Attention, Attention! We are in the home stretch of April, and boy has it been rainy. As we close out the month of April this week, I wanted to challenge each of you to get out in your community with your infants and toddlers and look for various types of flowers that are in bloom or in the process of blooming. Look for different colors, practice oral motor strengthening and fun by blowing the dandelions, count the sunflowers, and of course look for cherry blossoms. Make it fun!!
Functional-outcomes and strategies should be functional within the daily routine and fun
Least restrictive; the therapy session should not be confined just to the living room but to places or spaces that the family spends time or a place that may create communication challenges for the child and family (grocery store, restaurants, car, etc.)
Observe-watch the child's behavior, reactions, and interactions in various environments, what are their triggers, challenges, and/or strengths?
Wait for the child to respond to your directions or give a response, verbal or nonverbal; why would they need to speak if someone is always speaking for them or over them?
Engaging-therapy should always be engaging and fun for the child and engaging for the parent to be encouraged to participate, ask questions, etc.
Resourceful-the therapist should provide community resources, books, parent support groups, websites, blogs, etc. that may help the family generate ideas for communication stimulation, and expand their support system for coping with the disorder and or delay
