Thanksgiving Crafts & Projects

Happy Monday & Thanksgiving week!! I wanted to share a couple of frugal, fun, and super creative crafts that I've seen around the community this month! It is my clinical opinion that functional communication is everywhere and the possibilities and opportunities for skills and development are endless with these and many other crafts. Some ideas for implementing and increasing communication skills and overall development include: narration of actions, labeling colors, exploring and discussing texture, turn taking, building on oral feeding skills, increasing imaginary play skills, collecting objects that are the same, practicing fine motor skills with cutting, discussing shapes, practicing "please/thank you" using signs and words, etc.

Materials Needed:

Paper plates
Construction paper of various colors
Paint/Paint brushes
Scissors
Smocks
Glue
Box/es
Tape

SLP….Born to Lead

Motivational Mondays:

Last week my ASHA Leader came and one article that caught my attention was the one regarding leadership about Tommie L. Robinson Jr. (division chief of hearing & speech, Children's National Health System, DC) and his significant influence and achievements in the speech-language and hearing field. My motivation and mantra for the remainder of 2015 will be this:

"There is something about our skill set that's inherently related to leadership positions. If we are, in fact, communication experts, then we're able to communicate with anybody and everybody in so many ways, and that becomes the door to leadership opportunities". "That's what leadership is about,  empowering & helping people to get to that next level".

Double the Fun!!!

Happy Tuesday & Happy November!! I just started visits with a new family who has a set of twins. I have previously worked with countless sets of multiples as they have a high rate of premature birth, therefore automatically qualifying them and their families for early intervention services (yay for EI!). I wanted to share some strategies and thoughts that I often share with parents with you all. Please enjoy and feel free to add your experiences and/or effective strategies used when working with multiples and their families as well J #thankGODformultiples #themorekiddosthemorefun #doublethespeech&language

1.     Scheduling: I like to try and schedule back to back sessions on the same day, however, ask the family which is best to do (same day or different days), as it may be too big of a time block and too much information and steps during coaching for the parent to remember for two or three separate kiddos.

2.     Individuality is Key: I always remind and strongly encourage parents to try not to compare language skills & development or development in general (I know this MUST be extremely difficult). Each child should have separate outcomes and strategies to reach those outcomes, as it had been my experience that one child always requires a bit more attention, time and prompting than the other. Also, encourage parents to not allow one kid to answer for the other; this is also difficult. EI providers & caregivers during sessions: consistently use individual names and “your turn/____________(name of kiddo's) turn”.

3.     Inclusion: As an early intervention provider, it is our job to promote language learning in the most natural form and environment, which means more than likely the other sibling/s will be present as well as the caregiver/s. This is the perfect opportunity to practice turn taking and help build on skills through models (using the stronger language model and encouraging caregivers to model). Encourage the family to imitate these activities and routines throughout the week, providing a protocol and specific examples of language learning opportunities. Be specific to activities routines of high interest and incorporate individual needs and interests.

4.     Behavior: It’s also been my experience that the more kiddos incorporated into the session the more behaviors (desired & undesired) are displayed as well. The strategy that has been most effect is encouraging the parent to parallel an activity of interest for the other kiddo, while practicing the outcome of whoever’s session it is within the routine or activity while in the same room. This way everyone is busy as well as getting individual attention, which seems to decrease the behaviors. Also, any activity involving movement (going to the park, jumping on the trampoline, dance parties, yoga, etc.) helps to expel energy, wiggles, and the burning desire for attention.

Copy Cat

Motivational Mondays:

Hey there SMLers & Happy August!! :) This summer has been crazy hectic and my "routine and schedule" have gone out of the window, so please excuse the no posting. However, the one aspect of my sessions that have been consistent and effective, is the strategy of imitation. I often encourage my kiddos and their families to model and encourage imitation. However, lately, I have been imitating my kiddos and their silly sounds, words, and actions, following their lead during their sessions and it has worked wonders!! During many sessions, I have been taking turns babbling, imitating words, modeling words, and not only do my kiddos notice and stop what they're saying or doing and smile or laugh, they have been more willing to imitate me as well. I am challenging families and fellow EI providers to try this out and see how it works. As always, feel free to keep me updated or leave comments on progress and feedback from families. Have a fun week & happy imitating!

May is Early Intervention Awareness Month

Thoughts for Thursday:

Happy Thursday!! :) Please visit the Spik My Language Pinterest board through the link on the right for fun ideas and important facts and research regarding EI.

#earlyinterventioncounts

Big Things Come in Small Packages

Motivational Monday!

Happy Monday & Happy Better Hearing & Speech Month :) Today, one of my kiddos ate several pieces of new foods that he rejected a couple of days prior. This handsome little fella is on the Autism Spectrum, and a year ago lost interest in oral feeding (besides Pediasure), following a traumatic choking event. Although he still does not chew (work in progress), today during our routine lunch session, I had an epiphany to break the samples into smaller pieces…no bigger than crumb-like sizes…and viola…he ate almost all of it!! As you can imagine…mom and I were extremely elated!!! After weeks of implementing various strategies from Kay Toomey's amazing and effective Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding, collaborating with his other EI providers (ABA, OT), I had to really think and pull all my tricks together, also keeping this child's individual likes and dislikes, challenges, strengths, etc. in mind to solve the sometimes frustrating and confusing puzzle that is feeding behaviors and aversion to oral feeding. Although we still have a long way to go, this is a start and huge victory. I also wanted to encourage other providers and families to be patient, keep pushing, and reach deep down and pull out all of your tricks and strategies when nothing else is working. Have a great week!! :)

April Showers…Bring May Flowers

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

March for MARCH OF DIMES

Happy Friday friends!! I have made a professional and personal goal to fundraise and bring awareness to at least one cause and/or organization per year in an effort to support numerous children and their families across the globe, and especially all of my precious kiddos. In recent years, I have completed walks and fundraising projects for Autism, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, and Cancer. This year, I wanted to support the March for Dimes which supports premature babies to lead healthy lives, and provides support for the families of this population of children. This organization touches my heart and daily life, as I work with the birth to three population, most of which are eligible and receiving early intervention services due to premature births. I just completed my registration for the walk here in Washington, D.C., which will take place on Saturday May 2nd, and wanted to encourage you all to do the same if you live in the area by registering at:

http://www.marchofdimes.org/marylandmetrodc/events/10272_3136333430.html

If you are not in the area, visit marchofdimes.org to support by walking or fundraising in a city near you!

Hope to see you there…have a fabulous weekend! :)

Oh the Places You'll Go with READING!

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY:

In honor of National Read Across America Day, I wanted to post the article written by the American Speech Hearing Association entitled “Let’s Talk”. Please click the link and read it when you have a moment. Also, don't forget to pick up at least one book a day and read a couple of pages, I promise the reward will be worth the effort!!

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/emergent-literacy/

New Year, New Goals, New Opportunities

Wednesday Word:

Happy New Year friends, families, fellow colleagues, & followers!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season :) My apologies for not posting over the holiday, as it became very chaotic and super busy. Hopefully you all were able to stop by the Spik My Language Pinterest board at some point to gather ideas for more creative language stimulation during the holiday season. This year, my resolution as an SLP who works in EI is to strive to reduce and/or climate the dreaded "only morning time works" mantra that families and teachers insist on. Don't get me wrong, majority of children, especially toddlers, are very well rested and most energized in the morning, however, we have to work together to create and provide opportunities for more language stimulation and multi-sensory approach to learning throughout the entire day from sun up to sun down. It could be through getting dressed, diaper changes, getting into the car, to making the table or helping to make dinner, it could be during lunch time, or even a trip to the grocery store. My goal is to provide intensive instruction, modeling, and facilitation on how to create language learning opportunities throughout the day in the child's typical/natural routine and especially during the most difficult and "not the best" times. Let's get to work team!! #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #EIchallenges #EISLPgoals2015