Patient's question:
Patient Age: Five and a half years oldCondition Description: Could say "daddy" at three years old but couldn't say "mommy," in good health
Past Treatment and Effects: Seen a doctor in the hometown, who said the tongue couldn't stick out properly, had surgery but it didn't work well
Help Needed: How can the child pronounce sounds correctly?
Doctor's answer:
First, it is essential to let the child know what is wrong! Right now, the child does not realize they have made a mistake. Because the way they speak, from pronunciation to sound, feels correct to them. Therefore, use a recording device to help the child understand that their voice is different from others. Then, explain to the child that the reason their voice is different from others is because their pronunciation method is different. Tell the child: "You need to change to the same pronunciation method as others to produce the same sound." Tell the child: "It's not that the sound is wrong. It's that the pronunciation method you are using is not the correct one for the sound you are trying to say. That's why you are producing a different sound." Tell the child: "A sound has only one correct pronunciation method. Use the correct method to produce the correct sound. If others use your pronunciation method, they will say the sound you are saying." Then, work with the child to study the differences in pronunciation methods and help the child correct their speech errors!