FAMILIES with young children facing difficulties with speech development will be able to get extra support at home following the launch of a new website by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The Sing and Say website is helping young children with craniofacial conditions to develop their language and communication skills.
Sing and Say was developed by the Oxford Craniofacial Unit Speech and Language Therapy team following a £75,000 award from the Health Foundation.
The website features songs, music, instructional videos and activity ideas that parents can use as part of a prescribed package of care.
Parents are then invited to share these activities with their child following advice from a speech and language therapist, which means they can continue to work on their child’s development between specialist appointments in hospital.
Principal specialist speech and language therapist in the Oxford Craniofacial Unit, Sarah Kilcoyne, said: “Research has shown that early intervention is vital for speech and language development.
“We often saw that children would have an operation for their craniofacial condition, undergo an initial speech therapy assessment here in the hospital, and then return home where they could face long waits for local speech and language therapy services.
“By developing the Sing and Say website, we’ve given families the resources to work on their child’s speech and language development at home, and help their child grow at their own unique rate and pace.”
“Things like songs and music are incredibly useful - music is understood by people all over the world, has a universal appeal, and many children can move and show enjoyment of music long before they can speak.”
The team held a launch party for the website last week.
Joanna Johnson and her son, George, have been using the service for the last year after George underwent an operation his craniosynostosis - a condition where a baby’s skull doesn’t grow properly.
She said: “The service has really helped my son and myself communicate, and for him it’s shown him how to learn in a new way and how to be confident.”
For more information visit www.ouh.nhs.uk/singandsay
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