Speech & Language Therapy

 In the speech Therapy section in clinic of GIMRC assessment of speech, language and hearing problems is done on a regular basis along with providing remedial measures.For students of GIMRC a complete individual rehabilitation / educational programme is discussed with the class teacher to increase and built the linguistic skills. For a vocational or a prevocational student more and more emphasis is laid on the enhancement of pragmatic skills (use of language) in daily conversational situation.

The following services are avilable at the clinic:-

1. Hearing Tests:-The tests conduted are behavioral observation Audiometry (BOA), Pure Tone Audiometry(PTA).

2. Individual Therapy:- No two Mentally Challenged children show the same problem. They show all varieties of speech & language disorders. Hence individualized therapy is given addressing the unique needs of a particular mentally challeged child.

3. Group Therapy:-

a) Target Population:-Group Therapy is given to those children who have already developed the basic concepts of communication.

b) Purpose:-

1. To generalize the previously learned concept by peer interaction

2. To maximize pragmatic skills of mentally challenged children.

3. To motivate socially isolized child for interaction & to increase his participation in communication with the peer group.

4. To induce language acquisition in an informal but strctured environmental setting.

  Outreach Program:- As apart of our activity to reach out to general population & create awareness about the problems of communication in Mentally Challenged Children, we periodically conduct camps, parent training program & seminar/workshops for professional & parents.

HEARING SCREENING CHECKLIST:-

1)        Does your child awaken at loud sounds? (At Birth)

2)        Does your child startle or cry at noises?   (At Birth)

3)        Does your child listen to speech? (At Birth)

4)        Does your Child Listen to soft Sounds?  (3 Months)                                                                                 

5)       Does your child seem to recognize mother’s voice?  ( 3 Months)

6)     Does your child stop playing & appear to listen to sounds or speech? ( 3 Months)                  

7)      Does your child try to turn toward the speaker? (3 Months)

8)        Does your child respond to “NO” & his /her name? (3 Months)

9)        Does your child turn his/her head toward the side where the sund is cming from ?  (3 Months)

10)   Does your child search or look around when hearing new sounds? (1 Year)                                  

11)  Does your child trun to look up where you call ? (1 Year)

12)  Does your child respond to requests ("Come here", "Do yoy want more"?)  (1 Year)

13)  Does your child notice sounds (Dog barking, Telephone ringing , television sounds, knocking at door and            so on ) ? (4 years)

14)   Does your child hear television or radia at the same loudness level as other members of family ? (4 Year)

15)  Does your child hear you when you call from another room? (1 Year) 

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS:-

1.    There should be a frequent interaction between parents/care givers and child. Child attends to what parents & teachers do and say & enjoys   their attention and praise, as well as interacts with them.

2.   Encourage the child or adult with mental handicap to be more involved and interested in the surrounding.

3.    Mentally challenged Children need to be given opportunities to interact with others, so that they can indicate  their preferences, elicit                attention, ask question & give instructions.

4.      Intervention should focus both on comprehension & expression of sounds, words, sentences, gestures & their use.

5.    In the social environment,play activities form major learning modes for children &should be made use of optimally.

6.   It is essential to emphasize all forms of expression, speech, gestures, signs & communication boards. Emphasis must not lie only with           speech.

7.    Selection of targets and activities should be suitable to the child’s level & problems rather than adults wishes.

8.     Provide adequate speech and language stimulation to the child.

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