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17
J., a little boy with a language disorder and a physical handicap,
due to brain injury, was admitted to a special school. His particular
difficulty was the inability to put names to objects and
formulate and express his thoughts in words. Through contact with
the class teacher, it was possible to co-operate and co ordinate
presentation of material to be learned, and to tackle the feared
reading situation by indirect methods. This approach combined
with special training to surmount the nominal dysphasia allowed
J. to feel master of his difficulty and the increased confidence
he derived permitted him to face rather lengthy treatment of the
remaining language disorder.
M., a boy in his teens, was referred for psychiatric help and
Speech Therapy. Subsequent to treatment at the Child Guidance
Clinic he attended the Speech Clinic for treatment of stammering.
Individual help aimed at establishing confidence in his speech
mechanism and in his ability to use it. He did in fact respond
extremely well and among other achievements to his credit he
entered a poetry speaking competition at his school after only
eight visits to the clinic and was very well placed. His
mounting confidence paved the way to further success to the
point where speaking situations no longer held any fear for him.
P., aged 6 years, was referred on account of his almost
unintelligible speech and unusual voice. He was in fact a
chronic mouth breather because of the gross enlargement of his
adenoids in addition his uvula was deformed to the extent that
it restricted the movement of the soft palate, in consequence
his voice lacked nasal tone. He was referred to the E.N.T.
clinic and following treatment there he returned to the Speech
Clinic for correction of the dyslalia and the persisting voice
defect. The latter was due to habit, the soft palate having
become lazy. Exercises to stimulate vigorous movement of the
palate corrected this laziness and normal voice was soon
achieved. Articulation games and exercises were no longer
difficult for F. and within nine months of his being referred to
the clinic he was discharged with normal voice and speech.