ASHA CEU Course #393 Prelinguistic Skill #8 Vocalizes Purposefully

Join pediatric speech-language pathologist Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP as she continues her podcast series discussing prelinguistic skills all toddlers master before words emerge. This show reviews the 8th prelinguistic skill… vocalizes purposefully. This milestone means that a child understands that he alone can control his own little voice. When I talk about this with parents, I describe this process as becoming “noisy.” All children, whether they talk on time or late, must progress through a phase of vocal play and experimentation so that they gain practice using their voices. Children may be quiet for a variety of purposes. Regardless of the specific etiology, parents should understand that all talk begins with the ability to volitionally produce sound. SLPs should provide parents an explanation of basic speech sound production, including simplified versions of the neurological processes that occur when we vocalize and generate language. Listen to the show for strategies to facilitate more consistent vocalizations in nonverbal toddlers. Therapists… get 1 hour of CE credit for this show for only $5.

Get noisy yourself! Focus on saying more “sound effects” during play and daily routines. Slurp your drinks, grunt as you open lids, make animal and vehicle noises, clear your throat, fake sneeze, etc… Listen to the podcast for loads of additional examples. Imitate a toddler’s sounds. It’s extremely rare that a child never produces sound. Repeat any sounds or babbles you hear. This is “reciprocal imitation” and it can be powerful. Make sure a child can see you so that he knows you’re intentionally repeating him and trying to encourage him to vocalize. Move! Movement is a fantastic way for helping a toddler regulate her system so that she can “rev up” and begin to make noise. With toddlers who are very quiet, this is your best initial strategy. Any kind of physical movement can work – but initially aim for 10 – 15 minutes of continuous movement. Some children will require more. While the child is moving, you’ll need to be loud yourself to prompt any noise he might make. Think sounds, not words. Listen to the show for practical ideas. Change your space. Sometimes a new location can promote a different response from a toddler. Use crowd noise. Encourage a child to try to vocalize when he’s in a noisy environment. Simulate crowd noise by playing as a group. Listen to the show for instructions.