How can I elicit a /b/ from a preschoolers with little speech?

Question

I am a graduate student in speech-language pathology working in a preschool right now. One of my kids (in addition to other issues) has no full words, but a few sounds. My supervisor asked me to look online for methods of inducing a /b/ (the child's mother really wants this and is even offering a $50 gift certificate to the clinician that gets it first) but I haven't been able to find much. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

What are the sounds he can say?  Is it plain old artic, phonological, or apraxia?  If the child is apraxic (which is what it sounds like), start with the sounds he CAN say and move incrimentally toward the soudns he cannot say.  For instance, if he can say /m/, use minimal pair words such as moo/boo, mow/bow, me/bee, etc.  (Of course, if he can already say /m/, your job is half done!)  This is the time to dust of your knowledge of sound production - get an inventory of which sound he can produce, and make a schedule of how to move toward /b/ from those sounds - i.e. he can say /k/, move to voiced: /g/.  Once he can do that, move forward: /n/; once he can do that, get closure: /m/; once he can do that, move to /b/.  With an outline, mom may feel more reassured that there is a plan, it's not just random attacks.  It won't be overnight, but it will work!  Good luck!

Edit: I just re-read your post.  What are the "other issues"?  Is the child developmentally delayed?  Deaf?  Neurologically impaired?  What's his language-age?  And why is everyone so adament about /b/?  Why that sound in particular?  I have tons and tons of experience with preschool handicapped kids.

Answer 2

I am a little confused do you want the child to say the letter B  or start speaking words with B sounds, both or am I way off the track?

My baby brother now 5 years old has speech issues so I know i little bit from helping my mum out with he as she knew nothing of what to do.

I am a qualified teacher aide and have had a few children with speech difficulties.

In order to help you though I need to better understand your question.

Getting a child with a speech problem to say new words or even new letters or sounds is time consuming you have to be very patient but also very consistent with it!

Repetition is the best key to success here just keep repeating the same sound or letter or word over and over while you are with this child but don't make it boring or he will loose interest.

Try books pick one word and make that your focus point.  Say you are going to learn the work baby read him books with babies in them every time you read the word baby ask him can you say baby 'B' 'B' Baby show him a picture of a baby say baby again then if you see another baby repeat it baby look can you say baby

he may get the 'B'  out and that is progress

Reward progress to give him the encouragement to go further.

Something else we do with the children who have speech issues is flash cards the same ones everyday till the learn them the trick is not to have too many or spend too long on them cause they get bored with it.  

This child in question will talk when he is ready just stay consistent and remember to praise when he gets something new.

Answer 3

Is it neurological or physiological? The causation is going to influence how you will get a b sound. Troublesome also is the age.... developmentally the b sound come further along, so if he is lacking previously needed phonemes, it will be difficult to get the desired sound.

I think to push /b/ before he's ready, especially if it is because the parent wants it, is creating some sort of trouble, it doesn't take into account where the child is developmentally or language-wise. It could create a developmental imbalance, causing him to have trouble learning additional phonemes.

Have you assigned phoneme gestures to already attained sounds? Can he utilize sign language?