by Annika Tribby, CCC-SLP

What is PROMPT?
PROMPT is a unique method used for speech therapy, it is used for children (and adults) with motor-based speech sound difficulties.  Your PROMPT trained clinician will use physical supports to help your child move his or her mouth to make the target sounds.  These supports include gently guiding the lips and jaw to a suitable position and cueing the tongue to move into the correct starting and ending point for particular sounds.

Why is PROMPT different from other speech therapy techniques?
PROMPT uses motor-based principles to teach and modify speech sounds used when we speak.  It focuses in on motor planning – moving our articulators from one to spot to another, we do not work on just isolated sounds one at a time.  This means the child begins practicing target sounds within words meaning FUNCTIONAL speech practice!  We look at underlying reasons why some sounds are more difficult for your child and work on adjusting some physical barriers to correct sounds in words, phrases, or whole sentences.

How can PROMPT help my child?
PROMPT is awesome for those kids who need some extra support in moving their mouth to make those tricky sounds for them.  Maybe your child has an open mouth position at rest.  Maybe your child tried to overcompensate by stretching their lips to wide to say a ‘ch’ sound.  Your PROMPT trained speech language pathologist will help teach and guide your child’s mouth to support them into a good ‘starting’ posture and then we can begin on working on those sounds that sound a little different than they should.

What does a PROMPT speech therapy session look like?
Your PROMPT trained clinician will begin with a thorough speech assessment, an oral mechanism exam and document reports from the parent or caregiver.  We want to know from YOU what your child is good at and what they find most tricky.  The child may attend the therapy sessions with a parent on caregiver or on their own depending on age, attention, or parental choice. In collaboration with the parent/caregiver, the clinician will select some target words or phrases based on the child’s interest, language used at home and motivating targets.  The clinician will use their hands to help guide your child’s mouth to make the speech targets.  The child is encouraged to try and do it on their own too – level of support is adjusted depending on the child’s success level.

Children’s Therapy Place has PROMPT trained Speech Pathologists at all locations in the Treasure Valley…Please contact us to learn more!

Visit the PROMPT Institute for more information on how PROMPT can benefit your child’s speech progress!

https://promptinstitute.com/page/Families_What_is_PROMPT