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Autism Awareness Month

4/4/2013

Did you know that April is National Autism Awareness Month? The first national Autism Awareness Month was announced in April of 1970 by the Autism Society. The goal is to educate the public about autism and its influence on people.

As a speech-language pathologist I'm always asked questions about what some parents have referred to as the "a" word. I've worked with many toddlers and older children who have been diagnosed with autism over the years. They have been some of the most rewarding, yet challenging clients, too.

So, what is autism? According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (www.asha.org): Autism is a developmental disability that causes problems with social skills and communication. Autism can be mild or severe. It is different for every person. Autism is also known as autism spectrum disorders. It now affects 1 in 88 children, and boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism.

You can learn more about Autism, its signs and symptoms, causes, and what speech-language pathologists can do to help on the American Speech-Language Hearing Association website.

One of my most memorable cases I saw for speech therapy was a little boy that I"ll call J. He was referred to me by the early intervention program at 18 months because he was not talking (according to his mother). He later received an autism diagnosis which really helped me be able figure out what to do to help him communicate. As a result of early intervention speech therapy and special instruction, J was more social with his peers in his preschool class, he was talking in simple words and phrases to express his wants and needs, and was learning to play appropriately with toys. Of course J needed to continue with speech therapy once he left the early intervention program, so he was able to receive services through the public school's program at that time. A few months later, I started working with J's younger brother. When his mother found out I would be the younger brother's speech therapist I can still remember what she said to me. She said, "I'm so glad you will be working with my other son. You gave J. a gift that I would never be able to give him. You gave him the gift of communication." Wow! No one had ever complemented me this way. It was the most touching thing I've ever heard from a parent. This is the reason why I am a speech-language pathologist - I can make a big difference in the lives of others.

To learn more about National Autism Awareness Month please visit the Autism Society's website, http://www.autism-society.org/about-us/national-autism-awareness-month/.

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The Parrot Stage

4/2/2013

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One of my most favorite developmental speech stages is the imitation phase or as I like to call it, the parrot stage. This stage begins around 7 months to 12 months old. Babies and young toddlers will try to repeat the sounds they hear and some of the words they hear. They also begin to mimic gestures such as waving goodbye, pointing, or nodding their heads "yes" and "no."

I have twin girls who are now 14 months old as of last Friday (March 29th). They are definitely in the parrot stage, and I know it will continue to progress as the months go by. I will have to watch what I say the older they get, though! They are hilarious and love to talk. They will wave, clap, point, put their arms up in the air, and shake their heads. They can now bark like their dog, Bear, and growl like a bear when we make the sounds. Just yesterday, my husband and I took them for a walk in our neighborhood, and they barked along with a dog they heard on our route. They will say "uh-oh" when they drop something, "go" when we say "ready, set, go" before rolling a ball or knocking down blocks, and "yay" when we praise them for doing something good. One of my twins now repeats "no, no, no" when I tell her no and try to redirect her from what she was doing that is not allowed in our house. Of course I try not to laugh, but it's getting really tough these days! My girls also say "dada" constantly and "mama" only when they want or need something (so typical!). Usually I hear it around bedtime when they're exhausted from the day's activities. Every little gesture, sound, word, and attempt at words makes their speech therapist mama so happy and proud of their accomplishments, especially because they were born 8 weeks early!

But, what if your child is not imitating your sounds, words, and gestures? What should you do? First, you should talk as much as you can to your child. Talk about what you're doing and talk about what your toddler is doing. You can also perform gestures such as clapping and waving to see if your toddler will imitate you. Pair these gestures with sounds such as "yay" for clapping or "hi" and "bye" when waving. Say "whee" when sliding down a slide or swinging, and "uh-oh" when your toddler drops something. The key is to be consistent with your words, sounds, and gestures. Your toddler should eventually catch on and repeat what he or she hears you say and sees you do. Don't forget to praise your toddler when he or she imitates you or attempts to imitate you. By praising your toddler, you're encouraging him or her to communicate and imitate you even more.

To learn more speech and language tips to help your toddler talk and communicate faster, be sure to check out my book on Amazon Kindle, Talking With Todders - 52 Tips to Boost Speech and Language Skills.

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Spring Cleaning-Don't Forget Your Toddler's Toys

3/28/2013

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It is officially the spring season across the United States and the weather couldn't be more perfect! With spring comes the anticipated spring cleaning. As you are cleaning out your house this spring, don't forget to go through your toddler's toys. Does your toddler have so many toys that it has become a distraction? If so, what toys should you think about donating or throwing away? Here are some suggestions:

• Get rid of toys that are not age-appropriate. These toys may be too basic or too complex for your child.
• Donate toys your toddler has outgrown. Pack up the rattles and baby toys because your child is probably no longer interested in them.
• Throw away toys that are tattered, worn, missing pieces and no longer working. There is no point in keeping these toys.
• Give away toys your toddler does not like playing with because these toys do not keep his or her attention. Another child may enjoy them.

Once you have decided on the toys you are going to keep, think about which toys can help increase speech and language development. Remember that toddlers benefit most when exposed to sounds and words at a young age. Some of the toys to hold onto include toys that are motivating, toys that encourage pretend play, toys that require imagination, toys that develop fine and gross motor skills, as well as cause and effect toys. Some of these types of toys include blocks, bubbles, books, flashcards, puzzles, dress-up costumes, dolls, and play kitchen items. Keep in mind that the best toys that encourage speech and language skills are the ones with the least bells and whistles.

After you have sifted through your toddler's toys you can begin to organize them to lessen the clutter and distraction. One way to do this is by using plastic bins of various sizes found at large discount stores. Put toys with several pieces in zip top bags and put all of these toys in one plastic bin. Put all of your toddler's puzzles together in another box. Place costumes and dress up items in another tub. Once all of the toys have been organized into their appropriate containers, write the names of each type of toy on an index card or piece of paper to tape to the outside of the box so that you can help your toddler locate them. You can also put pictures of the toys on the outside of the container so that your toddler can find them himself. You will be more organized and your toddler will enjoy playing with toys that stimulate his speech, language and developmental skills. Happy spring cleaning!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7055008

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Easter Egg Fun-A Toddler Speech & Language Activity

3/25/2013

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Easter is right around the corner! One of the biggest and most fun traditions is to hunt for Easter Eggs indoors and outdoors. Did you know that you can turn an Easter Egg hunt into a speech and language activity that your toddler will enjoy? Here's how!

Hide the eggs on a chair, under a table, and in a bucket. Help your toddler find the eggs, and describe where they were hidden while emphasizing the concepts (in, on, off, under, etc). For example, you can say, "The egg is under the table."

Count the eggs with your toddler once he or she has found all of them. Talk about the eggs, their color, shape, size, etc.

Fill plastic eggs with different items that have various textures and tastes. This can create a sensory rich experience. By stimulating the senses you are helping your toddler improve language and basic motor skills. Good plastic egg fillers for toddlers include gummy snacks, play dough, bubbles, small toys (make sure your toddler won't choke on them if he or she still mouths objects), and crackers.

Work on the action/vocabulary words open and close with your toddler. Your child can open the eggs to see what is inside. He or she can also close the eggs when finished.

Decorate an Easter egg with your toddler. Allow him or her to color it, paint it, or even use stickers. Here are some Easter Egg templates you can print and use for decorating. Coloring is such a fun activity for any toddler!

Read a book with your toddler about Easter, rabbits/bunnies, eggs or spring. Reading is one of the best activities you can do with your toddler to build speech and language skills. Toddlers also love looking at pictures in books, so don’t feel like you have to read the book if your child is not interested. Simply talk about the pictures as you point to them and describe what you see to your child.

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Springtime Fun to Target Toddler Speech & Language Skills

3/21/2013

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It’s finally officially spring! Spring has sprung in full force in the southern part of the United States. Although the temperatures are occasionally on the cool side, pollen is everywhere. Cars, driveways, and anything left outside is covered in the green stuff that makes us all sneeze. Usually a good rain will wash it all away.

Now that it’s spring, it’s time to start thinking about doing some fun activities outside with your toddler. So, what kinds of outside spring activities are exciting for your toddler that can increase speech and language skills?

Follow the Leader
You be the leader and have your toddler follow your actions. For example, you can clap your hands, jump up and down, and dance around the backyard. Be sure to say what you’re doing so your toddler knows the word that is associated with the action (clap, jump, dance). This game will also help your toddler learn to follow simple directions. Let your toddler have a turn at being the leader and follow her actions.

Play ball
What toddler doesn’t enjoy throwing or kicking a ball? Target simple actions such as throw, kick, and roll. Work on simple concepts such as up, down, in, out, on and off (throw the ball up in the air, put the ball in a bucket, place the ball on the table). Practice turn taking skills such as my turn and your turn.

Have a picnic
Everyone loves a picnic! Pack your basket full of your toddler’s favorite foods, and don’t forget your blanket to spread out on the ground. You can focus on simple vocabulary with your toddler while naming objects in the picnic basket as you’re taking them out (cup, spoon, bowl, etc.). Ask your toddler to give you specific objects. For example, you can say “Give me the cup” or “Give me juice.” Build pretend play skills. Allow your toddler to bring her favorite baby doll and pretend to give her bites of food and sips of drink.

Read a book
Sit under a tree and read your toddler’s favorite book. Reading to children helps increase their vocabulary, encourages imagination, and helps with articulation and pronunciation skills. Make sure you choose age-appropriate books and books with lots of lines that repeat throughout the story. Toddlers really like repetition and may eventually try to repeat the words in the book.

What other activities does your toddler like to do? Your goal is to think of how you can use them to build his or her communication skills. You’ll be surprised at how many fun things you can think of to do this spring with your toddler!

If you would like more fun speech and language tips and activities, be sure to check out my book on Amazon Kindle, Talking With Todders - 52 Tips to Boost Speech and Language Skills.

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St. Patrick's Day Toddler Speech & Language Activity

3/14/2013

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I love doing fun, art activities with my toddlers that I see for speech therapy. It's something different for them and for me. It also makes their toddler speech therapy session even more fun! One of my most favorite websites that I use is http://www.first-school.ws Preschool Activities & Crafts. This website has a lot of fun, printer friendly arts and crafts ideas.

Since it's almost St. Patrick's Day, here is a fun leprechaun craft you can do with your toddler. I'll also list ways that you can stimulate your toddler's speech and language skills while completing the craft.

First, decide if you would like to print out a color copy of the leprechaun or a black and white copy. If you choose the black and white copy, your toddler can color it however he would like! Let your toddler cut out the leprechaun pieces and put them to the side. You may need to help your toddler if your child is still trying to improve his cutting skills. To assemble the leprechaun, look in the top left hand corner of the page and you'll see a guide that shows how the pieces should be glued. Next, glue the pieces of the leprechaun together. Allow your toddler to glue the pieces together on his own, with a little guidance of course! I love using colored glue sticks with toddlers because they are much easier for their little hands, and they are more fun than using clear glue sticks.

Now that your toddler has glued the leprechaun together, it's time to learn how you can stimulate his speech and language skills with this craft.

Teach body parts while cutting out the pieces. Target eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and head. This craft has a variety of shapes that you can talk about with your toddler while assembling the leprechaun. Talk about circle, oval, rectangle, and crescent (moon). To work on counting skills you can help your toddler count the pieces of the craft. You can also help your toddler identify colors such as green, red, or any color that he decides to use when coloring the leprechaun. Also, talk about leprechauns, St. Patrick's Day, rainbows, and pots of gold. Remember to break it down to your toddler's level because he may not always understand complex speech and concepts. What other speech and language skills can you focus on with this activity?

If you would like more fun speech and language tips and activities, be sure to check out my book on Amazon Kindle, Talking With Todders - 52 Tips to Boost Speech and Language Skills.

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Toddler Speech & Language Developmental Milestones: 2-3

3/7/2013

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Here is my third and final blog post on Toddler Speech and Language Developmental Milestones. This post will cover ages two to three. This information was gathered from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Website - How does your child hear and talk?

Between ages two to three, your toddler will understand and express a lot. Keep in mind that it may be difficult for others to understand what he or she says. I often tell parents that they shouldn't expect their toddlers to be able to speak exactly like an adult once they learn to talk.

Your toddler should be able to understand differences in meaning. For example, he or she should be able to know what stop and go, in and on, big and little, up and down mean. He or she should begin to follow two step directions such as "go to your room and get your shoes" or "get your diaper and put it in the garbage can." Your toddler's attention span will continue to increase, and he or she should be able to be able to enjoy listening to stories for longer periods of time.

At age two to three, your toddler will start to use a word for almost everything. He or she will use two to three word phrases such as "doggie go outside" or "I want juice" when talking about things and when making requests. Your toddler should be able to correctly say and use the k, g, f, t, d, and n consonant sounds. Children at this age should also names objects to ask for them or direct attention to them.

Keep in mind that the milestones discussed in this series of posts are just a quick overview of what your toddler should be able to understand and say. Every child develops at a different stage, so try not to compare your toddler to other siblings or children. However, if you are concerned about your toddler's speech and language development you can always contact a local speech-language pathologist or your state's early intervention program for an evaluation to determine if your child needs speech therapy. Speech-language pathologists are here to help you and your child!

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Toddler Speech-Language Developmental Milestones: Age 1-2

2/26/2013

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This is the second post in my series Toddler Speech-Language Developmental Milestones. This post will cover age 1 to age 2. This information was gathered from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Website - How does your child hear and talk?

This is a really fun age because children begin to imitate actions, sounds, and vocalizations they hear from their parents and other children their age. My twin girls are 12 months old (almost 13 months....they're growing up way too fast!) and are little parrots. They are waving, clapping, saying "uh-oh" and beginning to bark like their pet dog, Bear. It makes me laugh, and it's also music to my ears since I'm a speech-language pathologist!

From age 1 to 2, your toddler should begin to point to basic body parts such as eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He should be able to follow simple directions such as "throw the ball,"get your shoes" and understand basic questions such as "Where's your shirt?" Your toddler will pay attention to simple stories, songs, and rhymes (brush up on your songs like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and The Itsy Bitsy Spider!). He will also start to increase his vocabulary skills by pointing to pictures in books such as cup, dog, and bubble when they are named.

You will notice that your toddler will say more words every month, although they may be hard for an unfamiliar listener to understand. Between ages 1 to 2, your child will start speaking in simple two word phrases like "more milk," "no cookie," and "mommy book." He will start asking questions using one to two words. Examples of these questions include "Where kitty?", "Go bye-bye?", and "What's that?" Your little one should also use several different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Toddlers are like little sponges. They soak up everything, including what they hear. Take advantage of it and talk to your child as much as you can. Sing songs with him, and take time out every day to help develop his speech and language skills!

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Toddler Speech & Language Developmental Milestones-Birth to 1

2/21/2013

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Welcome to the first part of my series of posts on toddler speech and language developmental milestones. This information was gathered from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Website - How does your child hear and talk? Birth to one year.

In this post, we will be covering birth to age 1. Although your baby isn't talking yet, he is learning about speech and language and communicating with you through his cries and body language. It's amazing how early a baby starts communicating with his parents and caregivers!

From birth to 3 months your baby should begin to respond to loud sounds, become quiet or smile when spoken to, recognize his parents voice and become quiet if crying. Your baby should also vocalize pleasure (cooing) and displeasure (crying) sounds, cry differently for many needs, and smile when he or she sees you.

At 4 months to 6 months your baby should begin to look toward the location of sound with his eyes, react to changes in the tone of your voice, notice toys and objects that make sounds, and be aware of music. Your infant will begin to babble speech-like sounds including consonants p, b, and m, laugh out loud, and make gurgling sounds when playing by himself or with his parents/caregivers.

When your baby is 7 months to 1 year he will enjoy playing games such as pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo, turn and look at where sound is coming from, listen when he is spoken to, understand words for basic items such as cup, shoe, and book, and respond to simple requests like "come here." Your baby should start to babble groups of sounds such as "tata upup bibibibi", gesture in order to communicate (waving, pointing), imitate different speech sounds, and start saying one to two simple words around his first birthday (bye, dog, mama, dada).

The first year goes by extremely fast....too fast for my liking (I have 12 month old identical twin girls!), so take advantage of every moment with your baby. Cherish your time together and enjoy those sweet sounds your baby makes!

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Speech & Language Developmental Milestones for Toddlers

2/16/2013

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As a speech-language pathologist I'm often asked about speech development in children. Once a parent finds out what I do, I'm immediately asked, "What should my child be saying at age 3?", "Should my two year old say his /r/ sound yet?" or "Why does my toddler say tat instead of cat?" Because of these questions I've decided to do a series of blog posts about speech and language developmental milestones for toddlers. I'll start from birth and end at age three. Not only will I cover expressive language (what a child says), but I'll also talk about receptive language (what a child understands). Stay tuned for the first post in this series!

Check out the entire series here:
Toddler Speech & Language Developmental Milestones - Birth to Age 1
Toddler Speech & Language Developmental Milestones: Age 1-2
Toddler Speech & Language Developmental Milestones: Age 2-3

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