SLP Corner

An Arby’s In Minnesota Is Getting Heat For There Sign ‘Only Well-Behaved Kids’ Allowed

"Children who are melting down or acting “innapropriate” may very well have special needs or be nonverbal and they are doing and trying their best. These kids don’t want to be crying or “melting down”; this is just their attempt at communicating a need they have. Moreover, parents with these children are trying their best as well. So next time a child “acts out” or you think a parent isn’t doing enough to stop a tantrum, maybe think twice before you judge. An understanding smile to an overwhelmed mom can make a big difference. We are all just trying our best." - SLP Corner

To read more on this post go to -- https://www.slpcorner.com/for-parents/things-arent-always-as-they-seem

12tomatoes.com An Arby's in Minnesota is receiving backlash online and at home for posting a sign that says only "well-behaved children" are welcome inside the restaurant.

"Overcoming Apraxia" by Laura Baskall Smith — SLP Corner

I started a new section of my blog called 📚 Book Corner 📚 where I will review and recommend all of my favourite SLP related books! ⁣
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📘The first book review in the Book Corner is “Overcoming Apraxia” (Overcoming Apraxia) by SLP mommy of Apraxia/Dyspraxia/Dyslexia
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I was looking forward to reading this book because not only is Laura Baskall Smith and SLP who specializes in childhood of speech (CAS), she is also a mother to a little girl who has . Therefore, this book provided credible explanations and information on CAS intervention and treatments while also touching the heart of a reader with her more personal discussion of CAS. This book was a perfect fit for me personally and professionally as I have a close family member who has CAS and I am also on the road to becoming an SLP. ⁣
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Here are a few of my favourite takeaways: ⁣
📖 “We speech therapy professionals need to be supporting parents just as much as we provide support to the children.”⁣
📖 “Appropriate therapy for apraxia should always, first and foremost, inspire and support a child’s motivation. It is essential that children are motivated to achieve.”⁣
📖 “Therapy for apraxia can help other speech disorders; however, approaches that do not target the underlying speech motor difficulty are not likely to be effective for apraxia.”⁣

slpcorner.com This past weekend I sat down to read Laura Baskall Smith’s (also known as SLP Mommy of Apraxia) book titled “Overcoming Apraxia.” I loved it so much that I finished it front to back in one sitting! I was looking forward to reading this book because not only is Laura Baskall Smith and SLP who s...

Sensory Social Routines — SLP Corner

"Are you familiar with the term “Sensory Social Routines” or what the Hanen program refers to as “People Games”? The ESDM asserts that sensory social routines are routines in which the child’s attention is focused on another person instead of an object. When sessions or activities become too focused on object routines it is important to switch it up with some sensory social routines. Sensory social routines can involve songs such as “Ring Around the Rosie” or games like ‘peek-a-boo’ or ‘hide-and-seek’."

The ESDM discusses goals that SSRs accomplish which I discuss in my article linked below!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-slps/sensory-social-routines

slpcorner.com Are you familiar with the term “Sensory Social Routines” or what the Hanen program refers to as “People Games”? The ESDM asserts that sensory social routines are routines in which the child’s attention is focused on another person instead of an object. Therefore, whenever our sessions were...

My Sunday morning consisted of tea☕️ and reading SLP mommy of Apraxia/Dyspraxia/Dyslexia book “Overcoming Apraxia” 📖 from front to back in one sitting. Having a resource like this book written by both an SLP and a mother of a child with apraxia is incredible. ⁣
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Wow... having a family member with a diagnosis of apraxia in addition to becoming an SLP this book was an amazing resource for me. I took my highlighter out and studied those pages like I would a textbook.💙
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I highly recommend buying this book if you are an SLP and have apraxia on your caseload or if you have a close family member or friend with apraxia. It is such a useful resource. After reading it I know for sure this will be a Christmas present this year.🎄⁣
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I’m going to write a blog post on some of my biggest takeaways from Overcoming Apraxia soon! 💻

I love this idea for transitions!

Cart parking! If you have trouble transitioning students through the building try adding a simple kids grocery cart! We add weighted items if the child needs some heavy work too! Have him help deliver books or other items to your office and viola! You transitioned! Put some tape on the floor so the cart has a parking spot. You can usually find these on Facebook marketplace or at Goodwill for cheap! Ours have been filled with pumpkins during the last month! Do you cart too? 🛒

💡SPEECH THERAPY IDEA💡 ⁣⁣
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I am going to start posting some really quick (basically no prep) and effective therapy ideas here so if you’re ever feeling stuck there will be some resources here. ⁣
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🙈Confession - planning and prepping for sessions is one of my favourite parts of slp...⁣
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I used this conversation jenga twice this past week with two different groups of kiddos with around the ages of 6-8. It was a huge hit and it only took me maybe 15 minutes to make! ⁣⁣
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Just print out the questions, cut them out and tape them onto the blocks. I also made sure to leave about half of the blocks with no questions to encourage them to also generate their own questions! If you want to increase complexity different colours can be different types of WH questions.⁣⁣
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🗣This idea can also be used for artic - you can tape words of the target sounds onto the blocks! ⁣⁣
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💭What other ways do you use jenga in therapy?!

6 Ways to Prepare a Girl with Autism for Her First Period

This tends to be a topic people avoid discussing; however, it is important to discuss because it helps normalize this discussion surrounding females with special needs and menstruation. There are many options out there that can help fit the individual needs of your daughter. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the options out there. :)

blog.theautismsite.greatergood.com Menstruation is a universal experience for women, including those with autism. Here are some practical ways to prepare your daughter for that inevitable milestone.

Four Different Communication Styles Observed in Children — SLP Corner

"Just like adults, children demonstrate unique communication styles. Finding out which communication style your child exhibits can make it easier to communicate with them. Children’s communication style can either make it harder or easier for other people to interact and communicate with them. Hanen explains that a child’s communication style depends on two things: (1) their ability to initiate interactions with others and (2) their ability to respond when other people initiate an interaction with them. Hanen puts forth four different communication styles." ... Check out my blog post below to read about the four different communication styles.

https://www.slpcorner.com/preschool-1/four-different-communication-styles-we-see-in-children

slpcorner.com Just like adults, children demonstrate unique communication styles. Finding out which communication style your child exhibits can make it easier to communicate with them. Children’s communication style can either make it harder or easier for other people to interact and communicate with them. Hane...

"nonverbal doesn't mean I have nothing to say..."

I just love this. 💗

⭐️SLP HIGHLIGHTS⭐️ ⁣
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One of my favourite things about this career path are the rewarding things that happen in a therapy room. This past week I had the honour of hearing a 5 year old with say his first TWO words (one was “happy”). Things like that I just won’t ever get used to... 💝⁣
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💭What are some of your speechie highlights?

Why is the Wait-and-See Approach Outdated? — SLP Corner

Have you ready my post on 👶🏼Why the Wait-and-See Approach is Outdated?👶🏾⁣
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🗣It is not uncommon to hear people suggest that you can just “wait and see” if your child is experiencing delays in areas such as speech or language.⁣
🗣Recent research by Singleton (2018) asserts that the “wait and see” approach for children’s speech and language is outdated and a risky way to navigate atypical developmental patterns in children’s speech and language. ⁣
🗣They explain that a wait and see approach not only delays referrals that a child may require for further examinations but that in fact most late-talkers do not catch up to their same-aged peers in all areas of development (e.g. social skills, school readiness, academic achievements, and possibly a life long disability).⁣
🗣Singleton (2018) reports that over 80% of toddlers who failed language screenings at 30 months were not recovered even by age 6, and often these children acquire a diagnosis of having a language disorder in elementary school. ⁣
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📖💭If you want or read more click the link below!

https://www.slpcorner.com/preschool-1/why-is-the-wait-and-see-approach-outdated

slpcorner.com It is not uncommon to hear people suggest that you can just “wait and see” if your child is experiencing delays in areas such as speech or language. However, recent research by Singleton (2018) asserts that the “wait and see” approach for children’s speech and language is outdated and a ri...

Importance of Clean-Up in Therapy Sessions — SLP Corner

"Clean-up in therapy sessions isn’t just about reducing distractions. The ESDM manual discusses the importance of clean-up as it relates to positively impacting speech, language and communication for the child. Parents can also be educated on the importance of cleaning-up, and the benefits of their children also cleaning up their messes at home should be emphasized."

Check out my posts for tips on how to have clean up run smoothly and why it is so important to do!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-slps/importance-of-clean-up-in-therapy-sessions

slpcorner.com Clean-up in therapy sessions isn’t just about reducing distractions. The ESDM manual discusses the importance of clean-up as it relates to positively impacting speech, language and communication for the child. Parents can also be educated on the importance of cleaning-up, and the benefits of their

Tips for Engaging with my Child during the Holidays - Finding Cooper's Voice

Tips for engaging with children with autism (or other special needs) during the holiday season.

findingcoopersvoice.com Here are tips and ideas to help you engage with my child during the holidays.

Overcoming Apraxia

I found this to be true. I was never sad all the times, but at times it would hit me again, and sometimes out of nowhere l.

www.interveningearly.org

We expect about 16 gestures by 16 months of age. Check this link out for more info - the first words project is a great SLP resource!
http://www.interveningearly.org/downloads/16x16-handout.pdf

interveningearly.org

The wait and see approach is outdated!

https://www.slpcorner.com/preschool-1/why-is-the-wait-and-see-approach-outdated

Ok, this one has a LOT of words, but PLEASE read it!! I see comments like this so very often and many times when another parent says “Don’t worry” my SLP mind screams - “GET AN EVALUATION!”
“Wait and see” and “don’t worry” pretty much go hand and hand- and we know this is OUTDATED and prevents children from accessing early intervention. So, here’s what you could/should say instead!

Mrs Speechie P

The job of the Speech Language Pathologist is SO often misunderstood, and usually because most people think we only work on initially learning to talk or making the correct sounds. When In reality, we work on so much more! The biggest obstacle for me is parents and teachers not understanding that kids might need to work on language skills- even when they are talking! There’s so much more to language than knowing and saying words! What about you, which do you find yourself explaining to others?

SLP mommy of Apraxia/Dyspraxia/Dyslexia

SLP mommy of Apraxia/Dyspraxia/Dyslexia has the best resources! 😊 Check our her post on book recommendations for children with apraxia.📚

A reader asked if I had any book recommendations for apraxia! I do! Check it out here for gift ideas :)

Literacy + Early Intervention — SLP Corner

"Recently we had a guest lecturer come to our class and present on literacy in the school-aged populations and the importance of early intervention. One of her main goals as a clinician and researcher is to reduce the amount of children who experience literacy failure as all children and all humans have the right to be literate."

Check out this post for her 3 main points from her presentation!

https://www.slpcorner.com/schoolaged/literacy-early-intervention

slpcorner.com Recently we had a guest lecturer come to our class and present on literacy in the school-aged populations and the importance of early intervention. One of her main goals as a clinician and researcher is to reduce the amount of children who experience literacy failure as all children and all humans h

Autism Awareness

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It's a question many neurotypicals have. Here, several different autistic individuals answer. What would you add?

Apraxia Kids

Your child has an AAC system and now you are struggling with implementing it as a successful communication tool. Speech is your end goal, however it isn’t coming fast enough and the child is becoming more frustrated. How do you balance using this AAC system with your speech goals? How do you encourage educational staff to use this AAC system with the child? Check out our webinar “Focus on Communicating: Speech and AAC Systems Can Co-Exist”.

https://www.apraxia-kids.org/webinar_library/focus-on-communicating-speech-and-aac-systems-can-co-exist/

Speech 💬 versus Language 💭

The difference between SPEECH and LANGUAGE!

SLP mommy of Apraxia/Dyspraxia/Dyslexia

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“My daughter with apraxia saw people struggling to speak being laughed at.

The fact that this was a game wasn’t obvious to her. She couldn’t fathom why anyone would choose to make it harder to talk. When the audience laughed at the big screen, my sweet and sensitive daughter Hadley must have felt they were laughing at her.”

slp tip 🗣 a social worker I know explained the importance of labelling how a child is feeling instead of placing a personality or character trait on their fleeting emotion. for example, if a child is apprehensive you can explain to them that they’re feeling unsure and they’re not ready yet instead of telling them that they are a shy person 😊💙

Parents, I have a Plea from the Bottom of my Heart - Finding Cooper's Voice

" Research has shown that siblings benefit when there is frequent, open discussion about a child’s special need (e.g. ASD). Explain to children how we are all different and we all have different strengths and needs. Explain how we all change and grow and so will their sibling. For example, they will improve on communication and they will improve on their play skills - it just might take a longer than expected. Discuss details of ASD and what specific challenges their sibling might face because of their ASD. Be open to questions and encourage discussion around this topic."

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-parents/what-about-your-other-children-when-you-have-a-child-with-special-needs

findingcoopersvoice.com Parents, I have a plea from the bottom of my heart. I beg you to take some time to talk to your little ones about kids who are different.

Communication Temptations — SLP Corner

Have you ever heard the term "Communication Temptation"?

"A communication temptation is when you manipulate a situation to encourage someone to communicate, in this context children. An article by, Paul and Fahim (2014) gave so many good examples of communication temptations I just had to share! The examples compiled below are both from the article and from my own clinical experience."

Check out my blog post for examples to implement with your children!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-slps/communication-temptations

slpcorner.com I remember in my first SLP placement my CE (clinical educator) introduced me to the term “communication temptation” which I thought was just the cutest term ever, I soon found out that these temptations are useful for initial consults when wanting to observe a child’s speech and language, for ...

Hard Kids Have Good Moms Too

Things aren't always as they seem!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-parents/things-arent-always-as-they-seem

nashville.citymomsblog.com I was walking through Kroger around Mother’s Day when I saw it: a mug on display featuring the hand illustrated note “Good Kids have Good Moms.” I wasn’t really trying to get punched in the emotional gut while picking up our weekly gallon of milk, but that’s what happened. I felt a bit e....

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) — SLP Corner

What exactly is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)? Check out my post to read up on it -- https://www.slpcorner.com/schoolaged/developmental-language-disorder-dld

slpcorner.com Today is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Awareness day! DLD is a language disorder that is recognized in the DSM-5 as “language problems that create obstacles to communication or learning in everyday life, are unlikely to resolve on their own and are not associated with a known bio

Transitions between activities or routines can be so challenging for children! The ESDM puts forth for 4️⃣ Steps for Facilitating Transitions for Resistant Children: ⁣
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1️⃣Stop participating in the activity (social attention can be a reinforced for the child)⁣
2️⃣Make the activity boring (e.g. remove pieces, begin putting some of it away)⁣
3️⃣Position a new and interesting activity in the child’s visual field⁣
4️⃣When the child reaches for the new activity, quickly remove the old activity from their view

Check out my full post ➡️ https://www.slpcorner.com/for-slps/facilitating-transitions

I follow a beautiful blog (@) run by a mother who has a son with autism who is nonverbal. One of her latest posts discussed the challenges she has faced with learning how to effectively play with her child with autism. She said and I quote, “My son wouldn’t play with me. In fact, he didn’t play at all. He watched his tv shows and he wandered. That’s it.” It is common for parents to feel this way about struggling to play with their children with special needs. However, parents are often apprehensive to come forward and ask for advice or help surrounding this topic of playing with their chldren because they feel like they should naturally know how to. Let me tell you, this is not the case! It can be incredibly challenging to learn how to effectively play with children with special needs. The ESDM lays out 5️⃣ steps to gaining your child’s attention which is so helpful when attempting to play with them.⁣
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📲Check my blog post (link in bio) for explanations of each step! ⁣
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1️⃣Identify what is in the spotlight of your child’S attention ⁣
2️⃣Step onto the “stage”; position yourself in their spotlight ⁣
3️⃣Eliminate the competition ⁣
4️⃣Identify your child’s social comfort zone ⁣
5️⃣Join in by following your child’s lead ⁣
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➡️Check out my blog post (link in bio!) for a much more detailed discussion of each step!

She’s Simple - Finding Cooper's Voice

"Imagine someone saying that about someone you love. Someone you love with “special needs.”

findingcoopersvoice.com In this world of “awareness” that we live in, we are kidding ourselves if we think that awareness equates acceptance. Simply put, it doesn't.

How to: Gain Your Child's Attention — SLP Corner

"I follow an account on Facebook called Finding Cooper's Voice. It is a beautiful blog run by a mother who has a son with autism who is nonverbal. One of her latest posts discussed the challenges she has faced with learning how to effectively play with her child with autism. She said and I quote, “My son wouldn’t play with me. In fact, he didn’t play at all. He watched his tv shows and he wandered. That’s it.” In reading this post I realized how common it is for parents to feel this way about struggling to play with their children with special needs. However, parents are often apprehensive to come forward and ask for advice or help surrounding this topic of playing with their chldren because they feel like they should naturally know how to. Let me tell you, this is not the case! It can be incredibly challenging to learn how to effectively play with children with special needs. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) (i.e. a comprehensive therapy approach for children with autism) has a parent manual where they lay out 5 steps to gaining your child’s attention which is so helpful when attempting to play with them." Check my blog post for the 5 steps!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-parents/how-to-gain-your-childs-attention

slpcorner.com I follow an account on Facebook called, “Finding Coopers Voice.” It is a beautiful blog run by a mother who has a son with autism who is nonverbal. One of her latest posts discussed the challenges she has faced with learning how to effectively play with her child with autism. She said and I quot...

🔟 Ways to Use Finger Puppets🧸⁣
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Did you read my blog post on the Fun Quotient (FQ)? My goal in therapy is always to increase my FQ. Children learn better when they are having fun and playing. My FQ in sessions can’t help but be high when I am adding cute and silly puppets in the mix!⁣
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1️⃣ Finger puppets + Books ⁣
2️⃣ Finger puppets + New play mate⁣
3️⃣ Finger puppets + Breaking the ice ⁣
4️⃣ Finger puppets + Turn taking ⁣
5️⃣ Finger puppets + Pretend play⁣
6️⃣ Finger puppets + Singing songs ⁣
7️⃣ Finger puppets + Animal sounds ⁣
8️⃣ Finger puppets + Hide and seek ⁣
9️⃣ Finger puppets + Generalization ⁣
🔟 Finger puppets + Perspective taking ⁣
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How do you use finger puppets?!

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-slps/10-ways-to-use-finger-puppets

You’re Taking Care of Them - Who’s Taking Care of You? — SLP Corner

"How many parents are asking themselves, “What About Me?” When you become a parent, your whole world changes and suddenly it isn’t about you anymore. People throw themselves wholeheartedly into taking care of this new little one who needs them so much. But if you’re taking care of everyone else all the time, who is taking care of you?" ..... "After many discussions with close family/friends who have children with special needs and clients and their families, I have compiled a list of suggestions for continuing to invest in yourself and your wellbeing so you can set yourself up to keep showing up for others"

https://www.slpcorner.com/for-parents/youre-taking-care-of-them-whos-taking-care-of-you

slpcorner.com My recent post “What About Your Other Children?” delved into the guilt that parents of children with special needs often feel regarding their typically developing children. When so much time is spent with one child, parents worry they aren’t spending enough time playing with or planning f...

"Never underestimate the importance of talking to a child. This is especially important in the first year of life."

Never underestimate the importance of talking to a child. This is especially important in the first year of life.

Just like adults, children demonstrate unique communication styles.💬 Finding out which communication style your child exhibits can make it easier to communicate with them. Children’s communication style can either make it harder or easier for other people to interact and communicate with them. 🗯 Hanen explains that a child’s communication style depends on two things: (1) their ability to initiate interactions with others and (2) their ability to respond when other people initiate an interaction with them. Hanen puts forth 4️⃣ different communication styles.⁣
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➡️Check out my blog post for a more in depth explanation of these four styles! ⁣
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The 4️⃣ Communicate Styles ⁣
1️⃣Sociable⁣
2️⃣Reluctant⁣
3️⃣Passive⁣
4️⃣Own agenda ⁣
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https://www.slpcorner.com/preschool-1/four-different-communication-styles-we-see-in-children