When so much of a child’s learning/skill development is created through play, it is important to provide children with toys that will promote their development and provide opportunities to grow. Toys can improve a child’s fine motor and manual dexterity, bilateral coordination, visual-motor integration, sensory processing, gross motor development, and so much more! Here I’ll...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (A Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspective) As a therapist in pediatric land, it is extremely common to have children on my caseload who demonstrate with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). One of the most difficult conversations I can have with a family is discussing ‘red flags’ for autism, particularly when their own child demonstrates...
What is w-sitting? W-sitting is a type of sitting posture where both knees are bent so the feet are facing backward or out to the side, resting on either side of the hips. It gets its name by the legs forming the letter “w” when looking from above. ...
What is a light table? A light table or lightbox is a light-up surface that provides contrast light for increased visual attention and sensory input during fine motor and visual-motor activities. Light tables can be used for play, fine motor development, and sensory exploration with a variety of populations and age ranges. Light tables can...
CLEFT PALATE IN CHILDREN What is a cleft? There are several types of clefts that your child may present. Clefts are caused by the lack of fusion of bones and tissue. Factors may be inherited or environmental. This can also occur on the hard palate (roof) of the mouth or the lips. Cleft lips are...
Torticollis is an abnormal position of the head and neck and is most common in babies. It is an indication that one of the muscles in the neck (typically the sternocleidomastoid) is tight. Torticollis limits the ability for your baby to move his/her head freely to see, hear, and interact with their environment. Due to...
Childhood Apraxia of Speech, also known as CAS, is a motor speech disorder that makes it challenging for a child to communicate. There are messages that go from the brain to the mouth, these messages then tell the muscles how and when to make the sounds. A child with a CAS diagnosis might have challenges...
What is Sensory Bin? Sensory bins are a fun way to explore the senses and incorporate tactile exploration. They are typically a large bin filled with different types of wet or dry materials that vary in texture. In the bins with wet or dry materials, you can hide some preferred items or toys. The child...
What are Joint Compressions? Joint compression is providing input into one’s joints (mainly at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers) for proprioceptive input. Proprioception refers to the physical input on the body’s joints, muscles, and bones that then elicit chemical, physiological, and physical changes in the body. Our bodies need proprioceptive input to improve our...
It has been said that being a parent is a full time job. Between school and extracurriculars, it can be hard to practice speech therapy skills at home. We know that carryover and practice helps bridge the gap between the therapy room and the outside world. 10 minutes a day of practice can make a...
