- Assessment of tongue tie
- Screening for sleep and airway issues
- Mouth breathing and open mouth posture
- Breaking thumb-sucking and other oral habits
- Tongue thrust swallowing
- Lisps associated with a tongue thrust
- Chewing difficulties
- Impacted dentition and post-orthodontic intervention
- Pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
- Asymmetrical appearance of the face or lips
- Taking supplementary breaths through their mouth or sounding out of breath when reading aloud.
- Chapped, dry lips.
- Daytime sleepiness with dark circles under their eyes.
- Snoring/audible breathing and/or tooth grinding at night.
- Recurrent need for grommets and/or nasal sprays.
- Had adenoids and tonsils removed.
- History of speech articulation difficulties (i.e., lisps)
- Previous difficulties latching and the presence of oral ties.
- Dental crowding or no space between baby teeth.
- Malocclusions (i.e., open-bite, deep-bite, under-bite, over-jet)
- Oral habits (i.e., nail-biting, thumb-sucking or prolonged dummy use)
- Elongated facial features.
- A small jaw and/or associated pain.
- Elongated facial features, overactive facial muscles, jaw pain, etc.
- Attention/concentration/behavioural concerns and anxiety.
The Allied Health capability framework provided by health.vic is to understand the capabilities of allied health to support the needs of those with disability.
The domain of Individual support and its capabilities are as follows:
1. Understands disability and complex support needs
2. Promotes independence and informed choice
3. Works in partnership with the person to set and achieve goals
4. Thinks flexibly and tailors interventions to the person
5. Communicates effectively
6. Works collaboratively with the person’s supports
Interprofessional practice:
7. Operates within the scope of practice
8. Collaborates with interprofessional
Systems:
9. Navigates the National Disability Insurance Scheme
10. Collaborates across service systems
Quality, Safety and Ethics:
11. Acts ethically and resolves conflicts
12. Promotes safety, quality and inclusion
Dyslexia is a very common learning disability in Australia, with an estimated 20% of children suffering from mild to severe dyslexia. By working with a speech pathologist for speech therapy for dyslexia, individuals gain several benefits.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia, primarily known as a language-based disorder, significantly impacts an individual’s ability to read. For individuals with dyslexia, honing reading strategies and skills becomes a vital part of their journey.
The role of speech therapy in managing dyslexia
Speech pathologists help with the assessment and treatment of dyslexia. They are trained to access overall language skills, including those critical to reading, such a phonological awareness and subsequent targeting intervention to help individuals with dyslexia learn to read.
Phonological awareness is essential for reading, writing, rhyming, and manipulating syllables, such as blending and segmenting. These skills allow us to understand what sounds make up a particular word and manipulate sounds to form words. Programs that target phonological awareness and literacy skills are available, such as ‘The Gillon Phonological Awareness Training Programme.’
Benefits of speech therapy for dyslexia
- Building Phonological Skills: A key focus in dyslexia therapy is enhancing phonological awareness. This makes the process of reading and writing more approachable and less daunting.
- Reading with Ease and Understanding: Through speech therapy sessions, individuals with dyslexia can improve their reading skills. This leads to better understanding and enjoyment of reading, turning a challenging task into a delightful experience.
- Growing Confidence: As reading becomes less challenging, there is often a wonderful growth in self-esteem. This newfound confidence can positively influence all areas of life, including school and social situations.
Speech pathologists at Connect2Care
Connect2Care’s experienced Speech Pathologists are ready to provide expert, caring assistance to unlock the full potential of every individual. Contact us today to learn more about our dyslexia therapy services and how we can support your journey towards success and confidence.
References:
1. The Gillon Phonological Awareness Training Programme booklet: Microsoft Word – programme booklet 2008.doc (canterbury.ac.nz)
2. Reading Rockets | Launching Young Readers this website provides general information about reading and some research-based reading strategies/intervention; it is also a good source for finding the appropriate books based on age, genre, and reading level.
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The Wonders of Shared Book Reading Research has indicated that interactive shared book reading can support a wide range of early language skills and that children who read regularly in the early years learn language faster, enter school with a larger vocabulary and become more successful readers.
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Speech Pathologist Hannah’s Top Tip |
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To enhance shared book reading, the ‘4 comments, 1 question’ strategy can be implemented. When reading with the child, make 4 comments on each page. For instance: ‘The bird is flying’ or ‘The bear is brown’. Follow this with 1 question. For instance: ‘What colour is the bear?’. This strategy exposes children to a greater amount of vocabulary and further develops comprehension abilities.
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Connect2Care is a leading provider of therapeutic services focused on meeting the needs of children and adults living with disability in our community. As a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, we offer Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Exercise Physiology, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Allied Health Assistants, Social Workers, and Dietetics.
