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Our team of Ipswich based Speech Pathologists are ready to support your child with disability to reach their communication goals. In this article, we provide some simple speech pathology tips to support your child on their communication journey. At Xavier we recognise that each child is different and their journey will be as unique as they are. We support children and young people at their own pace to grow and develop their skills.

Here are some of the ways that we work with children and young people with disability in the Ipswich area, that you can also try at home.

Repetition

Repeating the same words or phrases over and over in the correct context makes them more memorable to your child and over time they will become more meaningful. In the context of everyday activities, meaningful repetition, will help your child to understand and use the words (or phrases) in their own communication.

Modelling

Modelling means to demonstrate so it means to use your chosen communication tool at every opportunity, making it part of everyday life. For example signing for “sleep” or “bed” at bedtime or using a PODD book to communicate that you are hungry and will make lunch. Your child will begin to understand that they can mirror this communication to express their wants and needs.

Scheduling

Set time aside each day or each week that is dedicated to speech therapy activities at home like playing games or reading together with your child outside of their formal therapy setting. This will help you to fit speech therapy activities into your busy schedule and set the expectation for your child of when this will take place.

Offer choices

Throughout your day, provide choices to your child so that they need to communicate what they would like based on the options provided. Depending on your child’s ability you may provide just two choices. For example “would you like a banana or a mandarin?” or you might ask “would you like to go to the park or the beach this morning?”.

Further information

Our team of dedicated Speech Pathologists based in the Ipswich area are ready to support more children and young people with disability to reach their communication goals. Call us today on 1800 XAVIER, visit our Speech Therapy page or email intake@xavier.org.au for further information.