https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 13 May 2026 20:45:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923671 Fri, 07 May 2021 07:10:49 +0000 bhbee 2923671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: oh good idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923668 Fri, 07 May 2021 03:14:53 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2923668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just throwing out a fun exercise that might help: tongue twisters! Practice some tongue twisters with him (having other members of the family participate makes it more fun). Tongue twisters are a fun and easy way to help enunciate words and the point is it can take a while before being able to say them fast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923667 Thu, 06 May 2021 17:56:52 +0000 bhbee 2923667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ok, I watched a vidhug montage the kinder class made for teacher appreciation and now I feel better ... maybe he’s less far from the norm than I think! Still going to keep an eye on it for first grade. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923647 Wed, 05 May 2021 22:08:45 +0000 bhbee 2923647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peaches1038: thanks that’s interesting! So far they have thought his hearing was fine (post tubes and later ear drum repair) but definitely good to keep in mind. That MFT sounds like it would be great for him! It’s probably a practice and stamina issue. </p> <p>@Myicitygirl: thanks for the chart! Looking at it there’s no one sound he can’t make - it’s just often mumbly-slurred or something like that but I notice at times I don’t hear it also, so maybe muscle tone truly is the problem. We do have SLPs in the district and he was virtual this year which I’m sure didn’t help in identification - but I’m definitely going to ask his first grade teacher in the fall to see what she thinks and whether he could use the intervention. It doesn’t feel super urgent but I don’t want to let it go too long ... after paying OOP for our oldest I’m hoping not to have to go private again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923646 Wed, 05 May 2021 21:37:09 +0000 Myicitygirl 2923646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would inquire if your school district offers speech therapy services. There are standards as to how easily a stranger should be able to understand a child and which sounds he should have mastered by a specific age (see attached photo). If the school district does not offer it, then I would check with your health insurance. </p> [attach=3027/21/qsnz9x.600x417.Screenshot--32-.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923625 Wed, 05 May 2021 11:50:36 +0000 peaches1038 2923625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is 5 and is in speech for a similar issue as well as a lisp. He sees a SLP who is also a myofunctional therapist. MFT is like physical therapy for the mouth and jaw. He started in January and has been making great strides! Have you had his hearing tested? DS had hearing loss that we didn’t catch and ended up needing tubes which were placed last May. That helped to clear his speech up a bit as well. Happy to chat more! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mushy-speech-lack-of-enunciation#post-2923622 Wed, 05 May 2021 09:17:49 +0000 bhbee 2923622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is 6 and in kindergarten. I just watched his end of year assessments on zoom (the ones they do verbally about sounds, letters, sight words, repeating sentences, etc) - and while his reading is great, his enunciation is still pretty bad. I think people can mostly understand what he says (100% with people he knows well, somewhat less with strangers) - it's just so mushy. I remember the dentist saying something to us about it a couple years ago - that he has low muscle tone in his mouth. </p> <p>I'm curious if anyone has experience - if so, is this something that resolves with a couple years in school? Will we have to intervene? I know it's common in boys this age, just not sure how it gets better. I also have somewhat impaired hearing and know that I don't always enunciate either so I've been working on it to model. But my oldest didn't have an issue so it's definitely something unique to him.</p> <p>Thanks for any advice! </p>