Book Alert for Parents: Executive Function Skills

Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary "Executive Skills" Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential

“There’s nothing more frustrating than watching your bright, talented son or daughter struggle with everyday tasks like finishing homework, putting away toys, or following instructions at school. Your “smart but scattered” child might also have trouble coping with disappointment or managing anger. Drs. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare have great news: there’s a lot you can do to help.

The latest research in child development shows that many kids who have the brain and heart to succeed lack or lag behind in crucial “executive skills”--the fundamental habits of mind required for getting organized, staying focused, and controlling impulses and emotions. Learn easy-to-follow steps to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, use activities and techniques proven to boost specific skills at home, and problem-solve daily routines. Small changes can add up to big improvements--this empowering book shows how.”

There is one version for children ages 4-13 and one version for teenagers. These books would be a great resource for parents to gain knowledge of executive function difficulties and implement strategies at home to generalize what is being learned in speech therapy. If you are concerned with or have questions about your child’s executive function skills, call today to speak to a clinician!

Camp Words Unspoken Registration Open!

Camp Words Unspoken is an educational program for youths and teens who stutter (ages 7-17). Our volunteer team includes experienced staff, directors, speech therapists, graduate students and volunteers. Campers will spend the majority of there day in exciting outdoor activities, group team building activities and getting to know other people who stutter. At Camp Words Unspoken, we ensure all of our campers feel accepted and supported. Here campers can laugh and play by being themselves and not having something weigh them down at camp. Campers understand they are not alone.

Registration is now open! See information and link below to learn more!

Dates: Saturday, August 17th – Thursday, August 22

Camp Address: 700 Churchill Street. Pittsfield, MA

Camper Tuition: $775 if you enroll before March 1st. $800 if you enroll after March 1

Tuition includes: lodging, meals, activities, snacks, apparel and speech time

Arrival: 1:00-2:00 pm  Departure: 2:00pm

Registration Deadline: July 1st 

Inclusive Gift Ideas: The Butterfly Pig!

The Butterfly Pig is a company dedicated to making inclusive toys that represent children with medical needs. Their online shop includes a collection of diverse dolls and medical accessories for dolls including, but not limited to, AAC devices, orthotics, hearing aids, glasses, G-tube buttons, IV poles, oxygen monitors, inhalers, and so much more! The following is an excerpt from their website: “Pediatric patient education is difficult without the right resources. Kids learn through play. What happens when they don’t have the right toys to play with? Especially if their lives consistent of doctors visits, hospital stays, or even at-home medical procedures.”

The Butterfly Pig’s mascot is Billie, a pig born with butterfly wings. “You may be familiar with the phrase “when pigs fly,” which suggests impossibility. But here, we turn that notion on it’s head! Our whimsical mascot embodies the spirit of boundless imagination, hope, and endless possibilities. It represents the power of defying expectations and embracing the extraordinary. Instead of accepting the phrase “when pigs fly” as a limitation, we embrace it as a challenge to prove that remarkable things can happen if we dare to dream big.

Shop their line of dolls, medical accessories, and their book at the link below.

“There is bravery in being YOU, and The Butterfly Pig is a tale that highlights the beauty in everyone’s differences.”

Visual Schedule for Halloween!

We LOVE visuals schedules, both as a therapy tool and as a tool you can use at home.  Visual schedules can help children by providing structure, so they know exactly what to expect next.  It can also help with transitions, in this case from house to house!

The complexity of a visual schedule can vary based on the child's needs and ability level.  This visual schedule includes graphic photos, where some may have symbol images or actual photographs.

For younger kids. we like to model a "first... then" format when discussing each step.  

Find a PDF attached for your use to review what to expect on Halloween. We hope this schedule gives your child the knowledge they need to easily and happily transition through the overwhelm that can sometimes be Halloween night. You can use them ahead of time to review and practice AND you can bring it with you as you trick-or-treat to model each step as you go! Let us know what other visual schedules may help your family!

International Stuttering Awareness Day - October 22, 2023

The following is an excerpt from the International Stuttering Awareness Day website:

“This year’s theme is One Size Does NOT Fit All. This phrase means that a single solution or approach is not suitable for everyone, as different people have different needs and circumstances. This is particularly relevant to stuttering because stuttering is complex and can manifest in so many different ways, including physically, emotionally and attitudinally. Everyone who stutters, stutters differently. It can vary in severity, frequency and type across individuals, with some stuttering mildly, some even able to hide it, while others may have more persistent stuttering and struggle behavior.

Sometimes people who stutter might want help with their stuttering, which may include therapy to reduce or modify stuttering or just to stutter more comfortably or easier, or might include wanting to meet others who stutter to feel supported and perhaps work towards acceptance.

Whatever approach is chosen should be tailored to each person’s unique goals in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.”

We, as speech therapists, wholeheartedly agree with the need to individualize stuttering, and all other, speech therapy services. If you have questions about resources, therapy, or stuttering in general, please give our office a call to speak to a therapist today!

Carve out some time for language building this season!

Pumpkin carving is an excellent seasonal activity to expose your child to new language models and vocabulary! It can be used to target tons of goals for kids of all ages. Check out some ideas below, and ask your SLP for their recommendations based on your child’s specific language needs!

Describing: Before, during and after carving, take turns describing the pumpkin and what you are doing. Should we carve the big one or the small one first? The pumpkin is orange, heavy, and hard! The inside feels squishy! I’m carving slowly. I’m making a scary face. Your pumpkin looks happy!

Modeling verbs/action words: Emphasize action words while you carve! We are scooping the inside! Look, dad is carving! The pumpkin seeds are baking in the oven. Help me push out the mouth! Let’s wash our hands and wipe the table. I’m putting the candle in.

Requesting assistance: Scooping is likely the best task for little ones, but it can be tricky! Sit back and let your child give it their best shot. When you see them getting frustrated, try modeling “help me” or use a declarative statement, such as “It looks like you might need some help.”

Vocabulary: Expose kids to new vocabulary! For younger kids think about modeling lots of exclamatory words: “yuck”, “wow”, “yikes”, “woah.”

Increase language modeling this season with fall activities! Give it a try and let your SLP know how it goes!

Autism Eats Halloween Event at The Meadow Brook, Hanson

The Meadow Brook Restaurant in Hanson, MA is hosting a Halloween Dinner Event with Autism Eats. Costumes are welcome and reservations are required.

Learn more about Autism Eats below and click the link to buy your tickets!

Event Details: Wednesday, October 18, 2023 from 6-8 PM at The Meadow Brook (1486 Main Street, Hanson, MA)

Excerpt from Autism Eats website: “For those of us who have a child with autism dining out can be anxiety provoking and stressful. As parents, we may feel that "all eyes are on us" when our kids exhibit certain behaviors, have outbursts or refuse to sit still. Other diners may be disturbed and the well intentioned wait staff doesn't really know the best way to help out. Many of us decide it is just not worth the effort and that is unfortunate. We created Autism Eats to bring the fun back to eating out. Our dinner parties are held in private rooms of restaurants or function facilities. Food is served buffet or family style so there is no waiting. Music and lighting are adjusted to accommodate those with sensory sensitivity.”

Happy Birthday to Trish!

Sending a happy, happy birthday wish to Trish today! She is always quick to offer a smile and helping hand to staff and families alike. We hope she has an amazing year ahead! 🎂

AAC Apps on Sale for AAC Awareness Month!

AssistiveWare is offering 50% off 6 of their most popular apps in celebration of AAC Awareness Month!

Mark your calendars - the sale starts October 10!

Why We Use Horns and Straws in Therapy

Here at the Speech Language Pathology Center, all our therapists are trained in Oral Placement Therapy, but what is that exactly? Developed by Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson, “Talk Tools” focuses on building awareness, placement, stability, endurance, and muscle memory of oral structures for improved speech clarity and swallowing function. This program involves two key parts: horns and straws.

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The straws target tongue retraction, which is essential for correctly producing a variety of sounds including /s, z, and r/. When using the straw, the client is asked to take a small sip, smile, and then swallow. The goal is to achieve 20 swallows. Using this sequence ensures tongue retraction. There are a total of 7 straws that we use here. As clients progress through the hierarchy, “the goal is to achieve close to a 75% retraction…When the back of the tongue is in stabilized retraction it allows the tip of the tongue to move side to side” (Rosenfeld-Johnson, 1999).

The horns target phonation, reducing/eliminating drool, improving speech clarity, and improving sensory awareness. There are a total of 12 horns that we use here. As clients progress through the hierarchy, the horns target the abdominal muscles, velum, jaw, lips, and tongue. When using the horn, the client is asked to activate the horn using strong breath support. The goal is the achieve 25 activations.

These tools can be used with clients at any age. Some populations that benefit from oral placement therapy are those with tongue thrust, cleft palate repairs, feeding difficulties, speech sound disorders, bruxism (teeth grinding), and low tone. To learn more about this program, visit the Talk Tools website. If you have any additional questions or would like further information, please give us a call to speak to an experienced clinician!

References:

Rosenfeld-Johnson, S. (1999). Straws As Therapy Tools. Advance.

 Rosenfeld-Johnson, S. (1999). Horns As Therapy Tools. Advance.

Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

2023 South Shore/Cape Cod Out Of Darkness Community Walk

Date/Time: 9/30/2023 at 9:00AM

Location: Buzzards Bay Park, Bourne, MA

Contact: jvanderstad@afsp.org

Phone: 617-439-0940

https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=9609

25th Annual Samaritans 5k Run/Walk for Suicide Prevention

Date/Time: 9/23/2023 at 10:00AM

Location: Artesani Park, 1255 Soldiers Field Rd., Boston, MA 02135

https://support.samaritanshope.org/event/2023-5k-run-walk-for-suicide-prevention/e478133

Helpline & Organizations with Resources and Support

• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 – call 988

• MA Behavioral Health Helpline, available 24/7 – call/text 1-833-773-2445

• Network of Care: Massachusetts – Find Behavioral Health Services near you! - https://massachusetts.networkofcare.org/mh/services/subcategory.aspx?cid=45105&k=Suicide+Prevention&tax=RR-5150.5000-800

• The JED Foundation - https://jedfoundation.org/our-work/its-ok-to-say-suicide/

• The NAN Project – based in Lexington, MA - https://www.thenanproject.org/resources/

•  National Alliance on Mental Illness - https://www.nami.org/Home

Happy Grandparents' Day!

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our grandparents for your invaluable support in helping bring your grandchildren to speech. Your love and dedication are truly priceless, and we cherish the special relationship you have with them.

Selective Mutism – It’s not just “shyness”

Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety-based disorder that results in the person having an underlying fear of speaking in public or less comfortable speaking situations (e.g., school, restaurants, around unfamiliar people, etc.). People with SM often speak freely at home or with family members whom they are most comfortable with. They do not always have an underlying speech or language disorder, but they can co-occur. SM can present in children as young as 2-years-old. It is essential to seek treatment through a multidisciplinary approach, especially for children, to ensure that the avoidance of speaking situations doesn’t become reinforced, making it more difficult to speak as the child gets older. Multidisciplinary teams treating SM often include a psychologist/psychiatrist or mental health counselor, speech-language pathologist, and special educators. For children with SM, school can be one of the most challenging environments for them to speak in. Therefore, it is essential that their treatment doesn’t just take in place in the confines of an office, but that they also receive accommodations in the classroom or have classroom support to help generalize the skills and strategies that they learn into natural speaking contexts.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) lists the following criteria for a diagnosis of SM:

• The child shows consistent failure to speak in specific social situations in which there is an expectation for speaking (e.g., at school), despite speaking in other situations.

• The disturbance interferes with educational or occupational achievement or with social communication.

• The duration of the disturbance is at least 1 month (not limited to the first month of school).

• The failure to speak is not attributable to a lack of knowledge of, or comfort with, the spoken language required in the social situation.

• The disturbance is not better explained by a communication disorder (e.g., child-onset fluency disorder) and does not occur exclusively during the course of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, or another psychotic disorder.

If you or someone you know exhibits characteristics consistent with a diagnosis of SM, please feel free to reach out to our office to speak to a clinician about next steps. Below are a few resources to visit to learn more about SM and possible interventions:

The Selective Mutism Association provides numerous resources for families and treating professionals. They also offer courses, webinars, and present at conferences to spread the word about SM and to provide support for individuals, caregivers, and professionals working with this population.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) also provides information about SM, including signs and symptoms, assessment, treatment, and additional resources.

🏆 Speech Graduation Shout-out!

Hard work pays off and we love when kids “graduate” from speech after having met their goals! Your success is our greatest reward! Here’s what our recent star’s family had to say about her experience: “Wonderful Speech Therapists!! Caitlin was amazing with helping our child on her journey!! Very grateful to all of this staff!”

If you think your child or loved one may benefit from speech therapy services, please give our office a call to speak directly to one of our experienced clinicians!

Introducing SOCIAL SKILLS GROUPS!

We are so excited to introduce SLP Center’s newest offering: social skills groups! We will be offering 3 separate groups this summer: early elementary-aged kids (5-9), middle schoolers/pre-teens (10-15), and adolescents/young adults (16+). The groups will be professionally led by our team of speech pathologists.

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Sessions will be 1 hour in duration, weekly for 6 weeks July 10th through August 18th

CLASSES FULL - Watch for upcoming sessions or call to get on our priority list!

Autism Acceptance Month Events & Activities 2023

Mark your calendars! In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, The Arc South Shore is hosting several events to bring awareness to, support, and celebrate those with autism. Events include caregiver wellness, an ice cream social, sensory friendly movie, story time yoga, and a Disney animation social club. Please visit this website for event-specific dates, details, and how to register!

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In addition, organizations all over MA are hosting events and activities with a focus on including and providing access to neurodiverse individuals and families. Below are some of the events that are scheduled for the rest of the month of April around the state:

Bailey’s “Autism Family Day” at the Zoo **RSVP by April 15

• When: Saturday, April 29 from 9:30-2pm

• Where: Franklin Park Zoo

Sensory-Friendly Sundays at the Museum

• When: Sunday, April 16 from 9-10am

• Where: Charlestown, MA

Adaptive Indoor Climbing for All Ages

• When: Sunday, April 16

• Where: Adaptive Climbing Group, Somerville, MA

Miracle League Baseball for Adults

• When: Sunday, April 16 – June 4

Suicide Prevention & Awareness in Autistic Adults and Adolescents

• When: Wednesday, April 19

• Where: Webinar presented by Vinfen of Cambridge, MA

 AMC Sensory Friendly “The Super Mario Brothers Movie”

• When: Saturday, April 22

• Where: AMC Theatres in Burlington, Framingham, Methuen, North Dartmouth, and Tyngsboro

Soccer for Students with Special Needs hosted by South Shore Special Needs Athletic Partnership (SNAP)

• When: Sunday, April 23-June 4

• Where: Hingham, MA

Adaptive Climbing for Ages 5-17

• When: Sunday, April 23

• Where: Adaptive Climbing Group, Somerville, MA

Sensory-Friendly Concert

• When: Sunday, April 23 from 4-5:30pm

• Where: Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA

Parent Group: Children with Autism hosted by Sudbury SEPAC

• When: Wednesday, April 26 from 12:30-2pm

• Where: The Local, Wayland, MA

Autism Conference for Parents & Professionals

• When: Saturday, April 29 from 10-2pm

• Where: Virtually with Endicott College, Beverly, MA

Free Sensory-Friendly Petting Zoo hosted by Bierman Autism Centers

• When: Sunday, May 7 from 11-1pm

• Where: Bierman Autism Centers, Bedford, MA

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Visit the Autism Speaks website to learn more about autism and how you can get involved, not just this month, but year round!

AAC App Sale for Autism Acceptance Month!

Seven days of discounts for Autism Acceptance Month 2023! Read below for more information about the sale:

“In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, we offer a week-long discount on all our popular AAC apps. From March 28 - April 3, get an extra trial month free on AssistiveWare’s newest apps Proloquo and Proloquo Coach, as well as a 50% discount on our other apps, including Proloquo2Go.

AssistiveWare is committed to expanding the use and acceptance of AAC. That’s why we offer a 50% discount or a two-month free trial on a range of our top AAC apps and learning solutions, making them more accessible to families, individuals, and schools on a budget.

Here are some of the apps included in the discount:

1. Proloquo & Proloquo Coach are two apps that work together. Proloquo is an easy-to-use AAC app for iPad, and Proloquo Coach is to guide and support parents and caregivers of AAC users.

2. Proloquo2Go (Mac and iOS) is the most popular AAC app. It has everything you need for communication and language growth. You can customize it to fit various needs.

3. Gateway vocabulary- an efficient core word vocabulary for children, teens, and adults - available as an optional in-app purchase in Proloquo2Go.

4. Proloquo4Text (Mac and iOS) is a Text-to-Speech app for literate AAC users seeking a more efficient communication solution.

5. simPODD is our easy-to-use app, designed to provide the best possible PODD experience. Use simPODD electronically and print PODD books.

6. Pictello: Stories are a building block of language, and with Pictello, you can create visual narratives and build literacy skills while having fun.

7. Keeble is an accessible keyboard designed to make typing in almost any iOS app more accessible and faster for people with physical and visual impairments.

We are also offering on-demand AAC training videos at a 50% discount so that you can learn from some of our world-renowned AAC specialists from the comfort of your home. If you’re stuck with AAC, don’t know where to start, or would like to take your AAC knowledge to the next level, these videos are a great resource.”

Click the link below to read about the apps in the sale, worldwide from March 28th through April 3rd. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to discuss with your clinician or call our office to inquire!

Note: Presidents' Day CLOSED & Remainder of Vacation Week OPEN!

In observation of Presidents’ Day, the SLP Center will be closed on Monday, February 20th. We will be open for the remainder of the week (February vacation week for schools). Please call the office at 781-792-2700 should you need any adjustments to you schedule. Thanks!

The SLP Center will be closed for the holidays!

Friendly reminder to our families, the SLP Center will be closed on Friday, December 23rd and Monday, December 26th in observation of the Christmas holiday.

We will also be closed on Monday, January 2nd in observation of New Year’s Day.

Please contact the office for any schedule adjustments you may need. We hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving! SLP Center will be CLOSED!

We hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving together. Friendly reminder to our families that the SLP Center will be CLOSED on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, 2022.

Please contact the office for any schedule adjustments you may need. Thanks!