Speech

Message

#1 Post by **Frankie** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 5:35 am

Having found no problems with my speech in the very early days I am now, one month in really struggling. I have a terrible lisp (actually I sound like the sloth in ice age!) and it is really impacting my work. I have to do a presentation tomorrow and I am really dreading it. does anyone have any advice/help they can offer?

it seems to be particularly bad after I have eaten, it's not that food is stuck its just that my brackets seem more abrasive after food.

all help/advice gratefully received!

#2 Post by LB » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:59 am

Hi Frankie. Well, I can certainly sympathise with you. I got braced with Incognito/iBraces about 2 months ago. In the last month I've been doing quite a bit of longhaul travel with work and have had to do presentations every week. The jetlag has made my speech worse - I was just so tired that talking became even harder.

I made sure that the night before my presentations, I packed the wax on before I went to bed to make sure I gave my tongue a break from the brackets. I didn't wear wax when I was doing them though. Made sure I always had a bottle of water to hand as well. Another thing that worked for me was speaking a bit slower than usual and quite deliberately. Perhaps would have been a bit weird in a conversation, but during a presentation it seemed to work ok.

Finally, you'd be amazed at how much people don't notice. I've pointed out my speech being a bit odd at times to people because of the braces and they hadn't even noticed until I said something! It will sound a lot worse in your head than it will to them.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

#3 Post by **Frankie** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 2:06 am

Thank you for that! somehow it's easier to know other people are in the same boat.

I hope people don't notice as I feel very conscious of it.

anway, it does seem to be getting a bit better with practice - I keep repeating 'Swiss chocolate and cheese' to myself in the car!

all the very best,

Frankie

#4 Post by **xTc** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:56 am

Hi Frankie,

I'm getting braced with incognito/ibraces on the 1st of June. To be honest I've not been looking here as much as I don't want to read stuff like this, because it's too late for me to go back now!

However I'm sure with hard work and practice we can adapt to almost anything! Good luck and keep us updated with yor progress!

#5 Post by **Frankie** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:55 am

actually it is getting better now and I only seriously lisp when I'm tired and sometimes not even then. it is important to just keep talking!

#6 Post by **KJK** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:50 pm

I've had my iBraces for 8 months now and most of the time, I don't have any issues what-so-ever with my speech, except when a drink a lot of coffee.

Keep talking and stay hydrated as a lot of folks have said on these boards and you will master it in no time.

#7 Post by **rolo** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:28 pm

This does vairy I had no problems, and went into work on my way back from having treatment, my line manager who knows me very well couldn't tell. Also I rang my Mum the evening after having work done and she completely forgot about it, and didn't notice anything.