Speech Therapy for Kids by Yasmin Akhtar

Full title: Speech Therapy for Kids: Speech Sounds and Language Development — Delay or Disorder? Helpful Games and Therapy Ideas from a Speech and Language Therapist for Parents to Try at HOME Author: Yasmin Akhtar, a practising speech and language therapist (UK) Published: Self-published, 2021 · 84 pages

This is a short, practical book written for parents. Its aim is to give you useful information and simple games to try at home while you wait for a professional assessment or a therapy slot. The author is clear throughout: no book can replace a professional assessment.

What the book covers

Part 1 — Understanding speech and language (Chapters 1–6)

Chapters	What it covers
1	Pregnancy and birth context, developmental milestones from 2 months to 2 years, and "when to speak to a doctor" red-flag lists — with the reminder that milestones are guidelines, not diagnostic tests
2	The difference between speech and language, guidance for bilingual homes ("one parent, one language"), and how understanding and talking develop before first words
3	Delay vs. disorder, receptive (understanding) vs. expressive (talking) difficulties, and developmental language disorder (DLD) with age-banded red flags
4	Speech sound problems: articulation and phonological disorders, apraxia, hearing loss (including glue ear), and age norms for when sound errors stop being typical
5	Selective mutism, autism and communication, autism vs. DLD, and stuttering
6	The speech and language profile in Down syndrome and what therapy usually targets

Part 2 — Therapies (Chapters 7–9)

Chapters	What it covers
7	Parent-child interaction therapy: how sessions work, live coaching and video feedback, and who it helps
8	Sign language and Makaton, including the myth that signing delays speech (it does not)
9	The core how-to chapter: pre-verbal communication, home strategies for DLD, selective mutism and stuttering, play ideas using things you already own, Lego Therapy, Intensive Interaction, and speech-sound games

The book closes with simple advice: five minutes a day of child-led floor play, give each strategy about two weeks before judging it, and keep notes to share with your therapist.

How to use this book

• Chapters 1–5 work as a plain-language "decoder" for the terms professionals use, so you can follow conversations about your child's assessment.
• Chapter 9 is the most useful part for parents. Nearly everything uses objects already in your home; the book repeatedly says not to buy expensive toys.
• Most relevant for ages 0–5, though the age norms, stuttering guidance, and school-age strategies also help with older children.
• It is UK-centric — it names NHS pathways, health visitors, and BBC programmes. If you live elsewhere, the ideas still apply, but check your local services for the equivalent referral routes and supports.

Caveats

• Promotional content: the book includes email signups, links to the author's other books, a Facebook group, and review requests. The content is genuine, but it is also a marketing vehicle.
• Some claims are uncited — for example, a claim that one therapy reduced meltdowns "by approximately 85%". Treat these as impressions, not evidence.
• Self-published, single-author perspective — no peer review. Its references are reputable (ASHA, CDC, NHS, the Hanen Centre), but where it disagrees with an evidence-based textbook, trust the textbook.
• Not a diagnostic tool. If you are worried about your child's speech or language, see a qualified professional.