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Book Recommendation Alert: “Everybody Needs a Turn: A Book for Brothers and Sisters of Children With Speech and Language Disorders” by Denise Underkoffler, SLP; Illustrations by Lindsay Dale-Scott.
“Many brothers and sisters of children with a speech-language disorder have a hard time understanding why their sibling is getting extra attention. It’s no surprise when they feel left out.”
Click the link below to learn more about a this book’s sweet message to help children and families understand.
Ahmed Ali is a young man who uses assistive technology to communicate.
“Ahmed recently graduated from the Minneapolis Public Schools’ Transition Plus program which helps special needs students with educational difficulties transition from high school to adult life. Having a student use voice assistance technology during a graduation speech was a first for the Minnesota school district, but Ahmed did not disappoint. His speech was equal parts articulate, poignant, and at times even humorous.”
Following this link to listen to his speech. And get ready to feel inspired!
Drop by Buttonwood Books and Toys in Cohasset every Friday at 10:00am for a casual get-together featuring stories, both new and classic titles, and a themed craft. Story Time and Crafts is suitable for children ages 3 & up (or younger with supervision). Can’t make it to Story Time and Crafts? No problem! Buttonwood hosts book groups, events, and activities for all ages, children through adults! Check out their website!
While many have positive and happy memories surrounding food, such as Thanksgiving dinner or ice cream cones in the summertime, it’s easy to recognize that not all experiences with food are positive. Thus, it is important to understand that people have complex emotions and reactions to food. Speech Language Pathologist and pediatric feeding specialist, Cindy Herdé, wrote a piece about 5 tips to help create positive food memories. Click the link below to read about the tips!
Chances are, if you’ve been on social media at any point in the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen the adorable father/son video pictured below. While this video is exceptionally cute, it also can serve as an excellent example of how to interact with your own young child. Click on the link below to see the video and get some great communication tips!
“Crayola and schools across North America are banding together to help kids understand the importance of their role in protecting the environment. That’s why we launched Crayola ColorCycle. Through this initiative, students in K-12 schools across the continental United States and parts of Canada can collect and repurpose used Crayola markers.”
That means less plastic in landfills and oceans. Crayola makes it so easy - get your school involved, collect used markers of ANY brand, and pack them up. Crayola will pay all shipping fees and FedEx Ground will pick up the box! Let’s band together to protect our world!
Visit www.crayola.com/colorcycle to learn more!
We hope you and your families have a fun and safe 4th of July!
Here's a list of local parades, fireworks, and other activities to enjoy!
Want more information about speech and language development for your child?
Check out this resource guide from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).
Alyssa Hillary is an autistic blogger and doctorate student in neuroscience. She’s also an author, artist, and math teacher. Alyssa recently wrote a piece about respecting privacy with AAC users. “Like most adults, I can expect people not to go through my stuff or read my communications with other people. My iPad and laptop are mine. No one touches them without my permission.” This should also be the case for AAC users. Click the link below to read more about best ways to respect privacy for AAC users of all ages.
As speech-language pathologists, we have the opportunity to build expressive and receptive language daily. There can be a lot of new vocabulary for children when we talk about our emotions. Words like happy, sad, frustrated, angry, and scared can be just as important to teach and learn about as vocabulary for food or animals. Here are some great books to help you explore emotions with your little one at home!
Looking to find a sport following an injury? Why not try golf!
“The Back In the Swing (BITS) golf series works on fundamental golf skills to learn or get back to the game of golf. All abilities welcome. Staff assist with transfers, balance, swinging and golfing skills and etiquette.”
Kodi Lee, a 22-year old young man who is blind and autistic, auditioned for America’s Got Talent and stunned the judges with his performance! His audition tape has gone viral, inspiring young performers all over the world! How amazing is he?!
“Written by Naoki Higashida, a very smart, very self-aware, and very charming thirteen-year-old boy with autism, it is a one-of-a-kind memoir that demonstrates how an autistic mind thinks, feels, perceives, and responds in ways few of us can imagine. Parents and family members who never thought they could get inside the head of their autistic loved one, at last, have a way to break through to the curious, subtle, and complex life within.
Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: ‘Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?’ ‘Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?’ ‘Why don’t you make eye contact when you’re talking?’ and “What’s the reason you jump?’ (Naoki’s answer: ‘When I’m jumping, it’s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.’) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights—into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory—are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.”
“Each May, Better Hearing & Speech Month (BHSM) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and the role of ASHA members in providing life-altering treatment.
For 2019, our theme is "Communication Across the Lifespan." We have many resources to help you celebrate all month long. Please check back for the latest materials and information on BHSM activities.”
Ask your SLP or visit ASHA’s website to learn more! We’ll have BHSM activities all May long!
It finally feels like spring is on the way! Here are some fun crafts to do after school or on the weekends. Crafts are great for building vocabulary and an easy way to practice auditory comprehension skills. Scroll through the crafts and see which one works for your family!
“Do you find yourself constantly asking your child to "pick up the pace"? Does he or she seem to take longer than others to get stuff done—whether completing homework, responding when spoken to, or getting dressed and ready in the morning? Drs. Ellen Braaten and Brian Willoughby have worked with thousands of kids and teens who struggle with an area of cognitive functioning called "processing speed," and who are often mislabeled as lazy or unmotivated. Filled with vivid stories and examples, this crucial resource demystifies processing speed and shows how to help kids (ages 5 to 18) catch up in this key area of development. Helpful practical tools can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8½" x 11" size. Learn how to obtain needed support at school, what to expect from a professional evaluation, and how you can make daily routines more efficient—while promoting your child's social and emotional well-being.”
Get your copy below! And if you feel this describes your child, reach out to SLP Center to discuss!
Autism Eats is back on the South Shore to enjoy a delicious spring dinner, join us! A BIG thank you to Treasurers of Our Hearts and Mia Regazza.
Reservations are required at www.autismeats.org
Date: May 15, 2019
Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Mia Regazza
Address: 1 Proprietors Drive
Marshfield, MA 02050
Note to families! Next week is April vacation for most school systems, but our office will be open and operating normal business hours. If you need any changes to your schedule, please let us know!
Happy Spring!
“April is Autism Acceptance Month and we are looking forward to celebrating. We will amplify autistic voices by sharing resources and blogs written by the autistic community. As always, we welcome your input so please send us any suggestions you have. We are also very excited to announce a 4 day discount. Proloquo2Go, Proloquo4Text, Pictello, Keeble, and Gateway will all be 50% off.
The 50% discount will be in effect worldwide from Tuesday April 2 to Friday April 5. No need to fill in a discount code - you’ll see the discounted amount in the App Store.”