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This transdisciplinary workshop addresses two therapeutic techniques often utilized with the young child: PROMPT, a multisensory approach to speech challenges and ABA, applied behavioral analysis, understanding and managing challenging behaviors. Jackie Santiccioli, a renowned PROMPT specialist, will provide information on the PROMPT technique, a multisensory approach to treating the child with challenges in the development of speech using functional interactions. Clinicians working with the prelinguistic and early linguistic child will have a greater understanding of the sensory and motor systems and the impact that the PROMPT technique provides. Sarah Hively, a Behavior Analyst, will provide information on how to identify, understand and treat challenging behaviors. The training will break down challenging behaviors into four different functions of behavior. Upon completion

Wee Speech was proud to participate in the National Association for Down Syndrome Conference.  This was the first year vendor tables were offered and we were one of 20 organizations who came out.  The conference was well attended and brought a wealth of information to both families and professionals.

Looking for ways to celebrate the autumn season and create memorable learning experiences with your kids?  Look no further than my favorite FALL arts & crafts below.   As an added bonus, a few will help decorate your house! Pine Cone Bird Feeder: Take a walk to find a few large pine cones.  Tie a string around the tops and leave enough string on the other side to hang from something outside (try to find a place where squirrels won’t be able to reach it!)  Smear all sides with creamy peanut butter and sprinkle with birdseed.  Hang up where you can watch the birds come and enjoy! Orange Peel Bird Feeder: Peel an orange in a circular motion, making sure the

Do you have an entire bushel of apples from the apple farm sitting on your kitchen floor, waiting to be eaten?  Here are some ideas for what to do with them that can involve your children and enhance their learning: DÉCOR: Put apples in a bowl as an edible centerpiece.  Take a walk outside to collect acorns and pine cones to add to the bounty. ART: Cut an apple open through the middle and reveal the “star” inside; then make a masterpiece!  Dip the flat side of the apple in washable paint and press it onto paper to make “apple prints.”  Be creative and draw on the paper after the paint dries. Observe different apples and try to sketch them.

Growing up, my mother and her sisters always placed a certain importance on the practice of “Coffee And…”   which for them meant having coffee, relaxation, bonding time, and of course great dessert.   My mother would become so excited at finding a new place the offered gourmet coffee and bakery items.  I couldn’t wait to be of age to fully enjoy the outings.   Interestingly enough, in searching for exciting things for parents and kids to do in the city, I came across a new trend in sites that offer a twist on our family idea.  There are so many places now that offer great coffee/dessert (for the adults) and . . . .   exercise, learning, and play experiences for children.   They

August is typically the hottest month of the year…we’ll see if it rivals the heat we’ve experienced so far this summer.  When it’s hot, try heading over to one of the Chicago Park District’s parks/playgrounds that have water spray features… the perfect combination of enjoying the weather, playing at the park, and getting wet to cool off.   Bonus- you don’t even need to bring a towel if it’s very warm!  Besides being a fun and memorable experience, visiting a water park incorporates many aspects of language, from “packing the bag” as detailed in a previous blog to vocabulary (temperature of the water, color/size/shape of the sprayers, feel of the ground, drain) to relating the experience afterwards to another person.   Below

Summer is a time for picnics, barbeques, sandwiches and light meals. It is exciting to explore the foods that can be a part of our summer meals. Taking a trip to the grocery store and the farmer’s market can be educational for the child who is picky about eating. Teach your child where fresh fruits and vegetables come from and the ways in which they can be prepared and eaten. Allow your child to smell and touch foods without having to eat them. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful and generously offered at one or more meals daily. These offerings can be new opportunities to try new foods or learn to eat familiar foods in new ways. For example, maybe your

Hey Mom and Dad are you planning on taking a trip to the beach with your kids soon?  Why are you packing the bags?  A great activity to boost a variety of language skills during the summer would be to “pack that bag” together.    You can have your kids make a list of things they think they would need for the beach.  They can sequence through all the events from getting to the beach to getting home, and what objects and actions they would have to have and do.  Additionally you can have them locate the necessary objects within your house as a way to categorize by location.  Your kids will be learning and problem -solving, you will have less

Need a change in environment? Want to learn something new? Try visiting one of our great state’s many museums. Chicago museums offer free days throughout the year. You can check the schedule on this website: http://museumfreedays.com/ Click on Chicago on the left and scroll down to the bottom to click on “Calendar” for an easy-to-read overview. Many free days are offered in the fall as visitation decreases at this time of year. The Chicago Public Libraries offer museum passes for free; however, the most popular museums are often hard to get. You can call various libraries to ask what they have “in stock” but they will not reserve them so you have to pick it up right away if you