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Speech Therapy Department provides therapy services that are family-centered and culturally competent using evidence-based approaches. Our main objective is to enhance the capabilities of families to meet the speech, language, communication and feeding needs of the children with cerebral palsy.
The major feeding problems which the children with cerebral palsy have are the insufficient mouth, head and trunk control, lack of sitting balance and poor eye-hand coordination skills for independent eating. The parents are being trained in learning various feeding techniques and together with therapists discussing the child’s diet to ensure proper food intake for the child’s overall growth.
For the children with cerebral palsy, it is not lack of intelligence or effort which prevents them from speaking correctly but their difficulties are due to sensorimotor impairment. Play is a form of learning for children. It is normal for a child to enjoy playing different kind of toys and objects, listening to what we talk yet not to “say” anything. All these will help to develop sensory avenues which are necessary for the formation of language.
When a child is making attempt to speak but not successful, don’t try to immediately correct his/her speech. Let the child play with his speech and sound, although his/her speech may sound unintelligible to us. Urging them to say the correct sound or to repeat a word will take away all the joy and pleasure they have in talking. Parents are encouraged to talk to their child naturally and guide the child to experience speech in day-to-day living in a fun and interesting way.