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PARENTS GUIDE TO SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PROBLEMS
Your definitive guide for helping your speech-impaired child--cowritten by two in-the-trenches experts When a child has communication problems-- diagnosed or not--parents are first looking for a place to go for help. The Parent’s Guide to Speech and Language Problems is a one-stop resource, offering not just the most up-to-date medical information but also advice and encouragement from a mom who’s been there. Author Debbie Feit has two children with speech problems and knows what it takes to survive and thrive day-to-day as a family. No other book on the market can match this one for its combination of clinical research and real-world, hands-on parenting solutions.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2007
4 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Feit
3 books2 followersDebbie Feit is the mother of two children with speech disorders. A professional writer for 15 years, she is a regular contributor to Parents magazine and has written for Child, Good Housekeeping, and other national magazines. She is founder of ourspecialkids.com, a website for parents of kids with special needs.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 11, 2022
Wish I read this a couple years ago. It is amazing how similar my experience was compared to the author. I've been saying for a while now I wish there was a class to teach me how to handle the IEP process or explain how the insurance works. This book is the class. I highly recommend giving this a read. I'm 3 years into my son's speech apraxia diagnosis and we have been through a lot however I still learned new things from this book!
January 16, 2019
My some has an articulation diagnosis and an IEP with our local school district. Reading this book reaffirmed my suspicion that we have a great school district and a great speech pathologist working with my son. If you read this book post diagnosis you’ll end up reading a lot of text related to other speech conditions but you’ll also get broad coverage of speech issues that I found interesting.
April 20, 2021
Overall I would consider this book a helpful guide for the basics of enrolling your child into SLP services. Chapter 7-regarding complementary and alternative medicines for speech related issues- is misleading due to the lack of research behind it all. I would skip over chapter 7, but other than that great book!
June 4, 2016
I'm so very grateful to have come across this book when I did. I bought it when my two sons started to undergo testing for speech problems and autism. Not only did this book give me clear insight into what lay on the rough road ahead, it was my companion through the darkest days of the long process of finding help for my children.
In her very thorough book, Debbie Feit gives a detailed list of different kinds of language and speech problems that exist, what the possible causes are, and most importantly, what therapy is available for your child. I can't begin to express how helpful this was to my family when our sons were both diagnosed with Mixed Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder (MERLD). I was prepared for this diagnosis from reading this book, so I knew what to expect moving forward. In another chapter, Feit walks parents through the process of finding the right speech therapist for their particular situation. She reassures them that it's OK to not fall in love with the first therapist they meet. She says it's best to keep looking until they find one that their child not only responds well to, but feels safe with also. I happened to be reading this chapter as we found our older son's speech language pathologist (SLP) and thus felt very confident in our decision to stick with her. For parents who may be in tight financial situations or without good insurance coverage, Feit dedicates a solid chapter to helping parents understand their rights and options when it comes to matters of payment. There is a wealth of knowledge here for parents who are just entering this world of language disorders and for parents who are already submersed in it.
My favorite part of this book were the little quotes and personal experiences from parents who have children with speech and language problems. One woman speaks of the hardships involved in having children with disabilities, but faith in God helps her through every single day. She realizes that raising a special needs child is truly a calling from God for special parents. Such an outlook is very encouraging, and it is a reminder to me that my two special boys are not burdens but blessings of the highest kind.
In her very thorough book, Debbie Feit gives a detailed list of different kinds of language and speech problems that exist, what the possible causes are, and most importantly, what therapy is available for your child. I can't begin to express how helpful this was to my family when our sons were both diagnosed with Mixed Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder (MERLD). I was prepared for this diagnosis from reading this book, so I knew what to expect moving forward. In another chapter, Feit walks parents through the process of finding the right speech therapist for their particular situation. She reassures them that it's OK to not fall in love with the first therapist they meet. She says it's best to keep looking until they find one that their child not only responds well to, but feels safe with also. I happened to be reading this chapter as we found our older son's speech language pathologist (SLP) and thus felt very confident in our decision to stick with her. For parents who may be in tight financial situations or without good insurance coverage, Feit dedicates a solid chapter to helping parents understand their rights and options when it comes to matters of payment. There is a wealth of knowledge here for parents who are just entering this world of language disorders and for parents who are already submersed in it.
My favorite part of this book were the little quotes and personal experiences from parents who have children with speech and language problems. One woman speaks of the hardships involved in having children with disabilities, but faith in God helps her through every single day. She realizes that raising a special needs child is truly a calling from God for special parents. Such an outlook is very encouraging, and it is a reminder to me that my two special boys are not burdens but blessings of the highest kind.
November 20, 2008
We recently discovered my son has childhood apraxia of speech, and I saw this book written from a parent's perspective about speech problems, so I decided to get it. Little did I know that both of the author's two children had the same disorder.
I learned quite a bit on the sort of therapy he needs as well as what to do at home. I found quite a few resources to look into. I also know which diagnostic codes will more likely get our insurance to accept it not to mention how to negotiate the crafting of his Individualized Educational Plan starting next spring.
This book really have given me hope that my son will say more than ten words and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel not to mention loads of practical advice.
Also, it has advice not just for apraxia but an array of speech problems such as articulation problems, sensory issues, and more and how to tell if your child has a developmental delay or a speech disorder. If I wasn't sure before reading this book, I am certain now (not to mention a diagnosis from the speech language pathologist and the speech therapist).
I learned quite a bit on the sort of therapy he needs as well as what to do at home. I found quite a few resources to look into. I also know which diagnostic codes will more likely get our insurance to accept it not to mention how to negotiate the crafting of his Individualized Educational Plan starting next spring.
This book really have given me hope that my son will say more than ten words and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel not to mention loads of practical advice.
Also, it has advice not just for apraxia but an array of speech problems such as articulation problems, sensory issues, and more and how to tell if your child has a developmental delay or a speech disorder. If I wasn't sure before reading this book, I am certain now (not to mention a diagnosis from the speech language pathologist and the speech therapist).
June 13, 2008
Having read several books on speech and language problems, I loved this one. It was written in such an easy to read style, but was also chock full of information. Both of the author's children had apraxia, so she brings lots of personal experience to the book -- her stories and all the "parent to parent" boxes were so helpful to me to see what different types of speech problems "look like." And by that I mean, the various challenges, behaviors, and/or other issues (such as sensory integration disorder) that can accompany a speech problem. I also thought her advice on looking for the right therapist was right on target, having been in this game for a while myself. I thought the chapters on complementary therapies and various specialists were well done and so helpful. The omega-3 supplements have really helped out my son, and I'm about ready to have him saddle up (horse riding therapy). We'll see... All in all, this is a great resource that concisely describes various speech and language problems and gives readers the resources they need to cope with and treat them.
February 3, 2008
This is so not my style of book. That being said, it was important for me to read. I had eureka moments as I read about different diagnoses. Laugh out loud moments as I read about complementary therapies (fish oil and horseback riding) and inspiring moments as I got some really good advice for things I can be doing at home with my own son.
As I am just at the very start of this journey, and not entirely sure if it's going to be a 20 mile jaunt across town or an around-the-world odyssey, I didn't absorb this book with the desperation that perhaps a parent of an older, or more severely disable child might have. But, I believe it lays a good foundation for me as I meet with a therapist next week; knowing which questions to ask and understanding the jargon and code a little better.
And, for the record, I'm not anti complementary therapy. I just wasn't expecting the advice that, perhaps, my child's speech might improve upon riding a horse. That was, most definitely, new information.
As I am just at the very start of this journey, and not entirely sure if it's going to be a 20 mile jaunt across town or an around-the-world odyssey, I didn't absorb this book with the desperation that perhaps a parent of an older, or more severely disable child might have. But, I believe it lays a good foundation for me as I meet with a therapist next week; knowing which questions to ask and understanding the jargon and code a little better.
And, for the record, I'm not anti complementary therapy. I just wasn't expecting the advice that, perhaps, my child's speech might improve upon riding a horse. That was, most definitely, new information.
June 21, 2016
This book is the best I have found on speech disorders. It is written with parents who have no clue what they are doing in mind. Perfect for someone like me who really didn't have a clue where to start with our son's speech disorder.
I loved the way the book was broken down and used simple, non-medical terms to walk the reader through different diagnoses, practice techniques, speech therapies, and more. It really broke down everything into small pieces that made it easy to digest, something other books and articles I had read on speech disorders absolutely didn't do.
If you have a new speech diagnosis on your hands and are feeling overwhelmed or lost I totally recommend this book. It brought a sense of comfort and calm to a very new situation for us.
I loved the way the book was broken down and used simple, non-medical terms to walk the reader through different diagnoses, practice techniques, speech therapies, and more. It really broke down everything into small pieces that made it easy to digest, something other books and articles I had read on speech disorders absolutely didn't do.
If you have a new speech diagnosis on your hands and are feeling overwhelmed or lost I totally recommend this book. It brought a sense of comfort and calm to a very new situation for us.
January 24, 2012
After perusing through a handful of books on this topic from the library, this in my opinion was the best. It was told from the perspective of a parent's first hand experience. She would use correct terminology and then use simple anaolgies to expain them. It was comprehensive and had the one thing I was looking for that other books lacked: specific strategies that I could use with my child at home.
April 9, 2010
This is a great introduction to the ins and outs of getting help if your child has a speech or language problem. It discusses different types of problems, how to find a speech pathologist, what techniques they may use, how to cope as a parent, and even how to negotiate with insurance companies if it becomes necessary.
September 16, 2009
Good resource. Esp good chapters on getting insurance reimbursement and getting the help you need through the school districts.
I'm always in need of a good pep talk to keep up the fight (when necessary).
I'm always in need of a good pep talk to keep up the fight (when necessary).
February 17, 2012
Really basic stuff. Not what I was looking for. If your child already has a diagnosis and/or IEP, this book won't really teach you anything new. I would however, recommend it to a parent that has no knowledge of or experience with speech problems. This book would be a good place to start.
December 16, 2012
Not useful. I was looking for a book that would give specific techniques and exercizes for improving poor speech habits, and this seems to be more a memoir of the author's experience helping her kid get treatment for apraxia. No DIY instructions here.
October 24, 2014
I read this for the sections on stuttering, which were helpful. Other parts (essential oils?) are less so, but are easy to disregard if that's not your jam. (It isn't mine.) Overall, a good basic intro for parents who are fairly new to the world of speech issues.
August 15, 2014
Great resource for parents. Written with great compassion and insight, this is a very reassuring book. Some parts are geared to U.S. situations only, but still a great book for the rest of us.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews