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Understanding the hidden toll of caregiving. Learn how to take care of yourself when taking care of others.

Learn how you can improve your autistic child's imitation skills to enhance learning and social functions.

As a therapist, do you ever find yourself struggling with maintaining motivation and engagement in your sessions? Engaging young and active clients in therapy sessions can be both challenging and rewarding. Having some effective tools and strategies at your fingertips can go a long way to ensure success! Here are some strategies that you can use to help maintain engagement:   Incorporate Play-Based Activities: Integrate play into your sessions to make them more enjoyable. Use

In the world of pediatric speech-language pathology, we're constantly exploring innovative ways to help young children develop their communication skills. One approach that stands out for its effectiveness and natural appeal is play-based learning. Play is not just a fun activity for children—it's a powerful tool for fostering communication, social interaction, and cognitive development. In this blog post, we'll delve deeper into the importance of using a play-based approach

In today's fast-paced world, even children can feel the weight of daily stressors. Fostering their well-being and resilience is a crucial aspect of parenting. In this guide, shared below by McRory Pediatric Services , we will explore essential tips for self-care for kids and activities that can help them reset, refresh, and prepare for the days ahead.   Encourage Exercise   Physical activity is more than just a way for kids to burn off energy; it is essential for their overal

Image by Freepik The journey towards an enriching life filled with accomplished goals doesn't happen overnight. However, there are definitive actions one can initiate immediately to make headway on that journey. This comprehensive guide shared below by McRory Pediatric Services, Inc.  covers the essentials—stress management, physical fitness, wardrobe upgrades, career planning, financial security, and pursuing hobbies. Follow these steps to navigate the path to a fulfilling l

When it comes to treating speech and language disorders, therapists are constantly exploring new innovative techniques to improve communication skills. One such method gaining more recognition is dynamic temporal and tactile cueing (DTTC) . This evidence based treatment approach utilizes the power of multi-sensory cues to enhance speech production and improve overall communication abilities. In this blog post, we will delve into the concept of DTTC, its benefits and how it c

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is an evidenced based therapy that has proven highly effective in supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. While ABA focuses on behavioral modification and skill development, it is essential to emphasize the significance of compassionate care within this framework. Compassion forms the foundation of ethical and person-centered practices, ensuring that individuals receiving ABA therapy are not o

When teaching children new skills, it is not unusual that they will initially require some support in the form of prompts and cues. Prompts can prove to be very effective to help reduce frustration, can ensure progress towards targeted goals, and provide support with difficult tasks to make the learning process easier. To learn more about the different types of prompts that are commonly used when teaching children, be sure to check out my previous blog, “ A Guide for Using Pr

“When you have fun, then you’re more interested in learning.” – Magnus Carlsen As a pediatric speech-language pathologist I have witnessed first-hand that many rewards that come from working directly with children and their families. However, let’s face it sometimes it can also be challenging. It can be challenging to keep our sessions fun and engaging while simultaneously keeping our student’s motivation high. Motivation is key to ensure that they are getting enough practice

A question that I have been asked a lot recently is whether it is normal for children to emit dysfluent speech and when as a parent should you worry? This is a great question and can be a bit tricky to answer. It is not unusual for children between the ages of 18 months to 5 years of age to exhibit what is referred to as a developmental dysfluency. This occurs typically during the window of time in which children are rapidly acquiring language. There is so much going on at th

I meet a lot of parents that are leery about starting ABA (applied behavior analysis) services with their children. Some share concerns about the high degree of structure that is often associated with DTT (discrete trial teaching), and others have questions about the repetitive drills, and the use of edible reinforcement. As an SLP and BCBA, I understand the desire for interventions that are developmental in nature and focus on relationships and play. And while ABA services,

Have you ever found yourself wondering why your child is able to exhibit a skill in one specific setting, but not the other? Or why your child can identify your pet dog as a "dog" but can't seem to recognize that a dog that looks a bit different than the family pet is still a dog? This may be due to challenges with generalization. Generalization is a term used across fields to indicate when an individual’s response or behavior is produced in contexts where it was not directly

Is your child or client a late talker? Do you need to increase their vocabulary? There are a lot of effective and evidence-based strategies that you can use to help build vocabulary. Once a child learns verbal imitation, you can start offering verbal choices throughout an activity or even throughout the day to expand your child’s vocabulary. For example, during bubble play if you want to expand your child’s language to include attributes, you could ask, “Do you want big bub

There are many early signs of autism in young children which include challenges with shifting attention, decreased joint attention, and limited imitation skills to name a few. However a recent study by UC Davis which was published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology , suggests that babies as young as 9 months old who look at objects in an unusual way may be at a higher risk for autism. In particular, this study found that infants who developed autism “exhibited more frequ

We all know as practitioners that best therapy outcomes are associated with parent involvement, especially in the early intervention population. Yet, many therapists do not actively include caregivers in their therapy sessions. Rather many will debrief families during the last 10-minutes of the session. I am often perplexed by this therapy model as I wonder if that is enough to make a difference. I suppose one could argue that it depends on that parent’s learning style. Perha

Want to teach your child something new, or increase the frequency of a target behavior? To do this, you will need to use reinforcement. Reinforcement is something that is provided after a target behavior which increases the likelihood of the future frequency of that behavior. Reinforcement can take on many dimensions. It can be something as simple as a high-5, verbal praise such as “ great work ”, a tangible item like a sticker or cookie or even a privilege such as 10 extra m

Does your child have difficulty with anxiety, routines or knowing how to interact with others in certain situations? Consider making a social story. Social Stories as, developed by Dr. Carol Gray help children understand the events and expectations in their lives. They provide a simple description of a situation, concept or social skill. And can be a great way to teach a variety of skills and behaviors as well as outline special events and social situation . Each story is ind

Research shows that prompts are an effective teaching tool and as such are an integral part of most interventions, regardless of therapy type. Prompts however are useful for individuals without special needs as well. For example, have you ever written yourself a note to remind yourself not to forget something? Or, has someone pointed to show you where something is? If so, consider yourself prompted! What is a Prompt? Prompts can take the form of instructions, gestures, demons

In these difficult times, we are aware that many are struggling with grief and loss. Grief can be a long and complicated process for adults and there are no right or wrong ways to grieve. But what about how loss affects children? Grief in children can look very different and it is important for adults to be aware of those differences. Children tend to go in-and-out of grief. It is not uncommon for children to ask questions about a loved one’s passing and then go play right af