Let's Get Dressed!

Happy Friday!! I was inspired and took a new outlook on the "getting dressed" routine that some of my families often struggle with. For those families and/or providers who are having difficulty finding successful techniques and strategies for the kiddos who do not like getting dressed, try this fun approach in the article listed below. I would suggest playing dress up at a time you do not have anywhere to go and have plenty of time for expanded imaginary play, and then slowly working towards the real deal. Although the article is targeted towards little girls, it can easily be transformed into a game/fun activity for little boys as well. Enjoy & have a wonderful weekend :)


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/4-year-old-paper-dresses-fashion-by-mayhem_n_4855545.html

Overextension

Happy Tuesday :). I wanted to share a few of the strategies that have been successful for some of my families. Overextension (using a word broadly; every man is "daddy", every animal is a "dog"), is a typical apart of language acquisition and development, and I have observed that this often happens when my kiddos have not acquired a sufficient vocabulary to be able to use a variety of words or are having difficulty identifying familiar people or objects. I have suggested and modeled  the following strategies listed below and received positive results and feedback when they have tried my recommended techniques. Hopefully some of you all are able to try these with your children. Please remember not every technique works for every child, so trial and error a variety of techniques to see which one works best for your child and their families. Enjoy :)

1. Corrective feedback: Each time they say "mama" for a woman or girl, immediately label "girl, lady, woman"

2. Visual cues: when the child sees a man in a book and says "dada or daddy", show them a picture of daddy, place the picture next to the picture in the book and say "man" and point to the picture of their father and say "daddy". Review photo albums often, making sure to label and distinguish "uncle, man, grandaddy/grandpa, etc." 

3. Modeling: Each time you visit or family members or friends visit, greet them by name/title (uncle, cousin, grandma), so that your child is learning names/titles and vocabulary and identification skills begin to grow.

Flexibility & Changes

Happy Motivational Monday!! I wanted to share one piece of advice I give every family during our first few visits. I always say…if you want to see change and progress, you have to change your technique and strategy, and be open to change, suggestions, and recommendations. There will be some tears, tantrums, and trying times, however, you can almost guarantee there will be some progress! I hope this encourages families to be open to strategies and techniques your therapist may offer before negating it, and I encourage therapists to share this advice with families and allow them to ponder it instead of being forceful with changes, recommendations and/or suggestions. Have an amazing day and feel free to share positive advice you share with your families!! :)

Questions in Question

Happy Friday!! This week, I have received several new referrals, and I am SUPER excited to begin working with my new kiddies and their families :). I have a few questions that I usually ask when entering the home, regardless of the fact that I have received and reviewed the IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) prior to the visit, as some information may have changed since the initial development. I wanted to share these questions that I think are important to know and are good beginning conversation pieces, to establish common ground on initial visits. As always, I invite and encourage fellow speech-language pathologists and EI providers to share questions they ask as well. Have a fabulous weekend ;)

1. What is the primary language spoken in the home? Are there any other languages spoken in the home?
2. Who currently lives in the home?
3. Is there a consistent schedule/routine? If so, what does their routine/schedule consist of?
4. Do they have any difficulty with oral feeding skills? What utensils are used for oral fixation/comfort and feeding?
5. What are your priorities and/or expectations for your child's overall communication skills?
6. Is the child receiving any other developmental services at the time? If so, what are the concerns in those areas?
7. How does your child currently communicate with you to express wants and needs?
8. Have there been any recent changes in the home that may have affected your child's speech and language skills?
9. What activities does your child enjoy?
10. What activities or routines does your child seem to have difficulty with?

Acts of Love

Happy Thursday!! I know it's late, but I did not have a chance to make any Valentine crafts or recipes that I pinned, due to severe inclement weather last week. However, I wanted to give a round of applause to my families for continuing to provide their children with fun & creative language learning opportunities throughout the week within their daily routines. One of my families was able to make Valentine Rice Krispie Treats using the recipe from the box, red food coloring, and a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Well done!! :)

LOVELY Valentine Crafts & Activities

Happy Monday & Happy Valentine's Week!! I will be pinning Valentine crafts and activities all week and will share one or two crafts that I do with some of families throughout the week, as these crafts can easily implemented into home routines, and there is always an opportunity for language learning i.e. picking red or pink clothing while getting dressed, making heart shaped cookies or pancakes for a snack, etc.) Feel free to visit my Pinterest page (button located to the right) for awesome and fun ideas. Have a LOVELY week :)

Celebrating Diversity & Culture

Happy Wednesday!! As mentioned before, going into the home as a speech-language pathologist who works in early intervention, is one of my favorite components of my daily journey with my kiddos and their families. I am proud and ecstatic to say that I warmly welcomed by all of my families. I was reminded this week that each time I visit, I become apart of their family and this entails acclimating and imbedding myself into their routines and culture. Cultural sensitivity is an absolute necessity when it comes to providing speech & language therapy, but is especially important when entering one's home, as it is their personal space and comfort zone.  Cultural sensitivity includes but is not limited to awareness of customs, beliefs, native language, values, etc. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association provides a checklist of cultural competencies, which I strive hard to abide by, as this is mandatory. In addition, I work diligently to learn about their culture by learning highly motivating and simple words (that are used by the child and or family when speaking to the child) in the native language if used proficiently in the home, exchanging recipes for popular dishes from their countries, making an effort to remember and wishing them happy holidays when they are celebrating, etc. Feel free to share some ways you get involved and express and/or practice cultural sensitivity and celebrate diversity with your families :)

#diversityrocks #culturallysensitiveslps