Does your child use an AAC or communication device? Halloween is a popular holiday for many children, and there’s no reason why kids with AAC devices can’t participate fully in the fun! First, you’ll want to program some key Halloween words and phrases into the AAC device. Some devices actually come programmed with a Halloween…
Many parents whose children skip the crawling phase believe that their children are not only developing typically but are actually advanced. When parents report that their child has skipped crawling, the pediatrician may (or may not) indicate that it’s an issue. So is it important for a child to crawl? The short answer is yes,…
“Why does my child often seem disorganized? I told him the same thing five times and he still did not remember! He has trouble planning and checking his work…It is difficult for him to switch from one activity to another or one thought to another. It is even difficult for my child to get started…
We all know how frustrating it feels to try to communicate with someone who is not paying attention. We have something important to say, but our conversation partner is checking her phone, looking everywhere but us, and when we ask a question, the response is “Huh?” None (or very little) of the information we were…
Kid’s Creek Therapy recently hosted the LAMP conference, an event where SLPs, OTs, teachers, paraprofessionals, ABA therapists, and parents gathered to learn more about the LAMP approach to augmentative alternative communication (AAC). All of our SLPs, in addition to one of our OTs, attended the conference and were trained on the LAMP principles. In today’s…
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are known by many different titles. The most common are speech therapist, SLP, or speech teacher. Many specialties encompass the field (language, articulation, fluency, voice, swallowing, pediatrics, geriatrics, aphasia) and within each specialty there are more areas of focus related to work environments or diagnoses. Speech-language pathology is a career which offers…
Did you know that 11% of children ages 3–6 have a speech, language, voice, or swallowing disorder and almost 15% of school-age children experience some degree of hearing loss? Communication disorders are among the most common disabilities in children nationwide. May is Better Hearing & Speech Month – a perfect time to help families learn…
Many people equate the word “occupation” with a 9-to-5 job, clocking in and out, putting food on the table and a roof over their family’s heads, so sometimes people are confused when we say that their child could benefit from occupational therapy! No matter where we are in the lifespan, from infancy to older adulthood, we…
It may sometimes seem like a difficult task to think of language activities to play with your child, but it doesn’t have to be! You can use everyday moments and activities to encourage language and communication skills and also incorporate quick and easy language games into your everyday life. Setting aside time in your days…
The term “oral motor skills” refers to the function and use of the lips, tongue, cheeks, jaw, and hard and soft palates in swallowing and in speaking. Oral motor development actually begins in utero and continues for the first several years of a child’s life. Sometimes, children show weaknesses in oral motor skills which can…