FINE MOTOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS

Children with speech and language disorders are characterized not only by the unique development of the speech but also by specific characteristics of cognitive and sensory motor skills. The research was based on the theoretical recognitions about the specific characteristics of child development in case of speech ontogenesis and dysontogenesis. In order to specify the development level of fine motor skills of the children, the same diagnostic activities were used that usually are used by the teachers-speech therapists in order to check the speech and language development of the children, as well as the cognitive and the motor abilities. In addition, the speech and language development of the children was checked. Participants of the research were the pre-school age children with different speech and language disorders, ages 3 to 6, totally 27 respondents; they go to the pre-school education institution for children with speech and language disorders. The children were divided into 2 groups: in the first group there were non-verbal children (n = 5) and in the second group there were verbal children with different speech and language disorders (n = 22). During the research, there was observation of the children and corrective developmental intervention. The results of the research show that there is strong correlation between the speech development and development of fine motor skills (fine muscles). The reduction of the speech and language disorders is tightly connected with the improvement of fine motor skills.