Down Syndrome Awareness Month

October celebrates National Down Syndrome Awareness month.  During the month of October, take time to put aside the candy corn and pumpkins and learn more about how you and your family can celebrate the abilities and accomplishments of individuals with Down Syndrome.

Some basics about Down Syndrome.  

  • A person with Down Syndrome rocks an extra pair of chromosomes, resulting in individuals with Down syndrome have 47 instead of the usual 46 chromosomes.
  • Approximately 400,000 Americans have Down Syndrome.
  • One in 700 babies are born with Down Syndrome.
  • Down syndrome was first studied and described by a doctor named John Langdon Down.

Organizations that work to ensure an individual with Down Syndrome has the services, therapies and help they (and their families) need to be successful can be found throughout the greater Cleveland area.  

Gigi’s Playhouse of Cleveland is a wonderful agency providing social, educational and support programs for individuals ages birth through adulthood.  Make the pledge and find out more about how YOU can become part of Generation G.

The Up Side of Downs of NorthEast Ohio has been supporting, educating and advocating for people with Down Syndrome (and their families) since the 1980’s.  From tennis to yoga to dances and more, this incredible organization has a calendar full of activities and resources for you to explore!

Connecting for Kids! Provides support and education to families and children throughout Northeast Ohio. Looking to better understand a diagnosis, resources and support, please take a moment to investigate this outstanding resource.

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC. would like to share our most sincere well wishes, support and admiration for our friends thriving with Down Syndrome and their families.  Our world is better because of you!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech, LLC

Dress for Fall

Fall is officially upon us!  Crunching leaves, cooler air, pumpkin spiced everything.  There’s no denying it, Fall is here! For those who appreciate a cup of hot cocoa, the changing of the leaves and busting out the sweaters and long pants, your time has arrived.  Living in Northeast Ohio poses some issues when it comes to predicting Fall weather. We experience Spring, Summer and Heat Wave all in span of 3 days. Adjusting our wardrobes to match this  temperature roller coaster can also create issues for those who don’t understand what is going on with Mother Nature or those who are very sensitive to what they wear.

The “battle of the outfit” does not have to be a daily event. Using simple materials around your home, you can focus less on getting your loved one in  clothes to match the weather. These techniques not only bridge the gap of the daily runway, but promote vocabulary growth, inferencing, and reasoning.

Materials you will need to gather:

Items: 

Pictures of (at least 2 copies of each): 

  • Long sleeved shirt & short sleeved shirt                
  • Long pants & shorts
  • Sweatshirt or sweater
  • Socks and shoes
  • Sandals or flip flops
  • Lightweight Jacket
  • Heavier jacket/winter jacket

Resources:

  • Fliers from department stores and catalogues are great resources
  • Free icons @ www.flaticon.com
  • Free icons @ www.do2learn
  • Images from the internet

Items:

Pictures of weather/temperature:

  • Sun (3)
  • Cloudy (3)
  • Rain (3)
  • Warm (3)
  • Cold (3)

Resources:

Items:

Blank week calendar (large enough to hold 2-3 pictures)

Resources:

Items:

Glue, scissors, velcro or funtack, blank paper/cardstock

Resource:

Around the house (or in the ‘junk drawer’)

The overall goal is for the adult to indicate the weather and temperature on a specific day (using the weather temperature pictures) as well as the type of clothing needed for that day (using the clothing pictures).  Eventually, the individual may want to fill in the calendar with the corresponding pictures, but initially, this is intended to be a visual cue to decrease misunderstandings, etc. Too often the beautiful sun is shining but it’s nowhere near a day for flip-flops and shorts.

Please feel free to discuss creating this type of visual cue for your loved one with your Speech-Language Pathologist. If you would like more information, please feel free to call us at Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy

Friday Night Lights

Friday night lights! High school traditions!  Go Team!

Fall is the time of year to grab your favorite sweatshirt and enjoy an evening of high school football.  “Enjoy” – that’s the difficult part especially for some. The many sounds and smells as well as the number of people all in one place can cause loved ones with integration issues difficulty in large  crowds. There are a number of proactive steps families can take to help loved ones adjust to these situations.

Paint a picture of what the individual will experience during their time at the game.  For example:

  • We are going to park the car in the parking lot (or, in some instances, the – field, street, etc.)
  • We will walk to the gate or entrance of the field.
  • We will have to stand in line to get our tickets.
    • Note: if available, please consider purchasing tickets ahead of time.  Less time anxiously waiting, the better.
  • There will be a lot of people around us; you will hear them talking and shouting.
  • We will walk to our seats
  • We will walk up or down the stadium steps
    • Note: if the stadium steps are open (meaning you can see the ground below) you may want to consider sitting in an area closer to the ground or where the steps are solid.
  • We will sit in our seats
    • Note: if the individual is sensitive to pressure – consider bringing a blanket or stadium chair to decrease the sensation of the ‘hard’ stadium bleachers.
  • Etcetera
    • Don’t forget to include what will be
      • heard (band, horns, cheering, etc.)
      • seen
      • smelled

Carry an ‘important tools’ bag.  This bag should contain items that calm the individual, items that may distract attention from an unpleasant sensation and items that will help to diminish non-preferred sensations. The bag may include noise canceling headphones, headphones and a music source,ear plugs, fidget toys, extra blankets, weighted blankets, etc.

Plan your arrival and departure around preferred events.  If the individual loves watching the marching band, but is bothered by all the whistles during the game, arrive at the game 15-25 minutes late. If the individual does not appreciate the marching band, make arrangements for an activity or get special permission to leave and re-enter the the stadium during halftime.  If the individual does or does not like the mascot, plan your seats in the location accordingly.

Give your loved one a voice during the game.  Pre-record a cheer or a special message on a voice recorded switch.  No need to get too high tech, this is a high energy exciting time, it’s more important to get the message out! If a device is not an option, make a sign that shares the message or use a horn or bell for the individual to be part of the roaring crowd.  If you need more information or ideas, please do not hesitate to ask any speech therapist at Lakeshore Speech.

Friday night lights shine brighter when everyone is involved.  Go Team!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

Getting out the door in one piece

A new school year, a new therapy schedule, just the time to create some new habits for a smooth transition.  Being pulled in a million different directions is enough to make anyone harried . You and your family’s stress levels do not need to be off the charts.  Help yourself and those you love create a game plan that is sure to score big this Fall.

Organizing tasks, managing time and executing a plan are all executive functioning skills.  Skills we all (no matter the age) continue to polish and refine throughout our lives. Executive functioning skills are not innate to some, butare skills that need to be taught and practiced.  When executive functioning skills begin to mature and become second nature, the stress decreases significantly.

Your game plan to create an environment that supports and teaches executive functioning skills does not have to be elaborate.  Try a few of these suggestions and see the difference for yourself. .

  • Under 5 years old
    • Specific area or tub or bin where favorite toys are kept
    • Diaper bag filled and ready to go – this bag should be kept in the same location (ie: hook, shelf) at all times so it is easy to find and grab while you are running out of the door.
    • Keep an emergency bag/bin in the car at all times – stock with snacks, diapers, change of clothes (for your child and yourself), wipes, etc.
  • School Age
    • Backpack, coat, boots, etc. all have a specific location.  This does not have to be elaborate. Grab a few empty cardboard boxes, have each child (and adult) decorate the box, arrange boxes near the entrance door. Elminiates the “trail” of belongs going through the house when your children return from school.
    • In/Out Boxes/bins for school papers.  Inevitably, your child will have a ‘home’ folder and/or school papers that need your attention.  Make a simple In/Out box system using gift boxes (reinforced with tape) to ensure these important papers do not get lost in a pile. Work with your child in getting the home folder out of the backpack and into the In/Out box.  You won’t have to worry about losing the papers and can get to them when you have time to focus your attention.
    • “Everything has a place and every place as a thing.” Words to live by!  
      • Key hooks
      • Shoe mats
      • Lunch box baskets
      • Home information Centers
      • School clothes dresser drawers vs play clothes dresser drawers
    • Simple after school “To Do” list :
      • Put folder in IN/OUTBox
      • Change clothes
      • Get a snack
      • Start homework

Your family’s unique style will dictate the creative ways in which you discover to better manage executive functioning skills.  Do not hesitate to consult with a Speech-Language Therapist for specific techniques not only for the entire family, but for specific members who could use individual attention in this area.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC

“Flex” your social skills!

Were you ever in public with your child and his/her behavior made you wish the floor would open and swallow you whole?  Ever been without words following your child’s painfully truthful comment? Remember that time when no matter what you said or what you offered your child she/he could not and would not get his/her mind off of the one little thing that made them upset and therefore ruined the event/day/situation?

We have have experienced these ‘moments’ in life and for most these situations are not a daily occurrence, however for some these ‘moments’ happen daily.  The ability to communicate, verbal or non-verbal, as well as interact with those in our environment in a socially acceptable manner is called social skills.  Social skills are typically not taught in an out right manner, rather a child ‘picks’ up these rules and skills by watching adults interact. For example, chances are you were never sat down and given a full explanation as to why when you meet someone, you extend your hand.  There’s a pretty good chance that you had seen this occur enough times that without really thinking about it, you appropriately responded when an adult extended their hand to shake yours. All children require some level of direct instruction (formal or not) when being ‘taught’ social skills.  How many times have you said under clenched teeth in an audible whisper, “Get your finger OUT of your nose immediately. HERE is a tissue!” or “Please, when you are at your grandparent’s house, please to not burp at the table, please!!! For some children (and adults) these social nuances are not easily ‘seen’.  For some, these social skills, social graces, manners, whatever you want to call them, are very difficult skills to learn, remember and execute.

We are proud to offer the small group program based on the Superflex: A Superhero Social Thinking Curriculum by Stephanie Madrigal and Michelle Garcia Winner.  Your child will experience the adventures of our hero Superflex conquering the dastardly Team of Unthinkables such as “Rock Brain” , “WasFunnyOnce”, and “Glassman”.  All of the villains embody different challenges or behaviors that your child may experience everyday. Using ‘Superflex” as an example, your child will learn techniques and acquire ‘super powers’ to manage these villains!

Julie Ruddy will be leading our band of Superflex Heroes into battle against the Team of Unthinkables.  Julie brings 24+ years of experiences working with children with special needs grades K through 12 as an Intervention Specialist.  Julie received her Masters in Curriculum Instruction and is a proud graduate of Ohio University. Julie has super powers of her own which she will share at Lakeshore’s Superflex Main Command Room in a six week program on Tuesdays from 6:30pm – 7:30pm.  Class size is limited to 6 SuperHeros in training. Registration is open until Wednesday, September 12, 2018. Find more information at https://www.lakeshorespeech.com/events/ .

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC

Help with Stuttering. You’re NOT alone!

silhouette for students jumping at sunset

We have all experienced a moment when what you are trying to say just won’t come out. Those episodes of stuttering are typically a blip in time occurring far and few between.  Stuttering is a natural part of development for children between the ages of 2 and 5. When a young child stutters, she/he may repeat certain syllables, words or phrases, prolong them, or making no sound for certain sounds and syllables.  These ‘episodes’ can be attributed to the child having so much to say, but can’t get the information out quickly and don’t want to lose her/his audience or turn to talk. Developmental stuttering my last for a few weeks or several months, and it may be sporadic.  Most children stop stuttering by age 5 without speech-language therapy intervention. However, if these episodes are accompanied with facial or body movements, become worse and more frequent, a speech-language evaluation is suggested for children as young as 3 years of age.

While there is no cure for stuttering, there are effective treatments that can help an individual control his/her speech.  As fluency therapy is a complex marriage of clinical and psychological intervention, It is recommended these treatments and therapies be administered by a speech-language pathologist who has experience or specializes in the area of fluency therapy.  As a child matures, intervention/therapy techniques adjust from learning the techniques for fluent or smooth speech to learning how to best manage dysfluencies given specific situations in the home, peer, work and academic settings.

Middle and high school years are filled with uncertainty and the constant feeling of trying to ‘fit in’.  Anything that makes you ‘different’ isn’t necessarily considered a ‘positive’. For teens who have a fluency disorder or stutter, these years can be a time of significant social struggle and self-doubt.  We take for granted the number of times in any one given day we are required to answer, comment, question or defend ourselves with clarity and ease.

Lakeshore Speech Therapy is fortunate to have Wendi Willmer as part of our staff.  As a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency, Wendi possesses in-depth knowledge on how to treat stuttering in people of all ages. Sensitive to the struggles teens and young adults experience with stuttering, she is offering two six-week small group sessions to help students..  One group is specifically designed for the needs of students in grades 6th thru 8th and another for students in grades 9th thru 12th. While working in a group setting, not only will the students learn new techniques to control stuttering, but practice those skills they do have; all the while creating a network of friends that truly understand what they are going through.  Class sizes are limited and registration is open until Wednesday, September 12, 2018. Find more information at https://www.lakeshorespeech.com/events/.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC

Stan Is Here! Stan Is Here!!

Lakeshore has gone to and fallen in love with the dogs…..Stan in particular! This Fall, we will be offering a reading enrichment program co-taught by Patti Cramer and Stan, the Therapy Dog.

Patti is a graduate of the University Of Dayton.  She received her Masters in Education from Bowling Green State University. Patti has twenty years experience teaching the primary grades (Kg – 3rd grade).  Her passion is teaching Reading and Writing. Patti shared, “I have found that one major roadblock to a student’s success is the lack of confidence in their own abilities. It became my goal to discover a way to bypass that obstruction”.

3 years ago, she found that solution.

After rescuing an amazing dog, Stan, 5 years ago from the county pound, she realized he was the solution. After months of work and practice, Stan passed his Therapy Dog Test and became a Certified Therapy Dog through Therapy Dogs International. Thus, started Stan’s ‘school days’.  

Stan made an immediate impact in the classroom. His presence far exceeded expectations. Not only did he help students overcome their hesitancy to read, he actually inspired students to work extra hard to practice reading special books to Stan. Students, who otherwise feared sharing their new skills, now could not wait to show off for Stan. The growth in all of Patti’s students was amazing, but the growth in her struggling students was most apparent.

Stan motivated Patti’s classroom of First Grade students as well as having a positive effect on ALL students.  Stan spends time in six different self-contained classrooms for students with a variety of special needs. Each and every student looks forward to “Stan time”.

Stan teaches all students a variety of lessons including social/emotional skills, understanding non-verbal communication (ie: basic dog body language), compassion and care for another ( ie: students become responsible for Stan’s dog care), and basic dog training and safety skills.

Stan has become a star and time with him is an incentive in the school to promote good behavior.  Students choose to earn time reading with Stan for being respectful, responsible and safe, . His company provides a safe place when students are having a difficult day and need to cool off or just need a snuggle.

We are thrilled and fortunate that Stan has chosen to bring his talents (and those of Patti) to Lakeshore Speech Therapy.   Patti and Stan work side by side to enrich your child’s reading by practicing reading strategies to improve Accuracy, Fluency and Comprehension. Students in this 4- week program will have direct instruction with Patti, small group time to work on these strategies and of course individual time to read to Stan to show off their skills. Students will read books at their independent level to accomplish these tasks.

This reading enrichment program will be offered in two 4-week session starting September 18th from 4:30 – 5:30pm.  Each session will be limited to 4 students. Our hope it have Stan spend more time caring, working and teaching at Lakeshore Speech Therapy.  Registration for this class will open Friday, August 10th and close September 12th. Find more information at https://www.lakeshorespeech.com/events/

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy

Summer, don’t leave us!

There’s still plenty of Summer left, but it’s getting to be that time of the year when our attention must turn back to the hustle and bustle of the school year.  For those not at that point or past that point, it’s that time of year that there seems to be some sort of switch from the lazy hazy days of Summer to the fast and furious time of Fall.

The types of clothes you are wearing will change, the leaves will change, and your schedule will change.  Much like our blog in June, it’s time to ask a few questions about these changes. Will you focus on a few activities or many? When is your child her/his best – morning? Late afternoon? Early evening? When do you have the most support? From whom? Spouse? Friend? Parent? In-law? How can the change to the Fall be less dramatic? Crock-pot meals? Pre-frozen meals? Assigning chores to everyone? Only you have the answers. However do yourself a favor, ask those questions and give yourself some REAL answers, you’ll be the better and so will everyone around you!

Lakeshore Speech has a number of amazing programs available for children this Fall season.  Ranging in areas of focus from Reading Tutor Groups to Social Skills Groups to Fluency Groups, we have something that your child might need or want to make a smooth start to the school year and the Fall.  Please check-out www.lakeshorespeech.com/events  for a full listing and explanation of our programs.

Lakeshore is also beginning to set up Fall schedules for private therapy.  Please contact Kelly (krigo@lakeshorespeech.com or (440) 471-7190) to arrange a therapy day and time that works best for your family’s schedule.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC

A Fresh New Look!

Lakeshore’s waiting room has a new look!  We are so excited for you to see the new decor at Lakeshore.  Please make sure to check out the parent resource area. Here you will find information about activities and opportunities in our area for  your child and you and your family. This area will also house any information important to your weekly visits. Vacation reminders, quick check-out documents such as making payments, program fliers and more will be in this area for your convenience.

We now have media streaming information pertinent to Lakeshore Speech, therapy, informational resources and the like.  Please email VernaAnn at vkotansky@lakeshorespeech.com if you have an idea for information to be included.

As we continually strive to make Lakeshore a comfortable place not only for our clients, but for those who are waiting, we ask you to be aware of the following requests:

  1. Please remember to bring quiet activities for children who will be waiting.
  2. Please do not let children touch the hardware/locks on the windows.
  3. Please refrain from discussing sensitive material about yourself or your child in the waiting room.
  4. Please feel free to email or talk with Ellen (espear@lakeshorespeech.com) or Kelly (krigo@lakeshroespeech.com) if you have any suggestions or if there is something we could provide to make your time in our waiting room more comfortable.

Enjoy the day!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

Language in the Sun and Heat!

It’s getting hot out there! It’s a great time to  turn the heat up on your child’s language skills in everything you do.

No need to put down your ice cream cone or even get out of the pool; you have everything you need to enhance your child’s language skills!  Language is everywhere, so working on language skills is always at your fingertips. Whether you are camping, at the pool, at the beach, at the amusement park or coloring with chalk on the sidewalk, working on direction following skills, vocabulary skills, sentence development and articulation skills is a snap!

For your own sanity, set aside a small amount of time (5-10 min) to focus on a specific skill during an activity.  As you become more comfortable incorporating these therapy moments, you can expand on the amount of time. Choose a small part of the larger skill your child is working on in speech therapy (ask your Speech Therapist to help identify these specific skills if you need help). In the time span you have allotted,work with your child on the language skill and when the time has expired, STOP working! Over time, ‘working’ on the skills will become second nature.  Your child won’t even realize she/he has been ‘doing their speech homework’. Here’s a little example to give you a more clear idea.

Location – ice cream stand/shop

Speech Skill – closing lips for the M sound (the larger speech goal is producing words with B, P, and M).

Time allotted: 5 minutes

 

Parent: “Let’s play an ice cream game after 5 licks, you tell me how it tastes.  You say, ‘mmmm’.”

Child (in a perfect world, where ice cream doesn’t drip down arms and onto shoes): licks ice cream 5 times, says ‘mmmm’.

Parent: “Great!  Now, after 5 licks you tell me again how it tastes.  You say, ‘mmmmmmmm’.”

Child (again in the same perfect world):licks ice cream 5 times, says ‘mmmm’.

5 minutes is up!

Parent: “That was a fun game!  Let’s finish our ice cream.”

There is a high probability that your child will continue the ‘game’ without being prompted.  Chances are high that others, especially siblings, will want to ‘play the game’ too. Now the 5 minutes you had set aside will grow to 10 minutes!

Remember to be kind to yourself!  Don’t try this suggestion when all forces are against you!  Once a day, twice a week, whenever you can sneak in a few extra minutes of practice–it will pay off quickly!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC