- Debina Bonnerjee noticed her 3.5-year-old daughter has a lisp needing correction early
- Correcting speech early helps children place their tongue correctly for clearer pronunciation
- Adults interrupting children’s speech too often may harm their confidence and participation
Often, with newborns and toddlers, adults speak in a parentese style, using a higher pitch, stretched-out vowels, and turning Rs into Ls, among other speech patterns. It sounds cute, and as children grow up and start picking up words, they may also pick up incorrect pronunciations. The longer it continues, the more their tongues become accustomed to resting in the wrong spot inside the mouth, making them speak unclearly.
This is something television actor Debina Bonnerjee noticed in her 3.5-year-old daughter. She said that it sounds cute when her daughter speaks, but there is no harm in correcting it at an early stage, when there is a higher chance that she will learn to pronounce things correctly by placing her tongue in the right position inside the mouth.
Why Debina Bonnerjee's 3.5-Year-Old Daughter Sees A Speech Therapist.
"It's a habit which can be corrected. It is important to correct it in the right way," the actor said at the beginning of the video. Debina, who has two daughters, Lianna and Divisha, shared that when adults at home interrupt children and correct them every now and then, it can have a negative impact on them, making them lose confidence.
She added that one wrong approach can have an impact lasting a lifetime. The mother of two revealed that she had promised herself that she would always seek advice from an expert if she noticed something different about her kids. She wants to be sure and prevent a small issue from turning into a bigger concern in the future.
Speaking about her daughter, she said, "She talks really beautifully, she is very talkative, she talks quite a lot, but you must have also noticed that she talks with a little bit of a lisp."
The actor added that while everyone finds it cute, she, as a parent, thinks that there is no harm in correcting it at an early stage so that the child can speak clearly in the future. According to her, the right placement of the tongue inside the mouth can make a huge difference. She also believes that addressing the issue at a young age increases the chances of her daughter correcting her speech quickly.
At the clinic, Debina introduced Dr Rajanandini, a speech-language pathologist, who said that it is important for parents to first accept that their child speaks differently, whether they stutter or have a misarticulation issue.
The expert further noted that early intervention is the best thing. Debina shared that her daughter is 3½ years old and that when she noticed her lisping, she immediately took her to a dentist to confirm that her teeth were alright.
Once the dentist gave the go-ahead, she consulted a speech therapist. "It is completely related to placement," the expert confirmed in the video. She also added that the more adults interrupt children at home, the more they pull back from participating, potentially affecting their behaviour and personality.
Dr Rajnandini was seen using small tools and exercises to help Debina's daughter correct her speech and speak more clearly.
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