Language Development and Cerebral Palsy
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Significance
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While disabled, learning to effectively communicate with the world can help someone with cerebral palsy live a more fulfilling life.
Options
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Different CP treatment options can be beneficial for improving language development, including hearing aids, speech therapy, communication devices and learning sign language. However, hearing aids can also create confusion for a child, as the devices amplify all sounds, including background noise and other people's conversations.
Speech Therapy
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In speech therapy, a speech therapist works with a person with CP to develop control of the jaw and mouth muscles to help with language skills. For those who cannot speak, a speech therapist will also be able to determine if the person could benefit from learning sign language and/or using assistive communication devices.
Communication Devices
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Communication boards use pictures to communicate ideas. Computer-assisted devices can be used to "speak" for the CP person.
Sign Language
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Sign language serves as another option for cerebral palsy language development. However, depending on the degree of muscle coordination, signing can be a frustrating process for some of the CP population. Sign language can be modified to fit the individual.
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