Elizabeth Smithson, MSP, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has over 10 years of professional experience working with infants, children, adolescents and adults. She earned her Master of Speech Pathology at the University of South Carolina. Liz is also a Level 5 TalkTools® Trained Therapist. She has received specialized training in Oral Placement Therapy, Speech, Feeding, Apraxia, Sensory Processing Disorders, and PROMPT©. Liz works with clients with a wide range of disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She works through her own private practice Elizabeth Smithson Therapy, LLC in the home setting and in the TalkTools® office in Charleston, SC.

 

Hi Karen,

I would advise that you work on the Bite Tube Set starting with the Red Bite Tube. This will work on your client's jaw strength and as you work through the bite tubes you can revisit the bite blocks. You would look to see if he is later able to achieve the "natural bite" and "bite hold" required with the bite blocks. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks,

Liz

 

Elizabeth Smithson, MSP, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has over 10 years of professional experience working with infants, children, adolescents and adults. She earned her Master of Speech Pathology at the University of South Carolina. Liz is also a Level 5 TalkTools® Trained Therapist. She has received specialized training in Oral Placement Therapy, Speech, Feeding, Apraxia, Sensory Processing Disorders, and PROMPT©. Liz works with clients with a wide range of disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  She works through her own private practice Elizabeth Smithson Therapy, LLC in the home setting and in the TalkTools® office in Charleston, SC.

What tools and continuing education materials do you recommend for working with children on vocalic r?

 

Rose  

 

Hi Rose,

The first thing that I would recommend that you purchase would be Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson's book: Oral Placement Therapy for Speech Clarity and Feeding.  On page 20 in the book, she gives you a list of oral placement activities to use to work on vocalic "R".  The activities listed on that page are included in the book.  After you look up each activity the book will tell you exactly what you need to order and how to use it.

Hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any other questions. 

Thanks,

Liz

 

Elizabeth Smithson, MSP, CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has over 10 years of professional experience working with infants, children, adolescents and adults. She earned her Master of Speech Pathology at the University of South Carolina. Liz is also a Level 5 TalkTools® Trained Therapist. She has received specialized training in Oral Placement Therapy, Speech, Feeding, Apraxia, Sensory Processing Disorders, and PROMPT©. Liz works with clients with a wide range of disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  She works through her own private practice Elizabeth Smithson Therapy, LLC in the home setting and in the TalkTools® office in Charleston, SC.

Hi Ms. Rosenfeld-Johnson,

 

I took your oral placement technique course in New York a few weeks ago. I have a few clients who have difficult with the /r/ and tried out the robot technique. A lot of those same kids also have trouble producing the glottal fry -- do you have any pointers for me?

 

Thanks so much! And thanks for your wealth of knowledge. Your course really changed the way I look at a lot of my kids!!

 

Karen

Hi Karen,

Thank you for your kind words about the class content. I love this therapy and hope to share its benefits with other SLPs who have not had the opportunity to learn the techniques through their schooling. To hear that my work has changed, and I hope, benefited the way you look at your clients is a true gift so I thank you for that.

As to your question.... I have two responses:

1) You can hold a jiggler vibrator next to the child's neck so he/she can feel extra vibration in the laryngeal area. Use the direction of turning on the motor in your throat as you ask the child to say the "ee" sound.

2) You will not need to teach the robot voice if the client can produce the required placement without the voice. It is only used if the client has trouble feeling the "back of tongue side spread" placement against the upper palate. I hope one of these options answers your question.

Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson, MS, CCC-SLP