Summer is full of flexibility—later mornings, vacations, less structure, and lots of play! Then suddenly...

📚 It's time for school again.

For some children, getting back into the rhythm of school can take a little practice. One way parents can help is by gradually bringing communication, listening, and structured activities back into the daily routine.

💬 Try adding short communication activities into your day:

🗣️ Practice following directions
“Get your shoes.”
“Put the book on the table.”

🔤 Talk about what happened today
“What did we do?”
“What was your favorite part?”

👀 Practice listening and responding
Ask a question, then give your child time to answer.

📖 Read together
Talk about the characters, pictures, and what might happen next.

🎤 Use ASD 123 for interactive voice practice
ASD 123 encourages children to use their voices to interact with activities rather than simply tapping through a screen. The app includes guided activities, positive feedback, and can be used at home, in therapy settings, or on the go.

The goal isn't to turn summer into school.

It's to make the transition a little smoother, a little more familiar, and a lot more engaging.

And remember, practice doesn't have to mean sitting at a desk!

A few minutes of meaningful communication during everyday activities can create opportunities to listen, respond, use language, and build confidence.

🎒 Here's to a new school year and new opportunities to find their voice!

SLPs, parents, and educators: What is your favorite way to help children transition back into their school routines?

Parents often ask, "What can I do at home to support my child's speech?"

The answer doesn't have to be complicated.

The best speech practice often happens during everyday routines:
🧸 Talk during playtime.
🍎 Describe what you're doing while preparing meals.
📚 Read together every day.
🎵 Sing songs and pause to let your child fill in familiar words.
👏 Celebrate every communication attempt, even if it isn't perfect.

Technology should never replace these moments, but it can make practice more engaging.

That's why we've developed ASD 123 to encourage children to actively use their voices while they play and learn.

Small moments every day can lead to big progress over time.

https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2026-slp-schools-family-support-Kurian/full/

Excited to share that Speak & Play is now live! This new platform, built on NSF-funded technology, gives families real feedback on children’s speech and language right from home. Parents upload short audio clips of their child speaking, and get personalized, research-backed ideas for supporting language growth: no diagnostic labels, just practical help.

Speak & Play offers accessible, clinician-designed tools for early intervention and ongoing language support. Our goal is to bridge the gap for families, clinics, and schools facing long waitlists or limited specialist access. The platform is ready to use, and we’re always open to feedback from SLPs, educators, and parent advocates.

If you’d like to learn more, connect with me or visit https://speakandplay.ai. Let’s help more families find the support they need, when they need it.
Excited to share that Speak & Play is now live! This new platform, built on NSF-funded technology, gives families real feedback on children’s speech and language right from home. Parents upload short audio clips of their child speaking, and get personalized, research-backed ideas for supporting language growth—no diagnostic labels, just practical help.

Speak & Play offers accessible, clinician-designed tools for early intervention and ongoing language support. Our goal is to bridge the gap for families, clinics, and schools facing long waitlists or limited specialist access. The platform is ready to use, and we’re always open to feedback from SLPs, educators, and parent advocates.

If you’d like to learn more, connect with me or visit https://speakandplay.ai. Let’s help more families find the support they need, when they need it.

Book a free consultation call with me here:
https://versetherapy.com/directory/april-jackson

HEAD BANGING IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Head banging is a type of self-injurious behavior commonly seen in some autistic individuals, often used as a way to cope with overwhelming sensory input or emotional distress.

It can be triggered by sensory overload, frustration, anxiety, pain, or a desire for deep pressure input — making it essential to identify the root cause before addressing the behavior.

✨ Let’s talk about:
Why head banging happens
What it tells us about the child’s needs
And how we can respond safely and effectively

In the world of special education, communication is the foundation for meaningful growth. ✨

Recently, I worked with a vibrant 5-year-old student named Adam. Although he could vocalize words, he struggled with purposeful communication. His needs for toys, food, and assistance often went unmet simply because he lacked an effective way to express them.

Through the use of Functional Communication Training (FCT), we introduced structured, meaningful alternatives to his communication attempts. By teaching Adam simple, functional phrases paired with visual supports, we opened a door, empowering him to replace frustration with connection.

Functional communication isn't just a strategy; it's a critical step toward autonomy, dignity, and learning.

Today, I’m sharing a glimpse into how FCT can transform a child's world, one request at a time.

"bilingual children talk later"

I hear this ALL the time and it is NOT true! Early language milestones are similar for bilingual and monolingual children. If a child is not meeting these milestones, you should talk to a speech-language pathologist!

What questions do you have about bilinguals?

Why Is He Always Throwing Things

When I first met Ayaan (name changed), a 5-year-old autistic boy in my classroom, his days were filled with unpredictability, for both of us. He would run to the door multiple times, throw toys across the room, and burst into giggles at seemingly random moments. Verbal instructions didn’t land. He seemed inattentive, overwhelmed, and unreachable.

One morning, as I was picking up the same toy he had thrown for the fourth time, I paused and asked myself: "What if this isn’t misbehavior? What if this is a cry for structure?"

That simple question changed everything.

We started small: a visual schedule with just four steps, a consistent arrival routine, and movement breaks between tasks. Within weeks, he began checking the visual chart on his own. The throwing lessened. He stayed longer at the table. And for the first time, he waited in line during snack time.
It wasn’t magic. It was predictability, and it made his world feel safer.