Play is important at all stages of child development. Play is the ‘work’ of childhood.
Continue readingHow to Make Play an Important Part of the Day
Talking and Growing: New Year’s Resolutions for Speech Therapy!
A brand new year is days away, and that means we get a chance to make some new resolutions! This year, let’s think about making some special resolutions for speech therapy.
**Practice Every Day:**
One resolution could be to practice your speech exercises every day. Turn practice into playing a game. The more you practice, the better you will become!
**Use My Special Words:**
Use the special words your speech therapist teaches you as much as possible. These words help you talk smoothly, and they make you feel super proud!
**Speak Slowly and Clearly:**
Work on speaking slowly and clearly. This way, everyone can understand you when you talk.
**Tell More Stories:**
Make a resolution to tell more stories or help your child tell more stories. Share your adventures, dreams, and funny moments. It’s a fun way to practice talking.
**Ask Questions:**
Ask more questions and join in conversations. Questions help you learn new things, and it’s a cool way to make friends!
**Read Out Loud:**
Reading out loud is like a speech party! Pick your favorite books and read them to friends, family, or even to a pet. It’s great practice!
**Be Patient and Positive:**
Sometimes, it might feel tricky, but you might want to promise to be patient. Stay positive and celebrate even the small wins. Every step is a step forward!
**Thank Your Speech Helpers:**
We help each other, and this year, thank your speech buddies. We’re in this together!
**Try New Sounds:**
Be adventurous and try new speech sounds. It’s like a fun challenge to make your speech even more awesome!
**Celebrate Progress:**
At the end of each month, celebrate the progress you’ve made. Maybe treat yourself to something special. Yay for progress!
So there you go, friends! These speech therapy resolutions are yours for the taking. Let’s make it an amazing year of talking, growing, and reaching new speech goals together. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
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Continue readingHow to Fund Playground Communication Boards
Communication boards are important for people with communication differences. Communication boards give people a voice to build relationships. Getting a playground or pool communication board can be more difficult because of the cost. Today’s blog will look at the different ways to get funding for communication boards.
Grants and Foundations
Some groups give money to projects that help people with disabilities. Look for grants from groups that help provide communication devices for people. Apply for these grants to get money for communication boards.
Corporate Sponsorship
Ask local businesses for help. Some companies like to support projects in their community. Make a plan that shows how playground communication boards can make a big difference. This might get businesses to give money to your project.
Crowdfunding Campaigns
Use websites like Kickstarter or GoFundMe to ask for small amounts of money from many people. Share stories about why playground/pool communication boards are important. Your friends and others might give money to help out.
Community Events and Fundraisers
Do things in your town to get people excited about helping. Maybe have a walk or a fun run to get money. Work with local schools and businesses to make events that bring in money for playground communication boards.
Government Grants and Programs
Sometimes, the government gives money for projects that help people with disabilities. Look into these grants and ask for help. Tell them how playground communication boards can make a positive change.
Partnerships with Educational Institutions
Work with schools and colleges that have programs for special education. They might help with resources and money. Partnering with them can make it easier to get playground communication boards.
Conclusion
Getting money for playground communication boards may require you to try different ways to find funding, but you can make it happen. By using these ideas, you can get the help to change the lives of many. As more people understand why playground/pool communication boards matter, it will be easier to get support and provide everyone a voice.
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Continue readingTeletherapy Tips for Families
As we are all beginning to adjust to teletherapy as well as online or elearning, we thought it best to share some tips to make you and your loved ones time in therapy, albeit significantly different than ever before, more successful.
- Count on some sort of technology failure – if you count on the fact that the mic won’t turn on or your wifi will be running slow, you won’t panic when it does happen. If there is a technology failure (on your side or on the therapist’s side), the first thing to do is breathe. Next calmly begin to troubleshoot. Prior to the appointment, you may want to trial the mic and speakers on the device you intend to use for therapy. If your bandwidth on your wifi is slow, as those in your home to stay off the network or not engage in activities (streaming videos) that use a lot of bandwidth. If the session can’t happen, you can reschedule. Flexibility is key.
- Create a “Therapy Space” or designate a “Therapy Space” for the duration of the session. You may want to create a ‘Therapy in Session’ sign with your loved one and hang it on the door of the room you are in for the session. If you will be in a shared living area, you may want to consider the use of a headphone and mic combination. This will decrease the amount of background noise your loved one will hear as well as the therapist. Consider scheduling therapy at a time when others in your family would be napping or engaged in more quiet activities as well. Creativity is key.
- Count on staying with your loved one for the onset of the therapy session. For individuals that may need support to pay attention, consider this time extra snuggle time. Have your loved one sit on your lap or very close to you during the session to help guide her/his attention to the therapist. This is time for your loved one to receive the critical therapy services needed as well as a time for YOU to better understand the techniques used to elicit specific behaviors, actions, and sounds from your child. Teamwork is key.
- Listen to the therapist and therapy session. Remember, this is your loved one’s therapy time, not necessarily yours. While it may be hard, refrain from answering the therapist’s questions for talking for your loved one. You may consider the situation/task that the therapist is asking your loved one to do is too difficult, but creating these situations to ‘push’ your loved one to the next level is necessary in progress towards mastery of goals. Trust is key.
- Carryover of all the new skills learned during the therapy session (both for you and your loved one) is extremely important for everyone! You will have new skills to support your loved one as he/she works on speech-language skills. Share what you have learned with others in your family. Help everyone realize the necessary supports to help your loved one succeed. Practice is key.
Keeping in mind the importance of flexibility, creativity, teamwork, trust and practice will ensure your loved ones success with this different approach to speech-language therapy.
More information about the telepractice services offered at Lakeshore Speech can be found at www.lakeshorespeech.com/telepractice or by calling 1-440-417-4190.
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC