May is Better Hearing and Speech Month.  As part of this month’s special emphasis, the therapists at Park Cities Speech, Language & Learning Center hope that you can find time to work with your child in these small ways:

1. Limit the use of technology and increase motivation for natural social interaction.
2. Start a new family tradition of telling jokes to share a laugh or two after dinner. Verbal humor boosts language comprehension skills. Play games together, such as cattergories, Catch Phrase or Apples to Apples.
3. Encourage your child to imagine what other people are thinking in a given situation. "How do you think Suzy felt when she heard that?"
4. Challenge your family to eliminate one-word responses. Consider little incentives, verbal praise or special privileges for responses that are more detailed. "No, thank you though."

The road to better speech and hearing begins with small steps and can build valuable communication skills.