Category: blog

The kids’ TV show “Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go” recently introduced a new character who has autism. The character’s name is Bruno the Brake Car and he is voiced by child actors who also have autism. Chuck Smith voices the U.S. version of the show, while Elliot Garcia voices the U.K. version. The TV show’s production company, Mattel Television, consulted with various autism organizations and Autistic people when developing the character. Refer to Shelley D. Hutchin’s article from the ASHA LeaderLive listed below. Hutchins, Shelley D. (2022). Thomas the Tank Engine Introduces Autistic Train Voiced by Autistic Actors. The ASHA LeaderLive. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2022-1011-thomas-autistic-train-slp/full/

As the holiday season quickly approaches look out for some of these recommended toys on Amazon! Here is a list along with some speech/language targets to be utilized at home: https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Stages-Amazon-Exclusive/dp/B00OZAI56M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=29CBTRJ4CXNYH&keywords=piggy+bank+game&qid=1666710133&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjQzIiwicXNhIjoiMi4xMyIsInFzcCI6IjEuNTcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=piggy+bank+gam%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-2 Piggy Bank: requesting, turn taking, expanding utterance length , identification/labeling qualitative (color)/quantitative (numerical) concepts, following directions https://www.amazon.com/B-Critter-Clinic-Toy-Play/dp/B00B16U50C/ref=sr_1_2?crid=XCV4FUUXNI98&keywords=animal+hospital+toy+with+keys&qid=1666710316&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjUwIiwicXNhIjoiMi41NiIsInFzcCI6IjEuOTcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=animal+hos%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-2 Critter Clinic: understanding concepts (open/close), identification/labeling vocabulary (hiding animals/food/objects inside the doors), categorization of vocabulary (variety of objects in the doors and sort into each category once opened). https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Pig-Bigger-Belly-Busting-Burgers/dp/B091DSN2XG/ref=sr_1_3_mod_primary_new?crid=3MWBX4JZY67FC&keywords=pop%2Bthe%2Bpig&qid=1666710389&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjQ4IiwicXNhIjoiMy42OSIsInFzcCI6IjMuNTIifQ%3D%3D&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=pop%2Bthe%2Bpi%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-3&th=1 Pop the Pig: turn taking, following multi-step directions involving qualitative and quantitative concepts, functional language, language expansion, production of bilabials (pop, pig, big, more, me)   https://ganbino.com/product/john-deere-gearation-magnetic-board/ TOMY Gear Magnretic Toy: understanding concepts/following directions involving stop/go, on/off, fast/slow, more/all done, production of s-blends (spin, stop, start, smile,

Recently children have been prone to excessive screen time use due to greater accessibility from tablets and smartphones.  It is understandable parents are busy and need rest time themselves, however, excessive use can be damaging to a child’s growth and socialization.  Here are some recommendations on how to use screen time appropriately and reduce potential damage that excessive screens may be causing your child. How to cut down on screen time: Lead by example Children follow what they see.  If the child’s caregiver is scrolling on their phone while the family is at the dinner table, the child is watching and may internalize this as acceptable behavior. Have designated times and places where screen time is restricted If possible, try

Although there are many types of visual schedules, they all typically contain images, symbols, photos and/or words to help communicate a task or activity. Depending on your child’s age and specific needs, their visual schedule may contain activities by the minute, hour, day, or week. For example, if your child requires more structure, they may use a visual schedule that uses “first, next, then” language to communicate activities for the next few minutes. If your child requires less structure with their daily activities, their visual schedule may list tasks for the entire day. Visual schedules are a powerful tool that can help kids perform complex tasks, organize their day, or follow a routine. Benefits include providing structure and predictability and supporting independence. Here are

  Speech Pathologists and other service providers are often complimented by parents as being “patient” in their work with the pediatric population. It is said that having patience (by maintaining a reduced pace or giving adequate wait time to children) is not only a virtue but also a necessary skill for interacting with young children. Many parents might find it challenging to provide this wait time when interacting with their children as it can feel forced and time consuming in our busy day to day lives. However, implementing use of pausing, silence, and delayed response tactics are important traits of strong communication partnering that all children need. This wait time strategy, often referred to as The OWL strategy (Observe, Wait,

  As children develop language with variability and have individual strengths and weaknesses, parents might feel conflicted about when to seek out support for their children and when to “wait and see” if they observe lags in progress or delays in acquiring new skills. Maintaining a once common “wait and see approach” is based on the idea that some children may require more time to develop a given skill compared to their peers and may with time, catch up and develop the given skill at their own pace. According to the Hanen Centre’s summary of two recent research studies, the current literature suggests that the “wait and see approach” is outdated and that even minimal or prematurely provided intervention can

  As we progress through thee school year, many parents may wonder how we can specifically help children improve frustration tolerance, navigate challenging feelings, and problem solve successfully at home and in the classroom as they encounter new experiences or difficulties. The following strategies have been found to strongly assist in the challenging feat of growing a child’s frustration tolerance: Provide Exposure to Frustration: Ironically, one of the best ways to improve frustration tolerance in children is to expose them to varied experiences where they might encounter it! Parents are advised to observe, analyze, and learn about their child’s progression from mild frustration all the way to extreme frustration. Experts suggest parents refrain from helping their children through experiences yielding

By 3, a child will typically produce 3-4 word phrases, make animal and environmental sounds, name most common objects, produce personal pronouns, answer yes/no questions, and request using power words.  As these skills are emerging, you may want to see your child demonstrate these skills.   Here are some ways language can be modeled: Child is playing with a truck on a slide. “Whoa, look at the truck! It’s going up-up-up, weeee!” Child is playing with a baby doll. “Uh oh, baby is crying, she needs mama. ‘Mama, where are you? Mama help!’”  The adult is modeling language a child can imitate that is also describing the play routine, so it is relevant and fun for the child. It’s like watching

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

  With the outbreak of COVID-19 more than two years ago, schools and clinics resorted to using virtual platforms in order to continue providing educational and therapeutic services to students and clients. Nowadays, it appears Zoom is here to stay as an effective and convenient means of conducting therapy if in-person services are not an option, or simply if a family chooses to elect telehealth for their child. If your child is participating in virtual services, here are some key tips for making sure their therapy sessions are successful:   1. Make sure your child has a designated area to work in. Your child should have a specific area at home that they are able to use their iPad, computer, or