If your child is normal, eventually they will show resistance to sitting down and doing homework type practice with flash cards or worksheets for speech practice, reading practice, or vocabulary expansion. In addition to recommending targeted practice for families that will help their kiddo progress with therapy, I also recommend ways to incorporate practice into every day routines. By practicing …
The terms speech and language are often used interchangeably, with an overall assumption that these words refer to how we speak. It’s true that both speech and language are critical components of communicating with each other, but there is much more to it than just how we speak.
Autism has been in the news quite frequently the past few years and, chances are, you have probably heard the term “ABA” being thrown around. But, do you know what it is? It’s not JUST for individuals with autism. ABA is all about making socially significant meaningful changes, acquiring new skills, and teaching individuals how to utilize these new skills …
Playing with your child provides a natural opportunity to teach them important skills. Play captures your child’s natural motivations and your child will love that you are down on the floor, being silly, and they won’t even realize that they are actually learning too!
As a speech-language pathologist, I strive to make my therapy sessions engaging and fun for the kiddos I work with. How do I do this? Play!
As children bridge from babbling to first words, their primary form of support comes from adults using spoken models of words and sentences. In the 2009 book release of NurtureShock, authors PO Bronson & Ashley Merryman remind parents about the positive impact that spoken models have on a child’s language development. Similarly, therapists have been encouraging parents to boost a …
Simple games that may be laying around your house or available in your local store can be used to increase your child’s expressive language skills. The game “Hedbanz” has a variety of different editions, and all can be used for speech and language skills!
So, your child has just been evaluated for special education services in the school setting and is receiving speech therapy in school. There are many different ways that you can help your child’s therapy carryover at home! First, make sure you have a copy of your child’s “Individualized Education Plan,” or IEP. This will list each goal/objective that your child …
Who Can I Help? “Oh, so you work with kids who have lisps?” As a Speech Language Pathologist, I’m used to this response from people when I tell them what I do. And while, yes, articulation is part of my job, it’s only a small part. In fact, working with adults is a large part of an SLP’s scope …
Melissa Laco is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a Master of Education in Special Education from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from John Carroll University.
