Did you know the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative IDDSI has a YouTube channel?❣️
If you are an experiential learner who develops understanding more easily with visuals and hands-on guidance you will find the IDDSI YouTube channel beneficial to your learning style. 🤩
https://youtu.be/9tRoJ31Mz30?si=e63JYschrsV_aNkJ
Did you know that delayed echolalia is the first stage of gestalt language development?! It’s a building block not something that should be extinguished❣️
If you are looking for an introduction to gestalt language development checkout this free masterclass designed for parents and professionals❣️
This free class also discusses how child-led therapy can help support children’s overall language development❣️🤩
https://www.meaningfulspeech.com/offers/YpBHFc24/checkout
For a deep dive into the well-verified, decades long, qualitative research that details the differences between gestalt language processing and analytic language processing (the mainstream development of language through single word use) look no further than this amazing site which will grant you access to more educational resources 🤩:
“What Speech Therapists Wish Parents Knew” presented by Big Heart Toys💖
If you are a neurodiveristy-affirming therapist you are not alone❣️💓💗💓
The video warmed my heart 🫶🏾 It is always so revitalizing to witness a tribe like Jessie and Chris affirm the research associated with neurodiversity-affirming techniques and approaches ✨💖this glimmer is a reminder that we can be the change our speech friends need when we join in allyship and integrate their individualized needs into our therapeutic practices.
https://youtu.be/xPVYpmNR5BI?si=BjULoA8gwD1MtqJb
Check out expert insights/tips on early feeding development❣️🤩🤓
“I share that the primary issue arises when children become solely dependent on pouches for nutrition, missing out on essential chewing experiences needed to further oral motor development and exposing them to a limited range of tastes and textures.”
“In many cases of selective eaters, I find that educating caregivers about toddlers and their relationship with food, and coaching them on fun food activities, relieves stress for both caregiver and child.” -Stefanie LaManna, Speech-Language Pathologist
Stefanie goes on to share ways SLPs can support caregivers:
💖Educate them of developmental expectations/indicators of pediatric feeding disorders that expand past picky eating
💖Refer them to a dietitian for specific and individualized expectations regarding growth and weight gain
💖Encourage engagement with their child in less stressful food-related activities that incorporate learning absent of demands to actually eat
💖Suggest ways to make food fun so their child can explore foods without feeling pressured or overwhelmed
Read full article in detail here: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2024-0501-picky-eaters-feeding-pouches-slp/full/
Discover 10 fun and engaging summer activities designed to boost speech and language skills for children. Our latest blog provides practical tips for parents and SLPs to incorporate outdoor adventures into learning. Improve communication skills while making the most of the summer season! Read more to explore these creative ideas.
Full blog: https://content.liricare.com/summer-speech-activities/
"AAC" (augmentative and alternative communication) and/or “SGD” (speech-generating devices) Recommendations and Justifying Medical Need for Speech Friends
The routine practice of exposing speech friends you deem “total communicators” to the 4 different methods of communication would include the following:
-verbal word production
-American Sign Language (ASL) or Makaton
-low tech core board
-high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (high-tech AAC) also known as speech-generating device (SGD) for short
For the sake of short-hand communication I refer to these as "The Big Four". As we fully embrace culturally competent approaches as a society, exposing speech friends to all 4 methods of communication provide communication experts with the evidence needed to prove, without a doubt, that AAC is truly a medical need for the beautiful friends we serve.
Valuable Insights
During the initial evaluations, I expose friends to The Big Four (always using simultaneous ASL with core words I verbally express. If the child does not respond/imitate my model of ASL/verbal utterance then I model with core board use then apply the same approach to SGD).
You may say to yourself, "but my friends are already positively responding to SGD!" And I completely understand this perspective but, as scientific experts, we need to add evidence to SGD being the child’s preferred choice and their power/right to choose, not ours.
This is why, when seeking to obtain SGD funding, ethical SGD/AAC funding support providers require SLPs to indicate if a child has been exposed to “The Big Four” as a means of determining true insurance coverage (if we haven't trialed all methods of communication then we technically have no subjective evidence to prove SGD is a medical need; no evidence = subjective or assumed need).
We don't want to assume a child's preferred method of communication without first exposing them to “The Big Four”. This is the evidenced based reasoning behind commonly used "total communication" goals- when we model The Big Four (which includes acceptance of sounds and word approximations), it allows the child a safe/encouraging space to show us which one is his/her/their preferred means of communication through observed evidence.
I realize some friends may not have "total communication" listed within their goals (at the time of assessment, maybe these friends appeared to prefer verbal communication) but, if your observed evidence is proving that a friend behaviorally and/or emotionally benefits from a total communication approach, careful consideration to update this accommodation to his/her/their treatment plan (so as to fully capture this technique as a documentable and evidenced reminder) is best professional practice.
Expert Expressions that Improve Parent's Understanding of SGD:
-Replace “tablet/iPad” with the specific use of “high-tech AAC” (augmentative and alternative communication), "AAC" for short, and/or “SGD” (speech-generating devices) for most precise naming
-Remind parents that AAC can be low tech or high tech
-Repeated use/exposure of these labels to help channel the message that it is actually the access to the words on the SGD/high-tech AAC device that supports the child’s ability to communicate not the tablet use alone.
For a professional consults related to this topic please reach out to schedule a client consultation session with me on Liricare as I am happy to discuss more❣️
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/05/apple-announces-new-accessibility-features-including-eye-tracking/
Amazing announcement, eye tracking can be huge for those with disabilities! For those with degenerative diseases who won't be able to access technology in the future eye teaching is a great option when purchasing a device! I was talking to a colleague last week about smart phones for communication and this latest development only furthers that functionality.
I feel that this is the best kept secret in our field. Did you know there is a phonemic inventory list that helps us learn the dialectal differences in several different cultures??? You can view them HERE: https://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/phono/
Did you know April is Autism and Neurodiversity Awareness Month? Watch my Youtube LIVE replay with Dr.Karen-Dudek-Brannan, PhD, CCC-SLP on how to conquer executive functioning challenges in the clinical and educational setting HERE: https://youtube.com/live/LjL6zGBomuI?feature=share
