SLP Help Line: Please help--working with a young child who approximates

Please help--working with a young child who approximates

Posted by Laurel on 10/29/2009, 10:31 pm
69.123.110.91

Hello,

I posted about this a couple of weeks ago but wanted to update with a speech sample.

I'm working with a 2.9 year old preschooler who is on the autism spectrum. He imitates a lot of words but makes approximations, leaving off final consonants, deleting syllables and/or substituting consonants.

I'm not sure how to go about structuring therapy for improving intelligibility. I've been using Kaufman Praxis cards (the Vowel-Consonant section) modeling correct productions and providing tactile prompts to shape his vocalizations and add endings to words.

He's still a baby, though, and gets annoyed at this because he just wants to play (loves vehicles). His eye contact and joint attention are good.

I'm analyzing a short speech "sample" (he doesn't have much spontaneous language but will repeat many things).

For instance:
ahpoh = apple
goo = glue
boo = blue
dayyah = crayons
ohpee = open
ahyeeg = orange
puhpuh = purple
googay = excuse me
buh = boat
dus = bus
ahduhduh = open door

Thank you for any help!