Breathing exercises for stuttering in children

How breathing exercises help

Breathing exercises for stuttering in children relax and tone the muscles involved in articulation. As a result:

the child begins to breathe correctly, observing the pace of inhalation and exhalation;
fear of articulation disappears;
muscle spasm, which makes it difficult to keep up the pace of speech, goes away;
the brain receives more oxygen, which improves its functioning;
the muscles of the diaphragm, abdominal cavity, and nasopharynx are strengthened.

The following techniques are used in speech therapy:

Traditional - aimed at training the abs, diaphragm, breathing control when talking, general strengthening of the body;
breathing exercises according to A. N. Strelnikova - aimed at restoring breathing during stuttering, and also helps eliminate other speech disorders (dyslalia, alalia, general speech underdevelopment).

Treatment method from A. N. Strelnikova

Today there are quite a large number of breathing training methods. However, according to experts, the greatest contribution to solving the problem was made by Alexandra Nikolaevna Strelnikova. Being an opera singer, the woman suffered from attacks of suffocation. To get rid of attacks, she developed a special system that helped her cope with the disease. Soon, breathing exercises gained popularity throughout the Soviet Union, and many doctors recognized the effectiveness of the exercises. It is believed that Strelnikova’s system is the most effective work on breathing during stuttering.

Breathing exercises from Strelnikova are considered unique due to the following features of the exercises:

sharp and short breaths through the nose, necessary while compressing the chest;
all exercises are aimed at active action of all parts of the body;
increased internal tissue respiration, as a result, increased rates of oxygen absorption by the body.

This system is aimed not only at treating stuttering - it comes to the aid of patients suffering from diseases of various organ systems. As a treatment method, gymnastics should be performed twice a day, in the morning and evening.

Below we will talk about several exercises that will help cope with speech defects in both children and adults.

Exercise "Palms"

The exercise involves clenching your palms into fists. During compressions, 8 noisy breaths are taken through the nose. After this, you need to pause for a few seconds and repeat the movements again. The required number of repetitions is 32. As for exhalations, you should not hold them, they are done with the mouth, quite passively.

It is recommended to inhale through the nose with slightly closed lips, and during exhalation, the lips must be unclenched and exhaled naturally. Be sure to monitor the position of your shoulders - do not raise them. You may feel slightly dizzy during exercise. Those who experience this effect are advised to perform the exercise while sitting.

Exercise "Epaulettes"

8 active breaths without pauses, after a break of a couple of seconds - repeat the cycle. The required number of repetitions is 32. We do not raise our fists above the waist.

Exercise "Pump"

8 breaths are taken in cycles 4 times. A few seconds break and repeat the cycle again. Let's pretend it's like pumping up a tire with a hand pump.

All three exercises take approximately 10 minutes. Inhalations everywhere should be as short as cotton.

A complicated complex is performed after Strelnikova’s breathing exercises for stuttering in a lighter form can be performed by the patient without much difficulty.

Execution Rules

Gymnastics for stuttering in children must be performed according to certain rules in order to prevent the young patient’s condition from worsening.

Below is a list of requirements:

A preliminary consultation with a doctor is necessary, this is especially important for children who have concomitant pathologies. Before starting classes, you need to regulate the load, or identify contraindications, if any;
The child should study with pleasure, which is possible when he is in a good mood, he is well-fed and has strength. A tired, hungry child will be capricious, and such gymnastics will do nothing but harm;
Start with short sessions, no more than 10 minutes. Monitor your child’s reaction: if he becomes uncomfortable, it is better to postpone the lesson;
Gradually increase the duration, but classes should last no more than 30 minutes;
If it becomes difficult for your baby to breathe, his breathing rhythm has become disrupted, or he begins to panic, interrupt the activity;
If desired, use music - this will help maintain the rhythm of movements;
The inhalation is always sharp, noisy, through the nose, the exhalation is calm, effortless, through the mouth.

Who should not do breathing exercises?

Breathing exercises for stuttering in children require concentration and strict adherence to technique, so it cannot be performed until 3–4 years of age.

There are other contraindications:

discomfort or pain in any localization when performing - headaches, chest pain, joint pain. It is better to consult a doctor to find out the cause of such symptoms;
neurological diseases - hydrocephalus, increased intracranial pressure, brain space-occupying lesions, epilepsy;
diseases of the cardiovascular system - congenital defects, mitral valve prolapse;
previous injuries to the spine, head, chest, arms, legs;
urolithiasis, hydronephrosis;
any severe chronic disease with impairment of general condition.

This is not the entire list of contraindications. You should consult with your child's healthcare provider to determine the feasibility of completing the activities.

Acute diseases - colds, inflammatory, infectious - are a temporary contraindication to sessions. After normalization of the condition and good test results, performing gymnastics is possible. The period of abstinence is determined by a specialist.

Advice from experts in the process of stuttering treatment

No matter how important breathing exercises are for stuttering, you should always pay attention to the psychological state of the child. Parents and relatives must choose the most appropriate tactics for communicating with their child. Try not to offend a sensitive baby, but at the same time, do not try to please him in everything. Children perfectly feel excessive pity and will reject such care in every possible way. In the end, this is fraught with mistrust on the part of the child, and, as a consequence, the impossibility of ridding him of speech defects.

Experts recommend teaching your child to start talking exclusively while exhaling, and before starting to speak, take a deep breath. It is also important to convey to the baby that you should exhale smoothly and continuously.

Children who stutter often have problems with peers - this is another psychological factor that needs to be taken into account. The child needs to be conveyed that his defect is not a flaw, but a feature. And all he needs to make friends is to communicate with the guys and not be afraid of his voice, because no one is perfect.

A reserve of patience and support for the child is what needs to be invested in balanced work with breathing, in addition to physical exercises for the body. It will take several months for breathing exercises for stuttering, as well as kinesiology, to do their job. You should not expect an immediate result, however, daily work on the problem will ensure complete healing of the child and give him joy and ease of human communication.

Breathing exercises by Strelnikova A.N.

Gymnastics according to Strelnikova has been successfully used since the end of the 20th century. The author developed a technique and used it to restore the voice of singers and speakers. Over time, a positive effect was discovered in the treatment of stuttering and other speech disorders.

The technique is based on dynamic breathing movements through the resistance of the diaphragm muscles. During inhalation, the chest contracts (through grasping with the arms or due to bending and turning of the torso), exhalation occurs calmly, without effort.

On the first day, complete the first 3 exercises, repeating them 8 times. Each subsequent day, add one more exercise to the main complex.

Exercise "Palms"

The task serves as a warm-up. The patient must take a sharp breath through his nose 4 times, then pause for 4 seconds and again a series of breaths. Hands in front of you, on the sides of the body, clench your palms into a fist for each breath. Shoulders relaxed. It is performed while standing, but if you feel dizzy or find it difficult to stand for other reasons, you can sit down or even lie down.

After inhaling, you need to exhale. Repeat 32 times.

Exercise "Hug your shoulders"

The back is straight, sitting or standing position. Hands need to be raised to shoulder level, bent at the elbow joints, palms down, one forearm on the other (as if the baby was sitting at a desk). Take a short and noisy breath and hug your shoulders with force, squeezing your chest. There should be a triangle in front of your face. As you exhale, loosen your grip and spread your arms.

Do 8 times. Then pause, and repeat. There should be 12 such repetitions.

Exercise "Epaulettes"

The child stands, arms extended in front of him, elbows bent, pressed to the stomach, palms clenched. Takes a sharp breath, at this time sharply pushes his fists and pulls his shoulders down, straightens his palms, which allows the air to pass deeper and in greater quantities than usual. Then you need to exhale.

Inhalation and exhalation alternate, thus performing 8 series. After this, a few seconds of respite and a new approach. In total you need to complete 4 approaches.

Exercise "Pump"

It is also performed standing, legs apart, arms along the body. As you inhale, the child should bend forward, rounding his back and imagining a pump. Hands reach knees, head is bowed forward. The entrance is over - you need to exhale and return to the starting position. A total of 8 approaches are required.

There are other exercises for stuttering: “Large Pendulum”, “Head Turns”, “Ears”, “Small Pendulum”, “Rolls”, “Steps”, “Cat”. You will master them later, when you have developed the correct algorithm for performing the previous exercises.

Method of A.N. Strelnikova

In breathing exercises for stuttering in children according to the method of A.N. Strelnikova was given motor complexes aimed at correcting breathing, normalizing the activity of the vocal cords, and uniform alternation of inhalations and exhalations.

Breathing exercises for stuttering using this method eliminates the so-called clavicular breathing. At the beginning of a conversation, before pronouncing a word or phrase, the child, inhaling, strongly raises his shoulders, which involuntarily causes tension in the facial and neck muscles, and the lungs are only partially filled with air. He pronounces the words themselves as he exhales, involuntarily causing spasms that prevent him from speaking. The diaphragm, a muscle that plays a vital role in phonation (sound production), also behaves passively in such a situation.

The essence of A.N.’s technique Strelnikova:

teach to inhale air, filling the lungs as much as possible;
by training the diaphragm, involve it in the process of sound formation;
achieve tight closure of the vocal cords.

There is no need to rely too much on this complex of breathing exercises; stuttering can simply be eliminated by pronouncing words and sentences, creating comfortable psychological conditions for the child (or an adult, if he also needs to be influenced by therapeutic exercises). But Strelnikova’s technique was created to develop the vocal cords and airways of opera singers. If, as a result of performing the exercise, a person had to sing well and loudly, then he may also stop stuttering. This method offers several breathing complexes for children.

"Pump"

In the initial “straight stand” position, clenched fists are located near the stomach in the waist area. Leaning forward a little, inhaling, we sharply lower our fists to the floor without touching it. In the second part of the exercise, the body is lifted, simultaneously with exhalation and the return of the fists to their previous position. It is recommended to do bends easily, and inhale briefly, noisily and through the nose. You need to do 8 approaches at a time and after 4 seconds repeat the figure eight exercise. When working with children who stutter, it is recommended to carry out special exercises every day, 2 approaches before meals or 1.5 hours later. It is believed that “Pump” is one of the most effective means of correcting stuttering. It should not be done if you have injuries, high blood pressure, kidney stones, or bladder stones.

"Hug your shoulders"

Beginning: arms bent at the elbows and raised to the shoulders. We do “hugs” by moving our hands towards each other until our shoulders touch; our hands move in parallel, without straining, easily. After confidently mastering the movements, when your hands meet, you should move your head back a little. The recommended frequency is 12 figure eights. There are restrictions for patients with heart disease. Exercises “Pump” and “Hug your shoulders” can be performed while sitting or even lying down.

"Palms"

The arms are bent at the elbows, raised to the level of the head, palms open and facing forward. The movements consist of short breaths through the nose while clenching the palms. Four sharp nasal breaths in a row and a pause of 3-4 seconds, and so on 3-4 times. If something interferes, for example, dizziness, pauses between approaches can be increased to 10 seconds. It is important to remember that inhalation should be nasal and active, and exhalation should be passive, through the mouth. Frequency: 2-4 sets of 4 breaths.

In addition to the main course, it is usually proposed to perform special manipulations to strengthen the voice, which, according to doctors, will help solve the problem with my voice.

"Alphabet for Stutterers"

The student bowing slightly forward pronounces alternate consonant sounds eight times. The manipulations are simple and do not require strict control of breathing. There is only one condition: during each breath you need to pronounce several sounds.

"Eights"

The goal is to hold your breath for a long time. The practitioner, bending over, holds the air in his chest as much as possible and counts to 8. You need to get a maximum of eights, and if the air runs out, the counting stops and a pause is made. After a few seconds of rest, the breath holds continue. The goal is to achieve 10-15 “eights” in one breath.

This well-known complex has proven itself to be an effective tool for eliminating logoneuroses; in addition, it can be used to carry out therapeutic procedures at home. It should be borne in mind that such treatment should be preceded by consultation with a specialist. In addition, professionals assure that the effectiveness of treatment is greater if parents find time to do such exercises with their children. Also, parents should communicate more with their children; casual conversation also develops the child’s speech.

Why are breathing movements necessary?

As a result of performing the exercises, breathing during stuttering becomes abdominal or diaphragmatic. Before this, it is thoracic superficial and has a convulsive nature due to insufficient development of the abdominal muscles. This is especially pronounced in those patients who do not accept sports in any form and whose disease was diagnosed a long time ago.

With this type of breathing, the excitability of the respiratory and speech centers of the brain increases, which negatively affects the rate of speech: the child speaks quickly and begins to stammer.

Training the abdominal muscles, the muscles of the diaphragm and the formation of a stereotype of deep abdominal breathing can eliminate these disorders. The vital capacity of the lungs also increases, which is why the baby begins to use breathing more effectively when speaking: the voice does not interrupt, it becomes even and expressive.

In addition, gymnastics is movement. And with movements, brain activity increases, interneuron connections between the left and right hemispheres are restored. The child’s cognitive processes improve and he begins to assimilate new information more easily. This is especially noticeable if you supplement the tasks with regular physical exercises.

How to increase the effectiveness of gymnastics

The results of breathing exercises for stuttering will be better if you follow the following rules:

Comfortable conditions for classes are required. To do this, you need to first ventilate the room, avoiding cold or, conversely, too warm temperature in the room;
If a child is studying with a specialist, an emotional contact must be established between them, otherwise it will be stressful for the patient and he will refuse to study;
It is advisable that the first few lessons be conducted by a speech therapist and show how to perform the movements correctly. Improper technique can make stuttering worse;
Gymnastics does not cancel other types of correction - classes with a speech therapist, psychologist, drug treatment, physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, physical therapy, but only complements them. Follow your doctor's recommendations and do not skip medications or other treatments;
Classes should be held regularly, at least 2 times a day.
For lessons, choose morning or afternoon hours - at this time children are cheerful, full of strength and energy;
During a course of gymnastics for stuttering in children, you need to provide the child with adequate sleep and rest, and avoid physical and emotional stress;
Combine speech therapy with regular sports activities. Any form of activity at home is suitable: jumping, push-ups, squats, training on exercise machines (if you have them);
Get outdoors more often. Regular walks, outdoor games, running, cycling not only train the respiratory muscles, but also create a good mood, saturate the body with oxygen, and strengthen the body;
Develop correct eating behavior: the diet should contain a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, food should be in moderation;

Remember that one of the important factors that influences the outcome of stuttering treatment is the kindness and acceptance of parents. Children subtly sense the atmosphere in the house and the attitude towards themselves. Do not scold or shame your child under any circumstances, especially in front of strangers.

Rejoice at his successes, praise him, show in any way that you are there for him and love him, regardless of whether he has a stutter or not. This is an additional incentive for him: he will try harder, make an effort, and the result will not keep you waiting.