About Erin E. Maio-Harrison, MA,CCC-SLP Expertise I am able to answer questions related to speech, language, cognitive, swallowing disorders in both children and adults. My focus area relates to disorders that are secondary to trauma (i.e., head injury) or disease, (i.e., Dementia) but I am able to answer basic questions (or find more info) about developmental disorders as well.
Experience I am a licensed Speech/Language Pathologist with 18 years experience primarily in acute care pediatrics and in-pt. rehab. I have also continuously moonlighted in geriatrics, primarily skilled nursing settings and have had private clients of all ages. My focus of practice is neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders.
Organizations American Speech & Hearing Association, (ASHA)
South Carolina Speech/Hearing Association(SCSHA)
Education/Credentials Masters Degree, Communication Disorders and Speech Science (CU Boulder)
Expert: Erin E. Maio-Harrison, MA,CCC-SLP - 8/28/2007
Question Hello, I have a grandson named Zeke who is 41/2 years old. This little guy has terrible speech for his age and mostly can't be understood, except by his brothers and sisters and mom and dad - who routinely finish sentences for him to avoid letting him become frustrated. When I'm around him I try not to do this and work with him to make himself understood. He does get frustrated, and leans over to whisper the words into my ear but of course they come out the same. My son is upset with me and I am upset with him and his wife. My guess is that they never read to him or work with him but they claim they do. Also, when my son married this women she had a daughter Zeke's age who spoke exactly like Zeke is now. Further evidence for my suspicion of poor parenting but my son claims that both kids - including, the mother when she was young, had a congenital condition known as lazy tongue. I told my son I'd never heard of a congenital condition called lazy tongue but thought if such a condition exists it more likely to be environmental. Zeke is going to preschool now so that he can work with a speech pathologists. I sure hope it helps. Can you comment on what "lazy tongue" really is and have you come across hereditary conditions that affect speech in this way?
Thank you
Lance
Answer Hello Lance-
"Lazy Tongue" isn't really a medical term but I hear it a lot. Either professionals use the expression to make the explanation more understandable to parents or parents don't understand what the professional said and come away with that expression. It happens with adult patients too. I don't know how many tell me they take "nerve pills". I have come to learn the "nerve pills" can mean anything from heart medication to bipolar medicine to sleeping pills.
There are also terms that doctors used to use in the past that aren't used any more because we know better. "Tongue-tied" was a popular diagnosis that resulted in clipping the skin under the tongue. We now know that very few of these children ever had a problem with that part of the tongue. They used to think stuttering was a sign of psychological disturbance. We now know better. They use to institutionalize the mentally challenged. Rarely is that the case. Maybe a family doctor told your daughter-in-law's mother that she had a "lazy tongue" because it sounded slurred to him and he figured there wasn't anything to do about it and she has carried that flag ever since. It is an unfortunate label because it doesn't sound very medical, it sounds subjective (like you said, environmental) and it sounds like you can control it. Sort of like calling someone with epilepsy "shaky at times". It's a bit of a mis-service.
They may be using the term to refer to some sort of disorder of movement specific to the tongue, either related to strength (dysarthria), coordination (apraxia) or both of these. These sorts of difficulties do run in families as they are neurologically based. By that I mean how they are "wired". The children in Peyton Manning's family seemed wired for football. I saw a bunch of 5 siblings on tv the other night that all play classical music (really well and I think the oldest is about 13). I personally take after the side of the family that doesn't coordinate the right and left sides of the body very well. Such is my wiring.
Regardless if this is par for the course with her offspring, it is unfortunate he had to wait this long to begin therapy. He should have started between 2 and 3 years of age. Water under the bridge at this point.
I know you are frustrated, but at the grandparent, you have little power in this matter. If you push and tick her off, she will limit your contact with your grandson. Your son will stand by her. I see it all the time. Just smile, hold your tongue and try to spend as much time with him as possible. Maybe now that he is in therapy he will start to improve. Maybe your son will let you help Zeke with his speech homework?
Good Luck-
Erin E. Harrison, MA,CCC-SLP
Speech/Language Pathologist
