3 Components of a Fluency Disorder and 3 Ways Yoga can Help.

Many children who stutter have negative feelings and attitudes about communication and suffer from anxiety because of this. Fluency disorders often times have three components, called the “ABCs” of stuttering:

A: Affective

B: Behaviors

C: Cognitive

 

The B, or stuttering behaviors are the only part that others can see, while so much is going on in the mind of a person who stutters (A- affective and C- cognitive), making stuttering a much more complex disorder to evaluate and treat.

Yoga can be very beneficial to children who stutter. Coupled with speech-language therapy, yoga can improve speech fluency in children who stutter, by taking all three components of the disorder into account.

1) Respiration:

Breathing is also a very important to fluent speech. Yoga teaches children to learn to breathe from their bellies (“diaphragmatic breathing”) rather than from their shoulders (“clavicular breathing”). Diaphragmatic breathing allows for more substantial breaths and adequate breath support for fluent speech.

2)Positive Thoughts:

Meditation is a part of yoga, which teaches us self acceptance, the ability to let thoughts go, being in the moment and thinking in new ways.

3)Relaxation:

Yoga promotes overall relaxation, reducing anxiety and tension. Many children who stutter are anxious and tense. In a moment of disfluency, it is much more effective to relax and ease out of it, rather than fighting through it. A good example of this is a “finger trap.” The only way to escape a finger trap is by relaxing and gradually pulling your fingers out of it. The more force you use to pull, the more impossible it is to get out of it.

Yogarilla Cards make adding Yoga to your child’s Speech-Language therapy program easy and fun! There are 55 cards in each Yogarilla set. Each card highlights a different yoga pose, various modifications and additional challenges for each pose. Children love OTis the adorable and friendly gorilla who demonstrates each pose!

7 Risk Factors for Persistent Stuttering and 7 Factors Associated with Spontaneous Recovery

It's amazing to learn that 50-75% of children who exhibit early stuttering will recover without direct intervention. Spontaneous recovery usually occurs within one year of onset. If you have a child who is exhibiting disfluncies, here are the factors that will help you determine if intervention is required:

 

7 Risk Factors for Persistent Stuttering:

 

1) Greater than 60% of child’s speech is dysfluent

2) Dysfluencies persist longer than 12-18 months after their onset.

3) Family History of stuttering: Almost 50% of people who stutter have a family history of stuttering

4) Sensitive temperament or negative reaction to dysfluencies (awareness of stuttering).

5) Concomitant speech and language difficulties or advanced language skills.

6) Late onset (after 3 years of age).

7) Gender: Male

 

7 Factors Associated with Spontaneous Recovery:

 

1) Early onset of dysfluencies (before age 3).

2) Typical speech and language skills

3) Decrease in dysfluencies during the 12 month period following onset.

4)Less than 50% of child’s speech is dysfluent.

5) Gender: Female

6) No family history of stuttering, or relatives who have recovered from stuttering.

7) Outgoing and carefree temperament.

 

SLP Grads: 10 Tips to Take with You

 

I sat in the front row of “Intro to Speech-Pathology.” On day 1, our professor introduced 5 guests who would be joining us to share their experiences and the impact that speech-pathologists had on their lives. Each of the adults were laryngectomy patients. As the guests sat before the class and shared their stories, I was overcome with emotion; tears literally streaming down my cheeks. My heart broke as I felt their pain.

 

Later that day, I came to discover that my emotions were partially due to the sadness that blanketed their faces, but at the same time, my tears were filled with the happiness of knowing that I had discovered my own path; at that moment it became crystal clear to me:

 

 I was going to help others and I was going to do it by becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Graduation season is upon us and I am once again taken back to the thrilling feeling of accomplishing the intense feat of a achieving a Graduate Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Now, as a practicing SLP, graduation season reminds me just how valuable my graduate degree has been for me, in all aspects of my life. I have been practicing for over 12 years as an ASHA licensed SLP, and I couldn’t be more in love with my career.  

 

Being an SLP continues to quench my desire to help others. It has given me the opportunity to work alongside of other caring and devoted clinicians who continue to inspire me on a daily basis. This field has brought me flexibility in my time, which I am most grateful for in my recent years as a Mom of an infant and a toddler. I continue to be sincerely touched by each of the relationships and friendships that have developed from the families with whom I have worked with in therapy.

 

After 12 years, and all of the changes that life brings, I still feel that the work of an SLP fits like a glove; and that’s a true testament to an amazing field.

So that said, Congratulations, new SLP graduates and welcome to the field! On behalf of our team of Chatterboxes SLP’s, here’s our top 10 pieces of advice to you:

1)  Open your heart to each and every one of your patients.

2) Be proud of your clinical handouts & homework; they are an extension of you.

 

3) Put yourself in your client’s shoes. See things from their perspective &  understand their needs.

 

4) Identify an SLP superstar and watch them. Ask them questions and soak up as much as you can of their knowledge.

 

5) Never avoid seeking out help or advice from other SLPs!​ It shows your commitment to the field and your dedication to your therapy.

 

6) Develop a clinical style that fits; Let your personality shine through in your therapy and your work with others.

 

7) When working with a challenging patient, always focus on their strengths and meet them where they are at not where you want them to eventually be.

 

8) Strive for FUN. The more engaging you are, the more motivated your patient will be to communicate with you. Don't doubt the learning that can occur during play!

 

9) Be sure your patients know their goals in speech therapy and why it allows them to communicate better! They will be more invested in therapy if they know what they are doing and why!

 

10) Never stop learning. Excellent Speech-Language Pathologists should never stop learning, despite their years of experience.

 

We wish you all the best, and hope you treasure the opportunity to touch the lives of others in the field of Speech-Language Pathology as much as we do!

The SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding

Chatterboxes' Speech Language Pathologists are trained to utilize the SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding, a family-centered treatment method to address pediatric feeding difficulties.

Feeding is one of the most complicated tasks your child will ever complete and a skill that takes most children at least two years to learn. To eat an age appropriate diet that meets his or her nutritional needs, your child’s internal organs, sensory system, and oral-motor muscles must all be developing appropriately and working together. Given the complexity of feeding, it is no wonder that roughly 25% of children struggle with eating at some point in their lives.

The SOS treatment approach takes the complexity of feeding into account, assessing the “whole child” to identify specific skills such as biting, chewing, and sensory modulation and regulation with which a child may be struggling. Often problematic feeding behaviors develop as a result of skills deficits and can be eliminated by building a child’s feeding abilities. For example, a toddler with weak oral motor skills who has difficulty chewing will learn quickly that tough-to-chew foods like meats and raw vegetable do not work for her mouth; she may develop problem behaviors such as running from the table or tossing her plate on the floor to avoid taking a bite of these challenging foods. Similarly, a child with Autism who is unable to recognize his favorite yogurt when it’s not presented in its usual container may scream and cry when it’s presented in a new bowl. Identifying the underlying cause of these behaviors allows our clinicians to develop a treatment plan specifically tailored to your child’s unique needs.

During the therapy process, the SOS Approach uses systematic desensitization to enhance a child's ability to explore and tolerate novel foods, by providing him or her opportunities to interact with new foods in increasingly complex ways. For example, a child who initially is not able to tolerate the sight of a certain food on the table will be taught through play to touch the food, kiss the food, lick the food, and ultimately taste, chew, and swallow it- all while having fun in an encouraging and relaxed environment. Using play-based therapy techniques and positive reinforcement, children are taught the necessary skills they need to broaden the range of foods they consume and engage in positive mealtime behaviors. To ensure carryover to the home environment, clinicians work closely with parents and caregivers, offering detailed strategies to help children transfer skills from the therapy room to the dinner table.

Contact Chatterboxes to learn more or click here: www.sosapproach-conferences.com/about-us/sos-approach-to-feeding

5 Simple Ways to Make Play More Effective

Research has clearly proven the power of play in young children; particularly the impact of play on a child’s first 3 years of life. Play allows children to explore the world, while developing expressive and receptive language, social skills, fine and gross motor skills, and imagination, all while developing new skills and acquiring basic concepts.

When you sit down to play with your child, the direct 1:1 time that you have to spend undivided attention may be limited. So, here are some tried and true techniques to make the undivided playtime you offer to your child to be as effective as possible.
 

1) Follow your Child’s Lead

Let your child be in charge of showing YOU how to play with a toy, or object. Let him lead, as if you were playing follow the leader. Please don’t feel the need to be the ‘teacher’ all the time. Letting him lead the play will peak his interest, keep him engaged, and generally be more fun! Once your child has taken the lead, you might comment on what he is doing in his play with a few simple words. Here’s an Example:
 

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child pick up blocks and begins banging two blocks together.

Parent Response: “Blocks! Bang, Bang!”

Parent’s Action: Parent now picks up 2 blocks and bangs blocks together.

2) Repeat, Repeat, Repeat then…. Wait.

Modeling the sounds or language of play with a very high frequency of repetition is critical to a new language learner. When modeling with repetition, be sure to use inflection in your voice, or make up a rhythm. After modeling a sound, word, or phrase a number of times; wait. Give your child ample time to process this stimuli and have a chance to imitate. Here’s an Example:

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child puts a ball on a ramp. Ball rolls down ramp

Parent Response: “Doooown!” “Doooown!” “Doooown!” “Doooown!” (Each time ball rolls down ramp)

Parent’s Action: Parent holds the ball at the top of the ramp and WAITS; Giving child ample time to  attempt the word “down!”

3) Eye Level Positioning

 

Nothing is more powerful in communication than face to face exposure.  This might mean laying down on your stomach to face your child on the floor, or squatting down to your toddler as he stands. Face to face positioning allows for us to maintain eye contact, for us to ‘read’ one another, see facial expressions, gestures and one another’s general affect. It also allows for the child to optimally observe your articulators (mouth, tongue, teeth, lips) during speech production.
 

4) Read Your Child’s Non-Verbal Cues

 

Learn to be sensitive to his cues to see when he has had enough. It’s just as important to have the balance of being able to calm down and rest, both mentally and physically as it is to play with excitement and fun! This is especially important, as your child may not yet have the words to tell you he has had enough. Signs he is ready for a brake include: Acting distracted, becoming fussy, avoiding eye contact, or rubbing his eyes. Reassure your child you will play again very soon!

5) Special Toys... Not Required!

 

Play can happen at anytime with almost anything during the day! Please don’t feel the need to purchase specific toys, and feel like play can only happen in a perfect environment. Busy parents can learn to incorporate play into daily routines, such as bathtime or other daily chores, such as packing a lunch or walking the dog. For example, during bathtime:

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child splashes bubbles in tub

Parent Response: “bubble!” (splash, splash) “bubble!” (splash, splash) “bubble!” (splash, splash)
 

Even if it is for only a short time each day, your child makes amazing strides with your playful interactions. Through play you are helping your child to increase his self-confidence, brain development, social skills, as well as speech and language development.
 

Your play-time and love makes all the difference in the world to your child.

 

 

5 Easy Methods to Target Irregular Past Tense Verbs with Dollhouse Play

 

Many children exhibit difficulty learning irregular past tense verbs, because they don’t follow the typical “-ed” past tense rule. You might choose to incorporate targeting irregular past tense verbs into your play with your child for just 15-20 minutes each day, or you might repeat the target irregular past tense verbs frequently throughout the day, during conversation or daily routines. Try to focus on only a few verbs at a time (or just one at a time, if your child is exhibiting more difficulty).

5 Play Scenarios that Target Irregular Past Tense Verbs, Using a Toy Dollhouse:

 

1) Mealtime- It’s time to eat! Set up each wooden figurine around the family dinner table, while targeting the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

brought, ate, drank, made, fell, took   

 

2) Bedtime- Pretend putting each family member to sleep for the night. You might model your child's bedtime routine during play in order to practice the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

slept, woke, read

 

3) Outdoor Play- Have the family go outside to play while focusing on the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

slid, ran, caught, hid, swing, threw

 

4) Grocery Store- Pretend the family hops into the car and drives from the dollhouse to the pretend grocery store, focusing on the following words:

 

wrote (list), drove, bought, chose, found, saw

5 Social Stages of Play