City Speech, Inc. speech and language therapy services    Go through the list of questions and if you find that you have answered yes to one or some of these questions, please contact City Speech, Inc. Here are some ways to help your preschool and early school-aged child enhance his/her speech and language: Does your child repeat parts of words, whole words, hold on to sounds, cannot get words out as if they are stuck? Has this lasted more than six months? Is your child difficult to understand? Do other people ask you what your child is saying? Does your child have difficulty following directions? Do you find that you have to repeat directions often and use gestures to try to guide them? Does your child have difficulty reading, spelling, or comprehending what she/he reads? Does your child have difficulty expressing and sequencing stories or events? Does your child have difficulty expressing his or her ideas clearly? Do you find that you have to ask a lot of questions to help clarify your child's message? Does your child have difficulty socializing with peers and/or adults? Does your child get easily frustrated when trying to communicate? Does he/she withdraw from talking situations? Is your child's voice hoarse sounding? Does he/she ever lose his/her voice? Reduce the amount of questions you ask your child. Try commenting instead such as "Look at the tree! It has big, green leaves on its branches." Expand what your child says. If he/she says "tree mommy" you can say, "I see the big tree." Model good speech and language rather than correcting errors directly. If you child says, "her big girl" you can say, "Yes she is a big girl." Label items in your child's environment. This will improve his/her vocabulary. Provide a simple definition. Ask you preschool and early school-aged child to answer questions from readings after each page. Ask them how they feel about the book and allow them to offer opinions. Have your child "read" his/her favorite book to you and show you the pictures. Self-talk. That is while you are doing something use good language to explain what your're doing. For example, while making a sandwich say, "First I am getting out the bread. Next I am spreading peanut butter on the bread., etc." Provide many opportunities for socialiation with peers and adults. Encourage independent communication. Read daily with your child. Let him/her hold the book. Focus on the printed words. Have him/her tell you the story. Label him/her as a reader and he/she will feel the power of reading. The love of books and reading is the key to success in school. Use every opportunity to develop language. A simple game of ball provides opportunity for eye contact, conversational turn taking, using language to request, reject, label and question. Provide good language models such as "My turn. Throw the blue ball to me." Teach concepts such as "You threw the ball way up high, low, next to, under, etc."