Siti Pramida1, Tri Ratna Ariestini2
Ministry of Health Polytechnic of Health, Palangka Raya, Department of Nursing
Keywords: Speech delay, play therapy, flashcards, nursing care, verbal communication.
Abstract
Background: Speech delay is a language development disorder that affects children’scommunication, socialization, and academic abilities. Play therapy based on flashcards is considered effective as a visual-interactive stimulation to improve articulation and vocabulary. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of nursing care through flashcard therapy for children with speech delay in the working area of UPTD Puskesmas Menteng Palangka Raya.
Objective: To analyze the effect of play therapy based on flashcards on improving the language skills of children with speech delay and to identify supporting and inhibiting factors in the implementation.
Method: The research used a qualitative case study design with a nursing process approach (assessment, diagnosis, intervention, implementation, evaluation). Participants included two children aged 4 years (with ADHD) and 6 years (with ADS).
Results: Both patients showed positive responses to flashcard therapy, such as increased focus (An. EB: 15 minutes) and the ability to pronounce vowel sounds (An. AM: “A” and “I”). However, the development of articulation and vocabulary was not significant in a short time. Supporting factors included family support and engaging flashcard media, while the main inhibiting factors were environmental distractions and limited therapy duration.
Conclusion: Play therapy based on flashcards has the potential to improve language abilities in children with speech delay; however, it requires consistency, longer duration, and active collaboration from the family. In this study, An. EB diagnosed with ADHD showed faster verbal development compared to An. AM who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS). Therefore, it is important to integrate this therapy into a holistic rehabilitation program to achieve optimal results.
