Category: blog

  A social story is a tool used primarily in special education and therapeutic settings to help individuals, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), understand social situations, expectations, routines, and appropriate behaviors. Developed by Carol Gray in the early 1990s, social stories are structured narratives that provide individuals with clear and concrete information about social interactions or events they may encounter. These stories typically include descriptive sentences, pictures, and sometimes simple language to convey the message effectively. Key features of a social story include: Objective: Social stories describe a specific social situation or behavior objectively, highlighting relevant details such as who, what, when, and where. Perspective Taking: Social stories often aim to encourage perspective-taking by helping individuals understand others’

Are you or someone you know interested in a career as a Speech Language Pathologist? Becoming an SLP typically requires a combination of education, clinical experience, and licensure. Here are the general requirements to become a speech therapist: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Begin by completing a bachelor’s degree program in communication sciences and disorders, speech-language pathology, linguistics, psychology, or a related field. Some undergraduate programs may offer specific coursework tailored to prerequisites for graduate-level speech-language pathology programs. Complete a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology: Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in a related field usually pursue a Master’s degree in speech-language pathology from an accredited program. These programs typically take two years to complete and include coursework in areas such as speech and

Reading is composed of two different concepts which include word recognition and comprehension. A breakdown in either one will lead to reading difficulties. Presently, there is no specific data connecting sound production to literacy skills; however, speech sound disorders can be an early warning sign for dyslexia. Dyslexia is a phonological processing disorder that is not curable, but it is treatable. Red flags for dyslexia in late preschool and early kindergarten include poor phonological awareness and poor speech sound production. Early screening is recommended so your child can have all the necessary services to be successful.

Speech therapy is a commitment that goes beyond an evaluation. It is not a one time fix and requires attendance, hard work, and consistency. Speech therapy requires a commitment of time, energy, and effort from both the family and child. With dedication to the process, speech therapy can provide growth in communication skills and promote a successful future. Parents and caregivers can support gains in speech therapy by first educating themselves on their child’s disorder and treatment options. Additionally, they can bring their child to treatment, celebrate and praise successes in speech, and support completion of homework/carryover assignments. Speech therapy is not an overnight fix, but if you stick with it, you will see results. It is important to be

Top 3 Ways to Encourage Language Development in Babies and Young Children May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month and here are the top 3 things you can do to support and develop your young child’s speech and language skills: TALK Narrate what you are doing and what your child is doing. Use short sentences and keep language simple, but don’t use “baby talk”. You can engage your child with infant directed speech (parentese): try different pitches and tones of voice and be animated. Call objects by their correct names and do not mispronounce words. For examples of parentese, see the video below: How to Talk to With Your Baby When your child starts to talk, expand what they say by adding

  As the weather is getting nicer, you can use nature and outdoor activities to help build your child’s language skills. Take a walk around your neighborhood and talk about what you and your child see, hear, smell and touch. This can help develop their vocabulary and ability to describe things. You can use NOUNS like grass, flower, sky, cloud, tree, branch, and trunk and ADJECTIVES like soft, sticky, rough, smooth, noisy, sweet and stinky. If you have a yard, include your child in some simple gardening activities. Get some shovels, a bucket or a watering can and talk about ACTIONS as you dig, dump, pull, plant, bury, pour, etc. You can reinforce BASIC CONCEPTS like full, empty, more and

  Materials Needed: -Plastic eggs -Small pieces of paper -Basket to hold the eggs -Speech and language prompts or targets Setup: -Prepare speech and language prompts or targets based on the goals of your therapy session. These prompts could include vocabulary terms, articulation targets, sentence formulation prompts, WH- questions, describing objects, etc. -Write each prompt or target on a small piece of paper and fold it up. -Place one prompt or target inside each plastic egg and close it securely. -Hide the eggs around the therapy room or designated play area. How to Play: -Explain the rules of the game to the child or children participating in the therapy session. -Encourage them to search for the hidden eggs around the

Occupying a child with special needs on a long road trip requires planning and creativity to ensure their comfort and engagement throughout the journey. Here are some strategies you can consider: Prepare a Travel Kit: Pack a travel bag with familiar items that provide comfort and entertainment for your child. Include favorite toys, books, sensory items, and comfort objects such as blankets or stuffed animals. Create a Visual Schedule: Use visual aids, such as a schedule or checklist, to help your child understand the sequence of events during the trip. This can provide a sense of predictability and reduce anxiety. Plan Regular Breaks: Schedule frequent stops along the route to allow your child to stretch their legs, use the restroom,

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has developed a new resource on feeding and swallowing milestones for the birth to 3 population. The milestones reflect the ages in which at least 75% of children from around the world have mastered the skill. The milestones can be found here: https://on.asha.org/feeding-milestones. In addition to the milestones, ASHA has also developed a brief video detailing feeding and swallowing skills that should be mastered by age, information on why some children may have difficulty meeting milestones, and who to contact if a child is having difficulties eating or drinking. The video can be found here: on.asha.org/feeding-milestones-video.

  Most children say their first word around 12 months of age. How can you tell your child’s first word from other sounds that they make? A word is when a child uses sounds consistently and meaningfully. When children say words, they may not sound exactly like adult words. It is common for young children to use word approximations. A word approximation is a word. Children simplify the way adults say words to make them easier to say. For example, a child might say “mama” for mommy, “baba” for bottle, or “ma” for more. Children usually make other sounds that aren’t words, called babbling. Babbling is when children use sounds that adults use to talk, like “b,” “p,” and “m” sounds paired with vowel