Warmer weather is finally here (or so we’re told). Along with spring weather comes new opportunities to learn language while getting outside and having fun.

Go for a walk
A simple walk around the block can include many opportunities to help your child expand his/her vocabulary.  As we all know, spring in Chicago means construction. Children love watching the construction vehicles and talking about what they see. Name the vehicles and their actions as your child watches in awe.  You can also talk about airplanes, bicycles, and animals as they pass. Try skipping, jumping, or clapping as you walk, and see if your child will imitate your actions. Building gross motor imitation skills is very helpful for language learning.

Go to the park
The playground is a great place for children to learn to interact with their peers. When it is nice outside it is almost a guarantee that you will run into other young children who can act as language models for your child. This may also provide a great opportunity for your child to work on early social skills like turn-taking.

Take a trip to the zoo
Did you know that admission to the Lincoln Park Zoo is completely free? A trip to the zoo will provide a great opportunity to talk to your child about animals, and animal sounds. The Lincoln Park Zoo also has a great sing-a-long for young children every Wednesday and Friday morning at 9:15 and 10:00 a.m. at the Main Barn in the zoo’s Farm-in-the-Zoo.

Meryl Schnapp M.A., CCC-SLP

It’s true that lots of children can be described as “picky eaters.” Many children refuse to eat their vegetables at dinner and would prefer to eat chocolate for breakfast. For other children, being in the same room as a food that they don’t like can trigger a meltdown. These same children may avoid complete food groups or certain food textures.

For some children, this “picky” phase will be one that they outgrow. Other children may require therapeutic intervention to broaden the number of foods that they tolerate and will willingly accept.

“Picky eaters” and “problem feeders” may present similar characteristics. So, how do you decide if your child would benefit from feeding therapy? Below is a list of general differences between “picky eaters” and “problem feeders.”

Ultimately, if you have any feeding concerns, always consult with your pediatrician. If your doctor agree that your child is not just a “picky eater”, he or she can refer you to a certified speech-language pathologist. It can be helpful to keep a food log detailing foods that your child accepts and rejects to bring with you to your doctor visit and feeding evaluation. A speech-language pathologist can help your “problem feeder” discover new foods, and can help to create happy and healthy mealtimes!

Julie Euyoque, M.A., CCC – SLP

Source: http://www.sosapproach-conferences.com/articles/picky-eaters-vs-problem-feeders

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory processing disorder refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate behavioral or motor responses. It is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. Sensory Processing Disorder exists when sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses. Someone with Sensory Processing Disorder may find it difficult to process and act upon information that they receive from the senses, which can make it difficult to complete various every-day tasks.

What does Sensory Processing Disorder look like?

A child with SPD may exhibit clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, or have trouble in school. SPD can look very different from one person to another. One child may over-respond to sensation and find physical contact, clothing, light, food, or other sensory input to be unbearable. On the other hand, one child might be under-responsive to sensory input and show little reaction to stimulation. Some “red flags” in preschoolers include:

• Over-sensitive to touch, noises, smells, and other people.

• Difficulty making friends.

• Difficulty dressing, eating, sleeping, and/or toilet training.

• Clumsy; poor motor skills; weak.

• In constant motion; in everyone else’s face and personal space.

• Frequent or long temper-tantrums.

If you suspect your child may have difficulty with sensory processing, contact a pediatric occupational therapist at PlayWorks Therapy to complete an evaluation.

Caitlin Cassidy, OTR/L

There’s no denying the conveniences that technology allows us, but are modern conveniences affecting child development? Televisions, smart phones, and tablet screens seem to be everywhere you turn, and shielding your young toddler from screens may feel impossible. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated their recommendations for screen time to reflect the inevitable change our world is experiencing. Previously, they called for a “Screen-Free Environment” for children under 2 years. Now, with many apps and programs targeting young children, recommendations allow for limited amounts of screen time for children under 2.

How should we manage expectations with technology?

There are many key points to be mindful of when exposing your toddler to technology, but it is important to remember that setting limits and rules is up to you! Perhaps time on the iPad can be limited to 15 minutes, or the phone app can only be played after all the toys are picked up. Maybe you want to declare your child’s bedroom or the dinner table “screen-free zones”. The AAP outlines some screen time rules to guide parents through the difficult decisions. For example, interacting with technology alongside your child is a more beneficial way to introduce them to this modern world. The AAP states that “passive video presentations,” where kids sit and watch the screen alone, do not encourage language development. Try your best to watch videos alongside your toddler, or play along with the app! To this point, the AAP reiterates that content matters! Spend some time researching the best apps or video programs (see the list below!) to make better use of limited screen time.

But handing over the phone or iPad is the only way I can get time for work and chores!

Screen time can help us make it through the day, but it can’t replace the valuable growth that happens in good old-fashioned play time with caregivers! Cognitive and language development are optimized during unstructured play time, and when toddlers play with others. If you need 15 minutes to yourself, try encouraging your toddler to interact with toys and other real objects as opposed to the screen. If your household has determined that your toddler’s screen time will coincide with doing the dishes, try to find the most highly recommended apps and videos for them to use during this time.

What apps should I be using?

Try these apps to optimize your toddler’s screen time:

Busy Shapes
Moo, Baa, La La La
Peekaboo Barn or Peekaboo Wild
Eli Explorer
My Very Hungry Caterpillar
Tozzle – Toddler’s Favorite Puzzle
Baby’s Musical Hands

Sites like CommonSenseMedia.com, Parents.com, and TomsGuide.com are other great resources for technology recommendations.

Leanne Sherred, MS, SLP-CF

What you’ll need:

• 1 balloon
• 1 straw
• Yarn (between six and ten feet)
• Tape

Directions:

1. Tie one end of the string on the back of a chair or similar item.
2. Thread straw onto the string, and attach the loose end of the string to another chair.
3. Inflate the balloon, but don’t tie it!
4. Tape untied balloon to straw and get ready to for action!

This activity is great for practicing phrases like “ready, set, go!”, “go balloon”, or “more air!”. It is also great for naming objects in your home like “tie the string to the chair”, or “tape the string to the table”. For added fun you can set up two rockets and have them race!

When you are done, kicking around tied balloons or hitting them into the air can provide hours of entertainment. This creates the perfect opportunity to practice action words and get all the winter wiggles out!

Caution: always supervise play with balloons, as they can be a choking hazard for children three and under.

Jessie Delos Reyes, MA, CF-SLP

Image and idea source:http://discoverexplorelearn.com/balloon-rockets/

Parents often comment, “It looks like my child just plays with toys during the developmental therapy session.” How can toys improve a child’s development? Do parents need to buy the same toys in order for their child to progress?

What is developmental therapy?

Developmental therapy focuses on a child’s global development. Global development includes regulatory and sensory processing, cognition, language comprehension, language expression, gross and fine motor, social-emotional, and self-help skill development. A therapist will identify specific areas of strengths and concerns to develop a play activity program that addresses the child’s needs.

How are toys used to address areas of development?

Toys used during developmental therapy sessions are strategically chosen in order to help children overcome their challenges and gain confidence in their own ability to acquire functional, age-appropriate, developmental skills. Each session will focus on a number of specific goals, which are assessed through the child’s play with a toy. For example, a book may be used for younger children to help them focus on the details of each page, by encouraging them to run their fingers over the pages and follow the therapist’s pointing at objects. For an older child, a book may be used for object recognition, sound attribution, and concept of size. Nesting cups are another popular toy choice for expanding a child’s development. Younger children learn imitation skills by watching the therapist bang two cups together, and eventually producing the same action. Older children will learn trial and error while nesting the entirety of cups independently, and turning them over to stack them.

Do families need to buy the same toys to see progress in development?

No, families do not need to go out and spend money on the same toys used by the therapist. Many of the skills tested during the sessions can be easily produced with simple objects already found in the home. Instead of buying books, families can work on their child’s identification skills by naming foods in their house (milk, apple) and pointing to objects outside (flower, tree). An easy substitute to the nesting cups that would test a child’s construction skills would be different-sized bowls in the home for nesting, and toilet paper rolls for stacking. While the therapists do use a bag of specific toys, our approach to developmental therapy encourages skill development at home through available resources, and embedding learning activities into a family’s daily routine.

Brittany Hill, MS, MSW, LSW, DT

While speech and language delays or disorders can exist together, there is a distinct difference between the two. Language is communication that can be understood, spoken, written, read, and gestures (such as sign language). There are two areas of language including receptive language, defined as what we hear and understand, and expressive language, defined as the words we use to communicate wants and needs to others. Speech is the ability to clearly and verbally communicate messages to others. Speech includes: articulation, defined as how sounds are made (e.g. the ability to produce /r/ or /s/ correctly), voice, defined as how the vocal folds and breathing combine to produce sound (e.g. healthy voice versus hoarse or “lost” voice), and fluency, defined as the rate and rhythm of the flow of speech (e.g. smooth versus stuttering).

When a child has difficulty with comprehension or understanding others, it is defined as a receptive language delay. When a child has difficulty expressing wants, needs, and other general ideas and thoughts, it is defined as an expressive language delay. When both are present, it is defined as an overall language delay.

When a child has difficulty producing speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has voice problems, it is defined as a speech delay or disorder.

It is significant to note that there is also a difference between a delay and a disorder. A speech or language delay describes a child whose skills are developing along the same developmental path as typically developing children, just at a slower rate and they may require more time, more practice, and more repetition.

Speech and language disorders describe children whose speech and language is developing abnormally and not following the usual pattern or sequence of typical language development.

The best way to find out if your child’s development requires attention is to seek a comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Pediatric speech therapy is available through the Illinois Early Intervention program and can greatly improve or remediate your one- to- three-year-old child’s speech and language problems. Children over three can receive outpatient pediatric speech therapy at a pediatric therapy clinic as well. A children’s speech therapist can be a great resource for your questions and concerns, as well as ongoing speech therapy.

Therese Schmidt, MS, CF-SLP

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor planning disorder that interferes with a child’s ability to plan and execute the precise sounds needed for speech. Children with CAS find it difficult to produce specific sounds on demand, and find even more difficulty in stringing sounds together into words. They may be able to use various sounds when babbling but cannot produce a specific sound when asked to do so. It is often frustrating for the child, as they know what they want to say but struggle to produce the sounds and words needed to communicate their message.

How do I know if my child has CAS?

Initially, CAS may present as a language delay in young children if they are not yet talking by 15-18 months of age (most children say their first word around 12 months of age).  It is difficult to diagnose CAS when the child is not yet talking, so initial speech therapy may focus on verbal imitation of age-appropriate sounds. Children with a speech or language delay can successfully imitate the prompted sound with guided support. Children with CAS, however, will struggle to imitate sounds when prompted because their brain does not send the right coded message to their mouth. Without this message (i.e. the motor plan), they will not know how to use their tongue, lips, and/or teeth to make the correct sound.

Common characteristics of CAS:

• Reduced babbling during early language development (6-12 months of age)

• Inconsistency of speech sound productions

• More errors or changes in errors when producing the same sound or word multiple times

• Difficulty imitating sounds and sound patterns when prompted

• Incoordination and/or groping of the mouth when attempting to speak

• Significant gap between receptive language skills (understanding of language) and expressive language skills (production of sounds/words); receptive language skills tend to be age-appropriate in children with CAS

• Slow progress in therapy, or a plateau in progress

If you think your child may have CAS, refer to a speech therapist for a speech and language evaluation. The speech therapist will work with you and your child to determine the appropriate diagnosis and to establish therapy goals that will support your child’s communication skills.

Autumn Smith, MS, CCC-SLP

Be Enchanted by Trains That Glide Through Every Season @ Morton Arboretum

Combine equal parts white glue and shaving cream. Using a paintbrush or your hands, apply to paper and that’s it! Feel free to add food coloring to make your desired color or keep it white and pretend it’s snow! This activity is great for following directions, allowing children to touch and explore different textures, and makes a cute craft!