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How can I help? Parents as the Primary Agents of Language Intervention for Young Children

When fostering communication for young children whose language skills are just emerging, parents or caregivers are often trained by speech-language pathologists as the primary agents of intervention.


Why is this?

Many of the language strategies taught to young children are easy to learn and can be incorporated into daily routines that the parent and child participate in together. For example, one early language facilitation strategy involves expanding on a child’s current vocabulary. This means that if your child says “car”, the parent will expand and respond by adding and modeling more language such as “blue car.” Strategies like this are best used during natural interactions between parents and their children, and can be easily used in routines such as during playtime, bath time, and while taking a walk.

By using these strategies on a regular basis, children will receive consistent, frequent, rich language input from their primary caregivers in their natural environments. This results in greater generalization of skills (using skills learned in many different situations). For example, if a child hears his mom model the word “dog” when he sees a dog on tv, when he is playing with his toy dog, and when he sees a dog in the park, the child begins to learn that the word “dog” can be used to refer to many different dogs, not just one specific dog.

Parents and caregivers also develop a greater understanding of language development and how to provide the best forms of play and interaction of which their child can take advantage. They can share this knowledge with other household members (e.g older sibling, grandparents) or caregivers who interact frequently with their child.

Many parents may already be using these strategies to some degree and just need some direction to use them more intentionally in their daily routines. For example, parents can be directed to use appropriate target words and properly set up the interaction to promote their child’s communication.

Setting aside time to practice these strategies with your child can result in valuable time spent with one another, and a greater understanding of your child’s communicative abilities, which can result in increased opportunities for language facilitation.

Written by: Emily Dykstra, speech-language pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

Help! My Toddler Isn't Talking!

Many parents are unsure of when and if to be concerned when their toddler is not yet talking. It is important to remember that a speech-language pathologist can provide comprehensive assessments on even these little kids to help parents identify if a concern exists. Here is a list of the major speech and language milestones for young children:

• First words should be acquired by 15 months of age

• Children should begin using 2-word phrases by 24 months of age

• Children should have over 50 words by 24 months of age

Of course this list is not exhaustive but it does give parents a starting place to check-in and see how their child is doing. If a child is not meeting these milestones, there are some things that can be done at home to promote language development. These tips do not replace the need to see a speech-language pathologist.

Language stimulation tips:

• Use simple language (1-2 word phrases)

• Model words and repeat them over and over again during daily routines

• When playing with your child be face-to-face so you can see what s/he is interested in

• Use a slow rate of speech when talking with your child

• Limit the number of questions you ask

• Make interactions motivating

• HAVE FUN!

Written by: Carolyn Davidson, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

The Linguistic Abilities of Children Exposed to Alcohol Prenatally

The negative effects of alcohol on the fetus and child have been discussed since the time of Aristotle. He spoke up against prenatal drinking saying that ‘drunken women bring forth children like unto themselves, morosos (sluggish) et languido (weak)’ (Mattson and Riley, 1998). In 1973, Jones and Smith put together a complete pattern of malformations. They named these, the symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Later, the phrase Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) was coined to label children exposed to alcohol prenatally who showed mild symptoms of FAS.

FAS can affect the fetus and child in many ways. Linguistically, FAS can affect the child’s future speech and language skills. One cannot predict which skills will be affected as each case is distinct; however, studies have shown that the following areas can be disturbed: pronunciation, fluency (stuttering), auditory processing, language comprehension, story-telling and sequencing, and social communication skills.

There are many studies that review the effects of alcohol on the fetus and child. These have proven that although it is unpredictable to which extent these will be influenced, alcohol does in fact, cause speech and language difficulties in children and teens.

Written by:  Claudia Correia, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

Should We Wait And See? When to See a Speech-Language Pathologist

When a child has difficulty with speech and/or language, parents often get all sorts of (well meaning!) advice: “Wait it out”, “He’s a late bloomer”, “She’ll get it eventually”. When should you start to consider the involvement of a speech-language pathologist?

The following is a list of ages and stages for certain sounds and grammatical concepts, as well as the age at which treatment is indicated. Whenever you’re in doubt, ask a speech-language pathologist: he/she has the training required to identify when children should begin treatment and for how long other children can wait.

Ages and Stages:  Articulation (How our lips, tongue, and teeth come together to make speech sounds)

Sounds that should have developed by 3 years:  p, b, m, t, d, n, h, w, vowels (a, e, i, o, u)
Age for concern?  3 years and over

Sounds that should have developed by 3-3 ½ years: k, g, ing, f, s, y, s-blends
Age for concern?  3 ½ years

Sounds that should have developed by 3 ½ -4 years:  z, sh, l
Age for concern?  4 years

Sounds that should have developed by 4-5 years: l-blends, ch, j
Age for concern?  5 years

Sounds that should have developed by 5 years +: v, r, r-blends, th
Age for concern?   5 ½ - 6 years


Ages and Stages: Language (How our brain understands and puts together strings of words in sentences) 
 
Grammar concepts that should have developed by 3 years: early pronouns
Age of concern:  3 years +

Grammar concepts that should have developed by 3-3 ½ years: regular plurals (s, -es), possessives (‘s) auxiliary/copula (is/are), present progressive (-ing), early prepositions (in, on, under)
Age for concern? 3 ½ years

Grammar concepts that should have developed by 4 years: pronouns (he/she/they), 3rd person singular(-s)
Age for concern?  4 years

Grammar concepts that should have developed by 4-5 years: possessive pronouns (his/hers/theirs), objective pronouns (him/her/them), later prepositions (behind, in front, beside), regular past tense (-ed)
Age for concern? 5 years

Grammar concepts that should have developed by 5 years +: future tense (will), irregular past tense (ate, drank…)
Age for concern?  5 ½ - 6 years

Written by:  Jessica Goldberg, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

WHY GROUP THERAPY?

For years we have been hearing about the benefits of private one-on-one therapy and need for individual support, however recently there has been a lot of talk about group therapy. Why choose group therapy for your child? How will your child get the attention they need if there are other children around?

Group therapy is a functional way of helping your child learn new things and practice their goals in a realistic setting. For example, if you are training to become a professional swimmer you can weight train and go for daily runs but the true test is when you get in the water and race alongside your competitors. Group therapy takes on a similar path. It is important to get the one-on-one support you need to gear up for the real world but mastering and transferring your goals to the real world takes place when you practice what you have learned outside of one-on-one settings. We all know therapy rooms with two people, free of distractions are quite different from our childrens’ classrooms, play groups and birthday parties.


What group therapy offers:

• Modelling and support and from a registered Speech-Language Pathologist to help your child reach their goals

• Support from peers and building of confidence through newfound friendships

• Peer communication within a realistic social settings

• Practice in a setting that mimics a real world environment (a classroom, play date with friends)

• The ability for your child to teach and learn from others

• Cost efficiency

Whether group therapy is targeting social communication (turn taking, staying on topic, initiating conversations) or building language skills, it is an exciting way to help children reach their full potential. Group therapy offers a supportive network and trusting environment where children can grow with and from each other.


Written by: Ashleigh Wishen, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

TELL ME A STORY

When children begin school, they need to extend their language skills to include reading and writing. Telling and listening to stories provides a bridge between the oral language skills of early childhood and the more formal language of print. With the ability to tell stories develops the ability to talk about things outside the here and now, to understand how we use language to express cause and effect, and to talk about feelings and motivation. Story telling skills are used in social situations, for understanding Math word problems and even for writing up Chemistry lab reports.

By the time a child is five, his or her stories should have a clear beginning, middle and end. To encourage this ability in your child, ask her to retell a story you have just read. Ask questions like, “Who is in this story?” “What happened first?” “What happened in the end?” Use puppets and other props to help your child retell the story. As your child improves in her ability to tell stories, you can ask questions and make comments about cause and effect and feelings, such as, “How did he feel when that happened?” and “I wonder why she did that.”

Difficulty with understanding and producing stories can be a sign of a learning disability. A speech-language pathologist can help your child to develop the story telling skills that will help him to succeed in school and social situations.

Written by: Suzanne Bassett, speech-language pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WORKING ON SPEECH AND LANGUAGE AT HOME

For many parents, juggling work, school, homework and extra-curriculars is an exhausting feat. Now on top of all that your child is seeing a speech-language pathologist and they are giving you more HOMEWORK!

Below are some practical tips that I give to my client's parents on how to work on speech and language without adding hours to the day.

TIP #1 - Incorporate “speech time” into your pre-existing, everyday routines. For example, on your drive to school find words that start with your child’s goals and talk about them on your ride. If your child is working on the “k” sound, then have your child say “car” every time they see a car. If your child is working on the pronouns “he/she” have him/her talk about what people are doing. For example “he is walking the dog”, “she is washing the car”.

TIP #2 - Keep practice time short. Five to ten minutes of practice is long enough to make a difference but short enough that it is manageable. Do not try to correct your child all day long. This will drive everyone crazy. Keep the practice to your “speech time”.

TIP #3 - Enlist the help of older siblings. Show your child’s older brother or sister what sound/concept you are working on and let them help out when you are busy. Most older siblings are able to provide a good speech and language model and enjoy helping out when it involves games and toys.

TIP #4 - Set realistic goals. Come up with a schedule that works for you. If Wednesdays are your busiest day then do not put pressure on yourself to practice on that day. You will only feel upset and guilty if you don’t get to practice. Set a schedule and try your best to stick to it. Understand that some practice is better than no practice. Aim for 3-5 times a week at first, and then if possible increase that to 7 times a week.

Stay positive and encourage your child to do the same. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

Written by: Carolyn Davidson, speech-language pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Sibling rivalry and jealousy is common in all families. But when it comes to dealing with siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), stresses can be far more complex.

Many siblings, especially those of children with ASD, feel that the focus is always on their brother or sister. Even the idea of a sibling coming for therapy may make the sibling not in therapy feel as if their brother or sister is more “special” than they are. After all, they get to go to appointments and play with toys!

Below are a few tips to help the jealous sibling be more understanding:

1. Give your child(ren) insight into their sibling’s world. Explain why their brother or sister acts differently than them, remembering to highlight all the things that they also have in common.

2. Create activities where the sibling(s) can “lead” to make them feel important. Encourage their brother/sister to join in or sit with them and read them a book.

3. Designate 5-10 minutes of every day to spend exclusively with each child. Talk about their day, and provide examples of how they have helped or guided their sibling.

Children that have siblings with ASD are exposed to many complicated issues that most people have never come into contact with, and as a result may have many difficult questions they want to ask. Assist them through the journey. Let them know that their sibling looks up to them, regardless of the age difference, and allow them take an active role in their sibling’s development.

Recommended books:

“All About My Brother” by Sarah Peralta

“Sometimes my Brother: Helping Kids Understand Autism Through A Sibling’s Eyes” by Angie Healy


Written by: Ashleigh Wishen, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

The Importance of Playtime in the Development of Speech and Language Skills in Children

We all like to play – children, adolescents, and adults alike. But did you know that the development of play skills is integral to the development of a child’s speech and language skills? Who would have thought something so fun could be so beneficial!

A play context, in fact,  provides primary communicative opportunities for young children. This means that play can increase a child’s exposure to many vocabulary items, different forms of language, the many uses of language, as well as opportunities to experiment with their own gestures, sounds, and/or words in a safe and comfortable environment. Yes, all that in one context! 

Given the important nature of play in the development of speech and language skills, take a peek at the following tips on how to select toys and create a rich play environment that will help with your child’s speech and language.

                                        

Toy Selection

1.)    When selecting toys for play, try to include the use of toys that allow for both realistic and imaginative play. This way, your child will have opportunities to engage in both concrete and pretend play – two very important forms of play!

2.)   Toys should also be easy to hold, carry, and manipulate - especially for children who have motor difficulties. The importance here is that the quality of motor ability to manipulate objects appears to be related to early communication development.

Play Environment

1.)    Play should always be fun and never work. Therefore, let your child lead the play. This means letting him/her engage in whichever activity, in whichever manner they so choose. Even if it means repeatedly putting play-dough back into the container without even molding any shapes -- let them lead the play! Kids pay the most attention to what they have chosen and are interested in, not always to what we are interested in.

2.)    Keep play a positive and pressure-free environment. Try to refrain from asking your child questions during play and instead talk about what is going on during play. Describe what you see, hear, feel, and smell. This will help keep any communicative pressures to a minimum and allow for a comfortable communication environment!

Written by: Mia Majorahn, speech-language pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd.

I THINK MY CHILD HAS A STUTTER .... WHAT DO I DO?

Many children go through a period of normal dysfluencys during the preschool years as they learn to put sounds, words and sentences together.  Normal dysfluencys include word and phrase repetitions and hesitations.

Some children, however, develop speech that includes sound and syllable repetitions, sound prolongations, and silent blocks (getting stuck on a sound). This is considered a "stutter". An estimated 4% of preschoolers in Canada stutter, with onset occurring usually between the ages of 3 and 6.

Early intervention is key to success.  If you are concerned that your child may have a stutter, it is recommended that you seek professional assistance from a registered speech-language pathologist.

As a parent or caregiver, it is important to know these general tips for communicating with children who stutter:

• Focus on what is being said and not how it is said
• Do not interrupt
• Do not tell them to slow down or start over
• Do repeat and rephrase what was said, but do not expect them to copy what you have said
• Let them finish
• Provide a relaxed environment for communication
• Speak slowly
• Simplify your language
• Respond naturally to your child's speech
• Be patient and remember that a child who stutters is no less intelligent than his/her non-stuttering peers

For more information, please visit www.speechtherapycentres.com

WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS SKILLS IN MY CHILD?

Children generally begin to show early phonological awareness when they demonstrate an appreciation of rhyme. For children as young as 4 years old, focusing on rhyme is a good starting place.


Rhyming activities you can do at home:
 
Sing fun rhyming songs together, such as

Row row row your boat, gently down the stream

     Merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream

Emphasize the rhyming words by saying them slightly louder and longer. Tell your child that these words rhyme and that they sound the same at the end! After your child is familiar with this song, pause and wait for them to fill in the rhyming word (e.g. Life is but a _________).


Read rhyming books together (e.g. Dr. Suess books) and work together to pick out rhyming words. Make a list of all the rhyming words you can find using markers, crayons or chalk. Ask your child to think of another word that rhymes with those on your list (e.g. “fun, run, sun...can you think of another rhyming word?)


While singing songs or reading books together with rhyming words, pause and ask your child questions such as, “Do “hat” and “cat” rhyme?”, or “Do “dog” and “cat” rhyme?” to encourage rhyme identification. Your child can give a thumbs-up for yes and a thumbs- down for no. Once your child is able to do this with two words, say three words aloud and ask them to tell you which word doesn’t belong.


Make up “silly sentences” while riding in the car or shopping together using rhyming words. Begin a sentence and have your child try to fill in the end using a word that rhymes. For example, you could say, “the bunny is...” and your child can respond, “funny!”

Be creative and have fun! 

Written by:  Emily Dykstra, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd

Making Homework Fun - Using Computer Games to Make Therapy "Homework" Seem .... Not Like Homework

Acquiring speech and language skills takes extensive practice in both the therapy session and at home, too. When juggling schoolwork, meal time, family time, household chores, and down-time, it can often be a challenge to find activities to tempt children into practicing their speech and language homework. Luckily, if you have access to a computer, you have access to therapy materials!

In most therapy sessions, your Speech-Language Pathologist will likely work on a list of goals and then send several of these targets home for you to target with your child. Any turn-based computer game can be turned into therapy practice for drill activities. Hidden object/hide and seek games, puzzle games, and strategy games are usually the best kinds of games for practicing speech and language targets (e.g., practice your target, take your turn on the game). Action and timed games are usually not appropriate for drill therapy practice, unless you modify the rules (e.g., practice 10 speech/language targets and then you get 2 minutes of play on the computer). 

There are many games which are commercially available for a computer or handheld gaming device. In terms of free games, lists of popular online game sites can be found by running a simple search on the internet. These sites often have hundreds of free games to play, many of which are appropriate for speech and language practice. If you aren’t sure whether or not a game is appropriate, send the link to your Speech-Language Pathologist, who will be more than happy to check it out for you. As a warning, many of these sites make their money by showing you ads all over the screen – be sure to only click on the games and not the ads; otherwise you may find yourself buying all sorts of products you never wanted!

Choose a game which suits your child’s interests, because if therapy isn’t interesting, it just won’t get done. With some careful planning and consultation with your Speech-Language Pathologist, your kids will be begging you to let them do their homework!

Written By: Jessica Goldberg, Speech-Language Pathologist, The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada Ltd. 

Help! My Child is a Picky Eater!!

Dropped plates, thrown foods, defiant screams.... Mealtimes with toddlers can be difficult at the best of times!  But having to deal with a toddler who is also a picky eater can make mealtimes even more stressful.  Most people don't know that speech-language pathologists (SLP) are the professionals to turn to when picky eating is a problem. Below are a few tips from our SLPs to help you turn your picky eater into an eating angel:

• Re-offer foods that have been previously refused (research shows that foods need to be offered up to 20 times!)
• Make it fun!  Squish, smell, kiss and lick new foods.
• Use fun bowls, plates, cutlery, etc.
• Allow your child to spit out new foods
• Try some food play activities (away from mealtimes) 

Bon Appetit!

H.U.G.S. for your Voice

When you consider being healthy and taking good care of your body, most people just think about exercising and eating right. While this is true, many professionals like teachers, professors and public speakers must also consider the health of their voice - arguably their most important teaching tool. Below are some helpful tips to keep your voice healthy:

  

Hydrate:

• drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
• humidify your environment
• limit alcohol and caffeine intake

Use sufficient breath support:

• maintain good posture by keeping shoulders and neck relaxed
• allow your breath to replace itself naturally (let your tummy go)
• don't speak at the end of a breath - pause and breathe as needed when speaking

Be Gentle with your voice:

• avoid clearing your throat - swallow and take a sip of water instead
• avoid coughing - take a sloe breath through your nose and have a sip of water 
• avoid taking in the presence of a lot of noise
• do not yell or scream

Stay healthy:

• don't smoke
• eat well
• exercise regularly
• get sufficient sleep

(developed by Suzanne Bassett, speech-language pathologist, Reg: CASLPO)

Two Languages, One Home ...

"Is it too confusing to learn two language simultaneously?”

“Will learning two languages cause our child’s speech or language skills to be delayed?”

“How should we teach our child two languages?”

These questions are typical concerns of parents considering to use more than one language at home. The first and most important suggestion for parents is to ensure you are speaking a language that you are comfortable and proficient in when communicating with your child. For example, if you are fluent in Spanish, then speak Spanish to your child. There is no evidence or research to suggest that learning two languages causes language delays. In fact, many children who are exposed to more than one language outperform their monolingual peers on both verbal and non-verbal tests of intelligence.

One method for teaching multiple languages at home is the “One Parent One Language” approach, where each parent speaks a specific language to his/her child all the time. For example, mom speaks English while dad speaks Spanish.

Another approach involves using a different language during different routines. For example, English during dinnertime and Spanish during bath time.

Just remember that the basic concept is to keep the languages separate in order to minimize confusion. Both approaches are equally as effective; choosing simply depends on which one best suits your family.

For more information, please visit:  http://www.speechtherapycentres.com/

Early Literacy During the Pre-School Years

As our children get ready to go back to school or daycare, it is a great time to freshen up on our "teaching" skills as parents.  Below are a few helpful tips on how you can make early literacy a priority (and more interesting!) for your little ones.

2-3 Year Olds:

•  Read to your child everyday, even if it is only for a few minutes
•  Encourage your child to bring you his/her favourite books so you can read them together
•  Talk with your child throughout the day about what is happening
•  Point to pictures and name them out loud
•  Be patient when your child wants to read the same book many times
•  Encourage your child to play with books (flip them from front to back, turn   pages)

4-5 Year Olds:

•  Help your child hear words that rhyme (like cat and hat)
•  Let your child choose the book s/he wants
•  Help your child hear and say the first sound of a word (ball, bear)
•  Point out signs and labels that have letters
•  Ask “what?”, “where?”, and “how?” questions when reading
•  Introduce new words
•  Make connections from stories to things that happen in real life

Happy Reading!

For more information about The Speech Therapy Centres of Canada, please visit:  http://www.speechtherapycentres.com/