Author: Margaret Morris MS CCC SLP

Significant speech and language delays are directly related to developmental or medical issues. Sometimes people make assumptions about speech and language development or think that other factors are the reason for the delays: -Individual developmental variation: While there is variability in acquisition of speech and language milestones, don’t assume that delays in talking are the result of normal developmental differences between children. Research indicates that approximately 40-50% of children who are late to talk (who have typical skills in other areas) do not catch up on their own. While some children learn and use new words faster than others do, if your child is not saying their first words by 15 months, or can say fewer than 50 words by

A study by researchers at the Yale Child Study Center shows that puppets can attract and hold the visual attention of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at rates which are similar to their typically developing peers. The findings suggest that puppets could be a tool to develop more engaging therapies that strengthen social engagement and facilitate learning for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study, published in the Journal Autism Research in 2021, is the first to test anecdotal evidence that children with ASD, like most young children, pay attention to puppets. The researchers created the experiment in collaboration with Cheryl Henson, the daughter of puppeteer Jim Henson and president of the Jim Henson Foundation. Check out a

    April celebrates what is now called Autism Acceptance Month. Autistic author, Elle Love, wrote that: “Creating awareness was the first step in our conversation about disability inclusion, however, acceptance enforces awareness and reflects how our society should celebrate the differences and abilities that neurodivergent people have.”   Neurodiversity refers to the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population. The term has popularly been used in the context of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but also includes a range of neurological differences, such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and dyspraxia.   Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with differences in communication, learning, and behavior. Some differences for

Traditionally, the early babbling of babies has been thought to primarily be a mechanism for babies to learn and practice how to use their mouths and voices. New research published in the journal, Developmental Science, shows how early babies begin to understand that their vocalizations can impact the people around them. The study showed that babies as young as 3-5 months of age changed the amount and intensity of their babbling when an adult stopped responding to their vocalizations, showing that a baby’s babbling functions as a tool, as they build associations between their own non- crying sounds and the reactions of adults, and learn the value of vocalizing for communication purposes. Parents and caregivers can encourage communication by tuning

    Music can be a fun way to help your child develop their language, motor, and memory skills. The rhythm of the music and the repetition words can not only help them build their vocabulary, it can encourage them to try sounds or words they might not attempt while talking. Most parents probably know the classics like Old McDonald and Itsy Bitsy Spider, so here are a few suggestions of silly songs you can add to your repertoire.  Links are provided just to help you learn the tunes and actions because these are songs you and your child should sing and act out together!   I’m a Little Snowman- sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”, it

Here are 5 common techniques used by speech-language pathologists everywhere, that parents and caregivers can use when practicing with your little ones at home: 1. Give Choices: Instead of asking your child a yes/no question (“Do you want juice?”), ask an either/or question (“Do you want juice or milk?”). This will encourage their use of more vocabulary. 2. Simplify Language: Keep it short, clear and concise. If your child has difficulty comprehending language, this can help with understanding. You can still expand your child’s sentence structure without being too wordy. Instead of, “Do you want to go in the kitchen with me to bake some chocolate chip cookies?” try, “Let’s go bake some cookies!” 3. Wait Time: If you ask

Reading aloud aloud to your baby is a fun shared activity— plus it's important for your baby's brain! It encourages your baby to look, point, touch and respond to questions. Your child can develop their language skills through recognizing pictures, copying sounds and learning words. You can start reading books to your baby as early as 3-6 months, or once they are able to focus on items such as a toy or mirror. For very young babies, whose vision is developing, you can start with high-contrast black and white books, like, “Look Look!” by Peter Linenthal or “I Kissed the Baby!” by Mary Murphy. By age 5 months, babies have good color vision and will enjoy bright and colorful pictures.

When a child plays, either by themselves or with others, it promotes executive function, including the ability to self-regulate their emotions, develop patience and impulse control. Independent play also helps develop their attention skills and encourages problem-solving.. The link between play and positive cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development is so strong that in 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a recommendation for their providers to ‘prescribe’ play for their patients. The ability to play independently is something that happens gradually. At around six months of age, babies might be able to play for a couple of minutes at a time, up to 5 minutes. By around 12 months of age, this time increases to around 10 minutes of independent

Parental involvement in a child’s speech and language development is essential. Numerous studies have shown that when parents and speech-language pathologists work together to help practice skills in as many environments as possible, children make significantly more progress towards their therapy goals. It’s hard to learn any new skill if it’s only practiced for 45 minutes, once or twice per week. Think about learning to play a musical instrument; your weekly lessons with a music teacher will help you learn scales, chords and other techniques, but if you don’t practice at home, outside of your lessons with your instructor, it will take a lot longer to master those skills. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) only have a limited time with your child

    As the school year is ending and summer begins, many families are planning their annual vacations.  For families with children with special needs, the changes in routine and unpredictability of travel can make these types of trips quite challenging.   The key to successful travel with your child  with special needs is to plan, and if possible, practice ahead of time.  For example, if you are flying on an airplane with your child for the first time, you can watch videos, read books or make a social story with pictures to explain what will happen at the airport and on the plane.  You can even make a visit to the airport ahead of time. The  Arc’s Wings for