Our Speech and feeding team worked together on this article to help you and your family achieve a more peaceful mealtime experience at your home. They came up with 4 foundations that can be easily implemented into your daily routine, here they are: 1. Schedule It is important that we establish predictable routines with mealtime…
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…
AKA: Tongue Ties, Lip Ties and Cheek Ties Firstly, tongue, lip and buccal (cheek) ties or tethered oral tissue can have a significant harmful impact on orofacial development. It can also cause issues witb sleeping, breathing and eating. Keep an eye out for these red flags. Do not hesitate to reach out for a myofunctional…
With the cold weather taking over Chicago, and the ebb and flow of the pandemic, it’s important to know that Teletherapy is a useful and viable option for all families looking for help for their children from the comfort and safety of their homes. But did you also know that all insurance plans (as of January 2022) are still covering Telehealth…
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…
Purchased a body sock or plan to make one with some stretchy lycra fabric? This article has some great ideas on how to implement its use for your sensory-seeking child! First to check: the body sock should be about the same height as your child, or even a little smaller. You want your child to…
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…
What are the benefits of Multi-Disciplinary ABA? Let’s find out! Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy works on a variety of areas with a child, from language, to feeding, to transitions, to self help skills, the list goes on and on! The speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists that may also be on your child’s…
Holidays are great times to have your child participate in novel fine motor and sensory activities. Here are some fun Fourth of July crafts and activities to do this summer with your kids, while getting an extra bonus with some OT-themed activities! For Younger Children: Popsicle Stick Flag – great fine motor activity! Glue 7-8…
For some children, standing on one foot can be challenging – especially if they’ve struggled with motor control, coordination, or strength in the past. If your child relies on handrails for going up or down the stairs, sits down on the floor to put on their shoes, or fall or lose their balance often, then…
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…
Most language facilitation strategies focus on helping your child begin to talk. Parents are ultimately hoping for verbal communication first, so we do everything in our power to encourage the use of words. But, what if we told you there is more to communication than just the use of words? In fact, there are numerous…
What do weighted Pencils Do? Who do they help? Does your child struggle with handwriting tasks? Is your child’s handwriting often messy and hard to read? One possible solution may be a weighted pencil. A weighted pencil can help a variety of children, including children with both motor and sensory challenges. A child with…
