. Let me explain:

    A lisp is the difficulty making a clear ‘S’ and ‘Z’. Other sounds can also be affected by the tongue protruding too far forward and touching the upper teeth or the upper lip even. ‘T’ and ‘D’ can be produced with ‘too much tongue at the front’ and this can also have an impact on ‘CH’ and often also ‘SH’.

    1. Interdental lisp

    Protruding the tongue between the front teeth while attempting ‘S’ or ‘Z’ is referred to as interdental lisp; it can make the speech sound ‘muffled’ or ‘hissy’. Often, we associate a lisp with the person sounding a bit immature. The good news is that this type of lisp is the easiest to correct and, in my practice. I have a 100% success rate with this type of lisp.

    1. Lateral lisp

    In a lateral lisp the person produces the ‘S’ and ‘Z’ sounds with the air escaping over the sides of the tongue. This renders the ‘S’ as sounding ‘slushy’ or ‘wet’. This type of lisp is a bit harder to correct than the interdental lisp. In my experience this can be fixed but it might need a bit longer, more intensive therapy than the interdental lisp.

    1. Palatal lisp

    With a palatal lisp the ‘S’ sound is attempted with the tongue touching the palate, much further back than it should be. The ‘S’ sounds ‘windy’ and ‘hissy’. This is a quite rare lisp production but it is also not difficult to correct.

    These types of speech difficulties come under the category of ‘speech delay of unknown origin’ and may persist into adolescence and adulthood as ‘residual errors‘.

    Some thoughts on Treatment in general:

    Lisps can be treated successfully by a Speech and Language Therapist. However, for the treatment to work well, a student needs to be able to cooperate and want to improve his or her speech. Lisp remediation entails a fair amount of repetitive work and very young children or unmotivated older children don’t make the best candidates for treatment for this reason. Often students present with other speech, language or social communication difficulties and here the lisp might not be the priority for treating. For example, it might be that due to a student’s Attention Deficit Disorder they are simply not able to focus on speech practice in their daily life.

    When should treatment of lisp begin?

    Waiting well past 4½ years is not advisable as the longer we wait and do nothing the stronger engrained the erroneous tongue/speech habit will become. The ‘right’ age for therapy for one child may be different from the ‘right’ age for another child even within the same family. So do make an appointment with a speech and language therapist to assess and see whether your child might be ready to start therapy.

    Do lots of children lisp—is it normal?

    Until the age of about 4–4.5 years old it can be a perfectly normal developmental phase for some children to have the interdental lisp. But when we see and hear a lateral or palatal lisp we ought to act and see a speech and language therapist for sure.

    After the age of 4.5 or 5 years old most speech therapists would agree on at least having a look to see if treatment could be started. The longer we wait the harder it is to retrain the brain pathways to adopt new speech habits.

    What happens during the first Speech and Language Consultation?

    The first consultation takes about an hour and involves screening relevant areas of communicative function. We take a detailed history, examine the anatomy of the child’s mouth and tongue movements. We check for tongue tie, teeth formation, palate structure and function, as well as swallowing patterns.

    Then we begin straight away to try and see if any of the alveolar sounds (T/D/L/N) can be produced correctly with the right tongue placement as that would be the starting point from where to shape a good, clear ‘S’ sound.

    The first consultation usually ends with home practice being given, explained to parents and another appointment being made for follow up.

    Therapy – what does a session look like?

    Each therapy session consists of:

    1. Listening to sounds, discriminating sounds, identifying sounds, listening to rhyming sounds, sound awareness. We call this Auditory discrimination of single sounds: can the student hear the difference between two words that are the same apart from the first sound: ‘sing’ and ‘thing’ or ‘sigh’ and ‘thigh’?
    2. Sound production: using a variety of different prompts and cues we will teach how to physically make the new sound. Often, we work on making a NEW sound, instead of correcting the OLD one. We work on imitation of single sounds then gradually we try and make new sounds in short words, then longer words and then phrases and sentences.
    3. Games! We play games and try and have fun in between listening and producing our new sounds to help students stay motivated and even enjoy the therapy session and process.

    How long does it take to ‘fix up’ a lisp?

    It tends to take about one term with weekly sessions to help a student make good ‘S’ sounds in phrases and sentences. If the student can do the home practice every day in between the weekly sessions, then in most cases I am able to pronounce the lisp as ‘fixed’ after about one term.

    After that the student needs to practise, practise, practise, at home and in daily life to keep reminding themselves of their new skills and their new sound production.

    It is a matter of reminding and wanting to get it right. Occasionally a student returns to me for another term of simply practising their skills together with me as they are finding it hard for any number of reasons to practise at home. But generally, 8/10 students will be fine after some 12–13 sessions and their speech will be perceived as perfectly typical by family and friends.

    If your child has a lisp or any other speech error, please do not hesitate to contact me.

    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
  • · ·

    How can we support babbling and early speech development? SLT tricks and tips

    ByLondon Speech and Feeding

    My baby isn’t babbling and developing speech – what can I do to support?

    While every baby develops at their own pace, if your child isn’t babbling by nine months, it’s worth seeking help from an Early Intervention Health Professional, such as a doctor and a speech therapist. Don’t panic! There are many reasons for delayed babbling, and early intervention is key.

    In the meantime, it is highly recommended that we talk, sing, and read to our baby often. Exaggerate sounds and expressions, and respond to their coos and smiles. This playful interaction helps stimulate their communication skills.

    Below are some tips and tricks from my experience of working with babies and toddlers who need a little bit of help and support to develop.

    The benefits of imitating your baby

    Copying your baby’s sounds and gestures isn’t just silly fun, it’s a powerful learning tool! By mimicking their babbles and actions, you activate “mirror neurons” in their brain that help them connect sounds with meaning. This playful back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for conversation. Plus, it encourages them to copy you, building their own language skills and social interaction abilities.

    Image by freepik

    This is a nice clip on youtube showing how copying/imitating your baby looks like:

    Here are some fun ways to imitate your baby:

    • Matchmaker: Grab two of the same, or two similar toys your child loves, like rainmakers or shakers. Give one to your baby and keep the other for yourself. When your child plays with his/her toy, mirror his/her actions with yours! This creates a fun, interactive game.
    • Face Time: Get down to your baby’s level, sitting opposite him/her on the floor or kneeling. This makes eye contact easy and encourages him/her to look at you during your playful imitation.
    • Be the Funniest You: Go all out with silly faces, exaggerated sounds, and big gestures. The goal is to capture your baby’s attention and make you irresistible to watch. This playful energy encourages him/her to interact and potentially imitate you back!

    By incorporating these tips, you can turn imitation into a fun and engaging way to boost your baby’s communication skills. I have seen this happen numerous times over the past decades. It is very powerful, go ahead and try it! You cannot be silly and goofy enough!

    Great toy ideas:

    Steel Tongue Drum
    Baby Rainbow Rattle toys
    Organza Veil Fabric good for hide and seek
    Light up magic ball toy wand
    The Glowhouse flashing swivel fan
    Mini portable hand held body massager
    Hape Beaded Raindrops
    Bubbles – always handy keep in every room
    Montessori Mirror
    Antic Duck Peekaboo Knob Puzzle Suction Cup Spinner toys

    Did you know that speech and language development starts with how we talk to our babies?

    Adults naturally use a special way of speaking called motherese. It involves a higher pitch, slower pace, and exaggerated sounds compared to regular conversation. Sentences are simpler, with shorter words and repetition. This grabs babies’ attention, helps them distinguish sounds, and reinforces word meaning.

    Imitation is a key part of motherese. We wait for our baby to make a sound or gesture, then playfully imitate it with exaggeration. Babies notice this right away and often respond with more vocalisations, creating a mini conversation. This back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for future conversations.

    By responding warmly and engaging in these playful interactions, we encourage our babies to keep exploring the world of communication. Talking, singing, reading and, of course, imitating, these simple actions can have a big impact on a baby’s language development.

    Once your conversation is underway then try and keep it going for as long as possible. It’s a beautiful dance of turn-taking, even without words!

    A last word on oxytocin

    There’s evidence suggesting early non-verbal communication with your baby can increase a mother’s oxytocin levels, often called the ‘love hormone’. This hormone plays a key role in bonding and social connection. Positive interactions, touch, and stress reduction all contribute to oxytocin release, strengthening the mother–baby bond.

    For parents of babies with extra needs

    The stress of caring for a child with medical needs or developmental delays can be difficult. Stress can lower oxytocin levels, creating a cycle of sadness for both parent and child.

    Breaking the cycle:

    1. Knowledge is Power: Understanding the importance of communication can empower parents.
    2. Seek Support: Speech therapists and other healthcare professionals can provide valuable guidance on communication strategies.
    3. Start Small, Celebrate Big: Even small interactions can boost oxytocin. Focus on playful imitation and positive reinforcement. Remember, friends, family and healthcare professionals are there to encourage you.

    This approach can help reverse the negative cycle and create a more positive and connected relationship between parent and child.

    I hope this is helpful! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

    Kind regards

    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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