When your child has a communication disorder, it impacts the entire family dynamic. Communication disorders can also impact your child’s educational success and ability to lead an independent life in adulthood. Now is the time to take action so that you can successfully teach your child who has a communication disorder.
Doing Hands-on Activities
Hands-on activities such as building a Lego set or drawing a picture are a great way to begin teaching your child. While a communication disorder may make it difficult for your child to explain things with words, your child’s skills at drawing, building or demonstrating may be able to communicate his or her ideas just as well as words could. As your child draws a picture or builds a structure, use words to describe what he or she is doing. Your child may be able to repeat or comprehend the words as you use them. These hands-on activities are also ideal for early readers.
Using Multimedia Tools
Multi-media tools and electronic devices can also help with teaching a child who has a communication disorder. There are software packages available to purchase or for free that allow your child to learn the numbers, colors, alphabet and more. You can try out some of these programs at places such as the public library or at an early intervention program. Consider child-friendly apps for your smartphone or other electronic devices. These inexpensive apps are designed to be user-friendly for kids who have learning disabilities and other common types of communication disorders.
Participating in an Online Communication Disorder Programs
Participating in an online communication disorder program can help you to understand what is going on in your child’s brain. Many communication disorders originate in the language part of the brain, such as Broca’s area. Other disorders, such as autism, may also impact your child’s ability to communicate. An online communication disorder program will delve in-depth about the causes of communication disorders in children. You can use this information to understand how your child’s brain works and to explore ways of learning that will be the most beneficial to your child’s situation. A communication disorders online degree will also explore different techniques of teaching to your child’s learning style. For example, if your child is developmentally behind in speech and cannot explain to you in words or does not understand verbal commands, you may be able to try other strategies, such as American Sign Language or flash cards along with verbal cues to teach your child.
Working With a Speech Pathologist
Speech pathologists have at least a master’s degree and have many years of clinical training and experience with the identification of communication disorders. Working with a speech pathologist can help your family to develop skills in language production, understanding, comprehension and awareness. A speech pathologist may be able to help your child with speaking as well as reading and writing. Speech pathologists are also able to work as a part of a team with your child’s psychologist, physician, occupational or physical therapist and teacher. The goal of speech pathology services is to help your child overcome communication disorders and develop skills that allow for better understanding, comprehension and delivery of language.
Putting together a caring team of professionals is key to teaching your child. By educating yourself about communication disorders to finding a speech pathologist, child development specialist and pediatrician who understands the complexities of communication disorders, you will have the tools that are needed in order to teach your child. Patience, persistence and trying a variety of activities will all help you to teach your child, no matter what type of a communication disorder he or she has.