Massage speech therapy probes (author Novikova E. V.)

Indications for massage with a speech therapy probe

A speech therapy probe is a device with which a speech therapist exerts a mechanical effect on the baby’s articulatory organs in order to develop speech skills and restore correct sound pronunciation.

Probe massage is carried out in cases where simpler (articulatory, respiratory, imitative, transitional) methods cannot correct the child’s incorrect pronunciation. In addition, the use of speech therapy probes is considered mandatory for the following speech disorders:

• dysarthria – associated with problems of the central nervous system;
• alalia – occurs due to damage to the areas of the cerebral hemispheres responsible for speech;
• rhinolalia - manifests itself due to obvious defects in the oral or nasal cavity - this includes nasal pronunciation;
• dyslalia – not associated with hearing impairment or central nervous system problems. It is present in physiological form in every person at a certain stage of development (up to 5 years);
• stuttering;
• aphasia – problems with speech after a stroke (for adults).

Massage procedures will also be useful for general delays in speech and mental development, increased or decreased tone of the speech muscles, and cerebral palsy.

Contraindications

Massage courses are prescribed by a neurologist after a complete examination. It should not be used for epilepsy of various forms, as it can provoke seizures.

Temporary withdrawal is given for any infectious or somatic diseases. Probe massage should not be performed for stomatitis, caries, gingivitis, or skin diseases. Herpes and oral infections also serve as a medical outlet for procedures.

It should not be done if there is strong pulsation of the arteries, high blood pressure, or poor physical well-being.

If you have nausea, vomiting, or fatigue, you cannot conduct a session; it is better to reschedule it for another time. A speech therapist examines each child before performing a massage.

Types of probes

The author of the probes used by most speech therapists and the probe massage system is Elena Novikova. According to her methodology, 11 main types of probes are distinguished:

Most of the devices are used to warm up, stimulate and relax the tongue muscles. Many probes are interchangeable; usually 5-6 tools are enough for massage. In addition to the main probes, speech therapists often use the following types:

• staged (narrow elongated loop) - to form a groove when pronouncing whistling sounds;
• Koritsky spatula (an oval frame extended to its full length) - for massaging the side edges, as well as the lower part of the tongue, making hissing sounds and “P”;
• spatula - for stroking, tapping, passive gymnastics;
• ball – for performing various exercises (rolling, spinning a ball), making the sound “P”;
• hedgehog (roller with convexities) - for massaging the lips, lingual, zygomatic, chewing muscles with muscle hypotonicity and paresis of the articulatory apparatus.

Setting whistling sounds with probes No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4

For lateral and nasal pronunciation of whistling sounds, when it is not possible to obtain a groove along the midline of the tongue, probe No. 1 is used.

First, using a probe, a groove is formed with the tongue protruding from the mouth. The child is asked to blow into the groove formed in the tongue and then this skill is reinforced, gradually eliminating mechanical assistance.

To make the sound “C”

The speech therapist invites the child, without sticking out his tongue, to open his mouth and smile. Then he places the probe on the front of the tongue in the middle, holding the tip of the tongue with the base of the loop of the probe against the lower teeth. In this position, the child is asked to blow on the tip of his tongue. At the same time, the speech therapist lightly presses the probe on the tongue, forming a groove for escaping air and achieving the desired acoustic effect. After a series of training in pronouncing the sound “C” with probe No. 1, the child is able to reproduce the necessary articulatory pattern and correctly pronounce the sound without mechanical assistance. Then the sound is automated based on the speech material selected by the speech therapist.

The sound “3” is placed in a similar way, but with the involvement of the vocal cords.

To eliminate interdental and subdental sigmatism, especially complicated by malocclusion, probes No. 2 and No. 4 are used. The sound is made from defective pronunciation. The child is asked to pronounce the sound s-s-s for a long time...

At this time, the speech therapist, pressing on the tip of the tongue with the loop of probe No. 2 or probe No. 4 placed across the mouth in front of the lower fangs, slightly moves the tongue away from the lower teeth into the depths of the mouth. A gap is formed, necessary to reproduce the whistling noise. Gradually, the mechanical assistance is eliminated and the child can independently pronounce the sound.

Sound "Ts"

can be obtained using probes No. 1 and No. 2 in two ways.

The child is asked to pronounce the sound combinations ts-ts-ts...

Simultaneously with the pronunciation, the speech therapist holds the tip of the tongue
with probe No. 1
or
No. 2
at the lower incisors (according to F.F. Pay).

Pressing the tip of the tongue against the lower teeth, the child is asked to pronounce the sound s-s-s for a long time with a soft attack...

At the same time, the speech therapist presses the tip of the tongue with probe No. 1 or No. 2, slightly moving it deeper into the mouth (according to O.V. Pravdina). By controlling the probe, the speech therapist achieves clear pronunciation of the sound.

Soft sounds are set from hard base sounds. Delivered using probes No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4

whistling sounds are automated and differentiated.

General recommendations for conducting

Massage with speech therapy probes is carried out in courses. Each course is designed for 8-10 sessions. It is allowed to do the procedure every day, but it is better - after 1-2 days, so as not to get muscle fatigue.

A total of 3-4 courses are carried out, with a break of 30-45 days. Sometimes one course is enough to normalize pronunciation. The duration of the session depends on:

• patient's age;
• complexity of the defect;
• child's reactions.

You need to start with 5 minutes. Then for 1-3 year old children, bring it up to 5-10 minutes, for 3-7 year olds – up to 15 minutes, for schoolchildren – up to 20-25 minutes. Each movement is done 30 times.

General recommendations for preparing for a massage should be followed:

1. The room should be well ventilated, bright, clean. The atmosphere is cozy.
2. It is necessary for the patient to be calm and peaceful. You should not carry out therapy if the baby is agitated, aggressive, or too depressed.
3. If for any reason a child has a negative attitude towards probes, you should let him touch, look at the instruments, and play with them a little. You can say that they are magical, they teach you to speak.
4. In case of an extremely negative (even hysterical) reaction, it is better to keep the sessions short – 5-10 minutes. At the same time, they begin by stroking the cheeks, lips, and tip of the tongue.

Advantages and disadvantages

Massage with speech therapy probes, when performed correctly, gives good results. Its positive effect on the patient’s body is expressed in the following:

• speech development, improvement of sound pronunciation;
• voice normalization;
• restoring proper breathing;
• eliminating neurological disorders, improving the functioning of the central nervous system;
• normalizing muscle tone;

Universal oral massage can also be performed on healthy children at the initial stage of speech development. This will contribute to the correct formation of speech skills.

There are few disadvantages to probe massage procedures, but you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to them:

1. If done incorrectly, the child's pronunciation may deteriorate.
2. Massage manipulation alone is not always enough to restore speech. You cannot ignore other recommendations of the speech therapist: taking medications, physiotherapeutic procedures, articulation exercises.

Massage for erased dysarthria

Latent dysarthria refers to mild disorders of speech function in children. Speech therapy massage for dysarthria in pictures allows parents to master exercises aimed at strengthening or relaxing articulatory muscles, stimulating proprioceptive sensations. Speech kinesthesia is important in the formation of impressive and expressive speech. Massage for erased dysarthria enhances cerebral circulation and metabolic processes in the neurons of the brain, which improves the flow and formation of many mental processes (attention, memory), harmonizes all processes that occur in the whole organism.

When working with children suffering from latent dysarthria and speech pathology, speech therapists and rehabilitation therapists use various types of massage of reflexogenic zones (feet, hands, scalp), segmental reflex, linear, acupressure massage. Speech therapy massage is a method of active mechanical influence. It changes the condition of muscles, blood vessels, nerves and tissues of the peripheral speech apparatus.

Under the influence of massage, the elasticity of muscle fibers, strength, volume and contractile function, and muscle performance increase. Massage for latent dysarthria is one of the methods of energetic and physical influence on the human body. It soothes, relieves pain, helps overcome illness, and promotes the physical, mental and physical development of children.

The use of speech therapy massage for erased dysarthria can significantly reduce the time of correctional work, especially on the formation of the pronunciation aspect of speech. Thanks to the use of massage, the formation of normative pronunciation of sounds in some cases occurs spontaneously. In order to undergo a course of acupressure, relaxing or stimulating, probe speech therapy massage for dysarthria, to find out the price, call the contact center of the Yusupov Hospital.

Tool handling and storage

Tools for massage procedures need to be chosen from high-quality, proven companies. Main materials are titanium or stainless steel.

An important element of preparation for massage is the processing of probes. Each set of tools is used no more than 1 time. After the patient, the probes must be processed:

1. Immediately after use, wash under running water and detergent.
2. Place in a bath with a sterilization solution for 30-60 minutes (Alaminol, Veltolen, ID-212, Virkon, Vapusan-2000, Lisetol LF, Septodor, Erinox and others ).
3. Rinse under running water.
4. Sterilize in a metal sterilizer (by boiling for 10-15 minutes from the moment the water boils) or in an autoclave (steam). Plastic probes (balls) do not withstand the sterilization process, so such instruments can only be individual.

Treated devices should be stored in a UV bactericidal chamber to avoid secondary colonization by microorganisms.

Carrying out at home

Sometimes parents, for some reason, are not able to take their child for massage treatments to a speech therapist. Then you can spend them at home. At home, to normalize pronunciation, you can do 2 types of speech therapy massage:

• faces;
• articulatory apparatus.

Speech therapy facial massage

The procedure is simple and consists of sequential massaging of certain lines:

• from the center of the forehead to the temporal region, then from the eyebrows to the hairline;
• from the corners of the lips to the temporal region, then back;
• from the tip, middle of the nose, bridge of the nose - to the base of the wings of the nose;
• along the nasolabial fold from the wings of the nose;
• from the center to the corners of the lower and upper lips;
• from the center to the earlobes;
• from the sternum along the neck to the chin to the earlobes, back along the shoulder line.

Movements along all lines are stroking, rubbing, vibrating. The exception is the nasolabial fold and the last final stage from the sternum to the chin - here the movements will only be stroking.

Speech therapy massage of the speech apparatus

Massaging the organs of the oral cavity has a strong effect on the articulatory apparatus and many other systems of the body. Before doing it at home, you need to consult with a speech therapist so that he can identify the problem and suggest ways to solve it. It is also advisable to spend the first few sessions with a specialist, and then begin independent therapy.

Massage tools can be professional or taken from the everyday environment. If it is not possible to purchase speech therapy probes, you can use your fingers, a teaspoon, a toothbrush, or cotton swabs.

Before the procedure, it is recommended to warm up the tongue: swaying from side to side, licking lips clockwise, clicking (horse), pricking the cheek with the tongue and other exercises.

Conditions:

1. The massage therapist's hands must be clean, without damage, and nails must be trimmed.
2. Instruments are washed and disinfected.
3. The child is placed on a massage table or on a hard mattress so that he is comfortable. You can also sit him on a chair with a high headrest.
4. Place a clean towel or gauze under the chin and on the chest.
5. Gauze is placed under the tongue to absorb excess salivary secretions.
6. The tip of the tongue can be wrapped with gauze or a cloth napkin - this makes it easier to hold it so that it does not slip.

The process of universal speech therapy massage at home:

1. Grab the tip of your tongue and move it left and right, up and down. Then it is pressed to the root and pulled back.
2. Use your thumb to stroke the organ from the center to the edges, then make circular movements.
3. Stroke your tongue from above and below. You can do this with the smooth side of a spoon.
4. Make zigzag movements along.
5. Perform various vibration movements: rocking, rubbing, tapping.
6. Using a toothbrush, apply pressure and rocking pressure on the tongue.
7. Massage the frenulum by moving your thumb or the convex side of the spoon upward.
8. Massage the surface of the tongue with a rough cloth or soft toothbrush.

You can also gently massage the inside of your cheeks and lips.

Remember:

• If it is difficult for a child to relax his tongue, then an adult can do this himself by shaking the articulatory organ.
• With hypertonicity, all movements should be weaker and calmer. The direction when moving along the tongue is from the root to the tip.
• With hypotonicity, movements are more active and strong. The direction along the tongue is from tip to root.

It is easy to determine the tone of the articulatory apparatus:

• with increased or hypertonicity, the tongue is compressed like a sausage, too tense;
• with decreased or hypotonicity, the organ, on the contrary, is too relaxed and cannot maintain the same position for a long time.

What is probe massage

Probes are special devices that provide access to the desired areas of the articulatory apparatus. Eight probes of different configurations are used alternately, in strict sequence. Each of them performs certain functions: some serve to relax muscles, relieve spasms and tension, others act as “simulators” to strengthen muscle tissue. Each probe acts exclusively on the zone that is being corrected at the moment, without affecting the others.

The patient lies down on a comfortable couch, and the speech therapist-massage therapist alternately massages with each probe that part of the articulatory apparatus that needs impact, independently determining the force of pressure. As a result of treatment:

• speech breathing is normalized
• the condition of the vocal cords improves
• muscle tone is normalized
• sound pronunciation improves
• nervous tension decreases
• psycho-emotional state improves

Tips for parents

In order for speech therapy probe or home massage to bring benefits and only positive emotions to the child, parents should follow these tips:

1. Use all the techniques recommended by the speech therapist to resolve the problem. This can be not only massage, but also speech therapy exercises, communication with a psychologist, medication treatment, and physical therapy.
2. If massage procedures, despite all the efforts of the specialist, cause discomfort in the child, you need to come up with some way to encourage him to visit the speech therapy room. For example, promise to buy a toy or sweets that the baby would like to receive.
3. Communicate more with your child, monitoring your pronunciation and his. Correct his mistakes, pronounce the correct pronunciation several times.
4. Do articulation exercises more often.
5. Play speech therapy games with your student to help eliminate pronunciation problems.
6. Don’t worry if after the first or second course of procedures there are no results: the baby still speaks incorrectly. Often 3-4 courses are required to achieve the desired effect. Everything will definitely work out! The main thing is to believe in your strengths and the abilities of your child.

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