Category: blog

A new study from the University of Oslo has suggested the use of an Oxytocin nasal spray could benefit persons with Autism Spectrum disorders.  The spray was used on adult men with ASD in a controlled study.  Results indicated that subjects who were given a low dose nasal spray rated faces as happier.  Oxytocin has been linked with improved social information processing.  This study was published in Translational Psychiatry.

Could we really be halfway through summer break?  Where are you on your summer fun to do list?  Now is a great time to sit down with your family and talk about what you have done so far this summer and what you still want to do.  Ask your kids what they liked/disliked and why.  Plan for the rest of your break and let each child choose an activity that they want to do before heading back to school.  There’s still time to pack in some more summer fun!

Do you wonder if your child is too young to begin speech and language services?  Children are referred for speech therapy for many different reasons.  Infants may see a speech pathologist if they are having difficulty feeding or swallowing (latching to the breast/nipple), if they struggle to easily transition from the breast to bottle/cup or solids, coughing or choking during feeding) or if their sound production is narrow or limited.  Toddlers may benefit from therapy if they begin to display frustration due to limited or impaired articulation or language development.  Signs of that your child may be frustrated include increased tantrums, refusal to repeat themselves or reduced attempts to communicate. A parent is often the first to identify a problem

The school year is nearly over.  These next few weeks will be filled with activities.  For some students it is an exciting time with parties, clean out and special events.  For other students, it is a stressful end to their structured school days.  One great way to handle the upheaval is to implement a family calendar.  Print out a calendar sheet and use markers and stickers to fill in the upcoming events.  This is a great activity to do with your child and then review the calendar on a daily basis so that there is a sense of what is coming!

  Developing intelligible speech is not so easy. It means that your child has to correctly produce enough sounds to be understood. So what could be causing your child’s difficulty in producing intelligible speech? There can be several causes. It may be because he hasn’t learned the correct placement or manner of production for certain sounds. It could be because he is only able to inconsistently produce the sounds he has mastered. It is also possible that your child’s speech is difficult to understand because of structural problems or oral weakness. The role of a speech pathologist is to evaluate why your child’s speech is difficult to understand.  Finding the underlying cause/s for your child’s reduced speech intelligibility is essential to correctly treating the condition.

It is common for infants to drool.  Although less common in the very young child, mild drooling is still considered normal.  Drooling in infants and children to age 2 is generally due to an immature neurological system and or teething.  Over the age of 2, drooling is no longer considered typical and further assessment is warranted. After age 2, drooling is less socially accepted.  If there is no direct medical cause, drooling may be secondary to the poor development of oral motor skill and or strength of the muscles of the head and trunk.  This lack of development can lead to difficulty managing saliva.  Chronic droolers may show minimal or reduced awareness of saliva loss. When to seek help: Does

Asperger’s Are Us is a new documentary film that looks at the lives and comedy sketch troupe of 4 young men who have Asperger syndrome. Check it out on Netflix!

Ford Motor Company has just expanded their hiring initiative for people with autism. FordInclusiveWorks is a program that provides individuals with autism work experience and the possibility of competitive employment.  This program is in partnership with The Autism Alliance of Michigan.  

Winter vacations can be a great time to spend time together as a family.  They are also full of opportunities to grow vocabulary and language!  We all have phones that take pictures now.  When you are out and about during winter vacation, be sure to snap some shots of the places you go and things that you do.  These can be used to retell events using sequencing and event specific vocabulary.  Don’t forget to take pictures of relatives that you visit – these are great for WH question practice!  Who did we see? Where do they live? When were we there? Print your pictures and glue them into books so that you can use them over and over, retelling events and solidifying vocabulary retention.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition caused by recurring seizures impacting three million people in the United States. It’s slightly under the population of Chicago. While you’re are exploring the streets of Chicago, a stranger, a family member, or friend may have been affected by seizures. A seizure is caused by neurological sparks in the brain. Imagine flashes of lightning on a stormy day or confetti bursting at a New Year’s Eve celebration to some this may be a way to describe Epilepsy. In order to diagnose and treat seizures, a neurologist may recommend an EEG or MRI to determine the best treatment method. This can often can be a long and daunting experience for a family to undergo. Explaining