As you most likely know, my oldest son has a speech delay. It has been a slow process, but I know he is making great progress.
Back when we first confirmed he had a speech delay, I wanted to know how I could best work with him at home, and I did everything I could. We paid big bucks to put him in a private speech therapist, and we put him on several waiting lists for public help.
The private therapist and him didn't really mesh personality wise, and the money ran out, but we had seen progress with the tips she gave us at home. So I worked hard with him.
I searched and searched for any tools I could get, and bugged everyone I knew for what I could try with him. The one thing I hated the most was the lack of help there was out there for me. A lot of what I heard was to get a therapist, which I was doing, but I needed tangible things to try before that. But it took us over a year to get an appointment and then another couple of months to get our first assessment and another month to get in to sessions!
I recently discovered
My Speech Ways, and I really wish I had found it sooner! As soon as we had help Jack started picking up speech, but it took us so long to get the help. If I had this program I sincerely feel like we would have been further ahead of where we are right now. I was sent the SpeechWays Full Speech and Language Kit to try out.
Here are some of my favourite things about it.
First off when I got it the first thing I noticed is that it comes in a case, that looks like a big pencil case. The case fits all the cards, and has 3 rings so you can put it in a binder! I am slightly OCD about organization so this was huge for me. I quickly put it in Jack's learning binder (yes he has a binder with all the items given to us from the school, his speech therapy and the tons of books I bought him for getting ready for school).
The next thing that I loved was that they are all laminated! So when Jack touches them with less than clean hands, or Wesley grabs them, they can easily be wiped off! Or let's face it, I knock over my coffee I don't have to worry about it get ruined!
Leah (the creater and owner of Speechways) is a Mom (let's face it we love that, don't we?), and she was the one that pointed out they were laminated because I was so excited about the case I wrote back right away. Her response was
"Glad you like the packaging. I'm a mother, too, and I'm always thinking of things that would be more conveniet for us "frontline" people. If you'll also notice, the card stock is glossy, so if jelly is smudged on it or coffee or juice spilled, just wipe if off!"
Genius!
Ok so those are the non-speech related things, but it shows that there is great thought put into this product.
What is wonderful is as I read each card it sounded just like our speech therapists do. Each tip was exactly what they said in the speech therapy sessions. Leah R. Moryosef, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a licensed and certified speech language pathologist with 16 years experience working in private clinics, hospitals, and public schools. Ms. Moryosef has worked extensively with both children and adults with a variety of communication disorders, including disorders of articulation, language, voice, and fluency.
In my many emails back and forth with Leah we shared some of our frustrations of dealing with the systems in place and trying to get help. We both have a passion for helping others dealing with Speech delays. When I told her about my frustrations she wrote:
I was frustrated with the systems within which I work (public schools to be specific) and also the inconvenience and expense of going to a private clinic. For many, SpeechWays is all they'll need. Others might need just a few speech therapy sessions with a speech pathologist, and then they can continue the progress with SpeechWays. Still others might need many sessions with a speech pathologist, due to the severity of the problems, but then SpeechWays can act as the home program for faster carryover. It's a WIN-WIN-WIN!
On the cards it gives ideas of how to approach a sound, and what to try. But it also says if you have tried this and it isn't working, go back to this (which is what our therapist did), and it also tells you at what point you should check in with a speech therapist which I thought was great!
Jack and I have been using all the materials that we can and he really is progressing quite well. I am noticing that he is speaking clearer and working on the sounds that he isn't as good at.
SpeechWays even has sets where you can buy just certain sounds in case your child is having trouble with only specific sounds and not all of them!
I think this is a great system for everyone who has a child with a speech delay, no matter where you are in the process. There really is something you can benefit from!
Even just signing up for her newsletter or accessing her website will help you! Check out her
FAQs page. I love that it isn't the usual FAQs type of page. It gives tips on how to help your child's speech and getting others involved. It even gives her email address in case you are stuck! Who wouldn't love/need to have a speech therapist you can just send a quick "HELP" question to!
BUY IT: If you have a child with a speech delay or know someone who does (or even if your child is on target but you want to work on the sounds that are next on the developmental stage) go over and grab that set on her
site!
WIN IT: I am so excited to let you know that for one of you help is on it's way! Leah is giving one of my lucky readers a Speech Ways program of their choice! Whatever product you feel you can best benefit from!! Isn't that great??
Mandatory Entry: The mandatory entry must be completed before all other entries will be counted. Be sure to leave your email address with each entry. For each entry be sure to leave a seperate comment.
You must sign up for My Speech Ways
Newsletter (about 1/4 way down the page), and agree to be signed up for 6 months.
Note: Your inbox will not be filled with junk, but she does send out an email about once a month with helpful tips! Really I think you will benefit from this, and would recommend signing up for it even if you didn't want to register for the giveaway (but who wouldn't???)
Bonus Entries:
1 Entry: Go to her
site and tell me what item you would like and for who.
1 Entry: Go to her
site and tell me what 1 thing you learned.
1 Entry: Follow Me on Networked Blogs on the sidebar.
1 Entry: "Like" The Knit Wit on Facebook on the sidebar (please leave me you FB name to verify your entry).
1 Entry: Follow Me on Twitter on side bar
1 Entry: Tweet about this giveaway:
Know a child with a #Speechdelay check out this giveaway: http://bit.ly/chuyE3 #SpeechWays @knitwitshair
1 Entry: Enter my other giveaways and tell me which ones (1 comment per giveaway).
3 Entries: Update your Facebook status notifying people of this giveaway (link @the knit wit)
3 Entries: Post my button on your blog (let me know where I can find it).
1 Entry: Vote for me on "Top Mommy Blogs" on the right side bar.
5 Entries: For making a purchase from MySpeechWays
5 Entries: For each friend you refer to this giveaway who signs up for her newsletter!
Good Luck! This giveaway is open to Canada/US. Giveaway ends on August 31, 2010 at 11:55pm, as part of the Back to School Event.
Disclaimer: Please note that I received 1 SpeechWays Speech Kit for review purposes, and no payment was received. The opinons are my own.
.
