HASTINGS — Two Mary Lanning Healthcare speech therapists recently underwent specialized training in the PROMPT technique to help children with speech production disorders.
Tamra Phillips, MLH Director of Rehabilitation Services, said speech therapists Brooke West, Tricia Weseman, Vicki Sims and Amanda Carlson all received training from the PROMPT Institute, featuring a technique that uses touch cues to manually guide patients through a targeted word, phrase or sentence.
The technique develops motor control and proper oral muscular movements, while eliminating unnecessary muscle movements such as jaw rounding and inadequate lip rounding. The therapy is appropriate for many patients with communication disorders.
PROMPT is about developing appropriate, interactive oral communication for use in relationships and learning. Most commonly, it is used with those who have motor speech disorders, articulation problems or those children who are non-verbal.
The PROMPT technique often is used to treat patients with aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, pervasive development disorders, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injuries and autism spectrum disorders.
“There are many accounts from parents and speech therapists of children making great progress in their speech after receiving PROMPT therapy,” Phillips said. “Often these children had been participating in traditional speech therapy programs with little or no progress. Some parents have turned to PROMPT after being told their child would never use their voice to communicate.”