Today is Sunday. Why do I always start out by telling you guys the day of the week? I'm sure you're aware. I'm sure you even aware of not only the day but the approximate hours left of weekend freedom before Monday hits. I don't mean to insult you.
Either way, my declaration of Sunday is more so made to inform that even though it is not a workday, I am bringing you something work-related in nature. That being, a speech post about one of my favorite topics...articulation and stimulability!
I love how whenever I type stimulability into Word or an evaluation that annoying red, underlined swiggle comes up suggesting it's not a real thing. Of course its a real thing. And something worth talking about since what works for one child often does not work for another.
That being said, here are my favorite stimulability tricks for my favorite consonant sounds. Some of these are grad school "duh" suggestions, and others are a result of me just playing around. Just depends on how cray-cray you want to get. Or how cray-cray you're going trying to stimulate a particular sound with minimal or no luck. Ah. Such fun.
Stimulability Tricks & Tips
Baby trick: Tilt head back, pretend to drink water.
Advanced ninja: Tongue depressor for exterior tongue base movement while approximating sound.
SLP master move: Can of (cream cheese) frosting. Dip spoons into frosting and demonstrate the above trick using the spoon; encourage child to imitate. If child will allow you to use the spoon to help with tongue base movement also do so.
/f/, /v/:
Baby trick: Use verbal cue "bunny sound". Bring stuffed bunny rabbit toys or pictures to use as a visual and verbal stimulus. Demonstrate over-articulation of sound with front teeth coming over bottom lip.
Advanced ninja: Use phone camera app during simultaneous production while prompting with verbal cue, "Where's your bunny sound?"
SLP master move: No real master move. If none of the above have worked, you're SOL.
/l/:
Baby trick: Use mirror to encourage imitation while demonstrating tongue tip to alveolar ridge.
Advanced ninja: Use phone camera app to replace mirror in above tip.
SLP master move: Place peanut butter, frosting, or other "lickable" spread on alveolar ridge and ask client to lick it off while approximating sound. You may also use a exaggerated production of /l/ by sticking the tongue out of the mouth and approximating tongue tip to the front face of the upper teeth before retracting.
My general preferences for encouraging placement accuracy are:
- Touch cues (provided the child will tolerate);
- Initial over-articulation;
- Corresponding handcues; and
- Mirrors/camera apps.
These can apply to any number of consonant sounds.
Do you have any favorite stimulability tricks?:)
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