Fitness trainers always stress the importance of quality of movement in exercise performance to their adult participants. Completing more repetitions is not better if the quality of the exercise is poor. Poor exercise and lack of quality movement could cause damage in a variety of ways, including: Muscle Imbalances Torque on the Spine Increased Pressure…
We have all been told “don’t play with your food” at one point in our life. By now we have probably said it a couple times to our own kids even! However, food play is actually a wonderful way to introduce a picky eater to new foods, decrease sensory sensitivities, and create a fun and…
Need to spice up playtime at your house? Need toy options that are not only fun for your child but also help stimulate your child’s speech and language skills? Well we have just the list of toys for you! We have created a list of our favorite toys! Also, we have suggestions on how to…
Food Chaining is a therapeutic approach that helps introduce new foods while building on successful eating experiences. It is an approach that can be effective for all ages, specifically, selective or picky eaters that have a limited number of foods in their repertoire. Creating Food Chains In this approach, the child is presented with new…
Interaction, Language Activities, & Development Whether it’s tucked away in your garage, covered in mud, or somewhere under your couch, we all have one of these in our house: a Ball! Read on to find out how to use it in a Language Activity! No matter what age, all children and adults alike find…
Typical language development consists of parents, family members, and professionals talking to babies for almost a whole year before anyone expects them to produce words. We often put augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and AAC devices in front of a child and expect them to functionally use it right away. We need to use…
While kids are off school for the holidays, it’s important to continue working on their fine motor skills. Having a strong foundation of fine motor coordination and strength is vital for kids to be able to succeed with tasks throughout their day such as dressing (buttoning, zipping, etc.), eating (using utensils), school work (writing), and…
If your child uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, chances are you have heard about the importance of modeling. Modeling, aided language stimulation (ALS), natural aided language, aided language modeling and partner augmented input (PAI) all refer to the same thing: providing the AAC user with language models using their communication device. Think…
It is an exciting time for a parent to hear their child say their first word, no matter when that happens! As a speech-language pathologist, we often have caregivers state that their young child uses words but that they are using the same word for so many different things. Something heard quite often is “He…
We have eight senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, auditory, vestibular, interception, and proprioception). Our proprioceptive system provides feedback through our muscles and joints to figure out where our body is in space. Some proprioceptive activities are also referred as “heavy work” activities. Examples of Heavy Work Activities Heavy work activities add resistance during pulling or…
Does your child walk on their knees instead of on their feet? Here’s a rundown from a pediatric physical therapist of the ramifications, causes, and the potential treatments of knee walking. What is Knee Walking? Knee walking is a pattern of locomotion where a child “walks” on their knees in a tall kneeling position. The…
Does your child label objects and point to get what they want? Maybe your child produces a variety of single words, but is not yet combining words? Expansion is a simple language enhancement technique to help your child’s communication skills take off. Reinforcement and Exposure Expansion involves repeating what a child has said and adding…
