Create lasting memories by providing your child the supports they need to successfully navigate Thanksgiving. Learn how social stories and schedules can help.
Continue readingUse Social Stories to Create Thanksgiving Memories
Holiday Prep – Make the Holidays Memoriable – Part I
Preparing Loved Ones for the Holidays is the Best Gift of all!
The weather reminds us the season of Holidays is at hand. Cooler days and nights, leaves and snowflakes falling.
While your are prepping your house for the Holidays, don’t forget to prep your friends and family as well. Earlier this year, we suggested ideas for making your loved one’s time celebrating the 4th of July more enjoyable. Now is the perfect time to begin preparing for you and your family to create an environment during these Holidays that supports your loved one as much as possible.
Location of celebration.
While your family may have always celebrated the Holidays at Aunt Millie’s house, is it really the best place? Does Aunt Millie’s house have enough room so your loved one can comfortably participate in the festivities? Does Aunt Millie’s house have a place where your loved one might be able to ‘escape’ the whirl of activity? You may need to suggest a different venue for the Holiday celebration, a venue that better supports your loved one. If a venue change is not possible, you may need to suggest or abridge the time you spend at Aunt Millie’s to a time frame that better supports your loved one.
Time of celebrate.
Is there a law stating all Holidays must be celebrated at dinner time? This year you may need to suggest a different time of day to celebrate the Holidays, a time of day when your loved one is at her/his best. Holiday brunch? Holiday lunch? Holiday snack time? You know your loved better than anyone. When she/he is at their best, YOU are able to relax and enjoy the festivities as well.
Timing of events.
Is the best part of the celebration held for later in the day or evening? Can the highlight of the day be the first thing that happens? Relieving the anticipation of the highlight will decrease unexpected behaviors, which better supports your loved one.
This is not a finite list of considerations. These are examples to get you thinking of the best plan for you and your family. These are examples to begin your prepping for the Holidays to best support your loved one so ultimately everyone can enjoy being together for the Holidays.
Yours in Speech,
Halloween Ready!
You used your parental superpowers to navigate the full moon last week, and you will use those powers again this week, especially on Wednesday, October 31st. Check your list: comfortable costume – done; communication method – done; prep for the big night – read on.
Halloween evening is filled with anticipated wonder. This anticipation can lead to anxiety which can cause unexpected behaviors. Preparing your loved one in advance may eliminate or diminish the anxiety. These proactive techniques are not difficulty, expensive or complex.
Communicating to your child about what they can expect on Halloween evening can make a significant difference. This communication can look like a bedtime story – “Once upon a time, a little girl/boy was excited for Halloween. Her/His name was (your child’s name). Child’s name was going to be dressed as a (your child’s costume). On Halloween day, she/he went to school and had a great day. When child’s name got home from school she/he made sure her/his homework was done. Child’s name and her/his family had dinner. After child’s name ate her/his dinner she/he changed into her/his costume. Etc…..”
This communication can look like a picture book. Draw basic stick figures to represent the expected activities o Halloween. Please feel free to utilize these sequence pictures as well. trickortreatsequence.png
This communication can look like a social story. We have provided a social story about Halloween for you. Social stories are more effective when read frequently. While this is coming to you a few days before Halloween, reading the story two to three times prior to the event can decrease anxiety as well as increase success. halloween-social-story
Remember to breathe and enjoy the moment…… these moments go by too quickly.
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC
Costume Time of the Year : Preparing for Halloween
Halloween is just a few days away! The night of candy collection! Whatever will your child wear? How many times will that choice change? If your children are anything like the majority of the universe, she/he will have a definite idea of what they would like to be and then about 23 hours before the big night – change their mind! Hopefully this will NOT be the case for your and your world this year!
Choosing a Halloween costume, while exciting, can create a completely different set of stressors one might not typically consider. While being able to see clearly as well as being seen clearly is of utmost importance, there are more significant issues as well adjustments that need to be made for choosing a costume if your child experiences any sensory issues.
Masks – they are fun for some and not so fun for others. When a mask might be part of the costume, have your child wear it around the house prior to the ‘big night’. All children will tell you they LOVE the mask while in the store but when faced with having to wear it longer than 2 minutes, they are unable to manage. Consider a soft version to a hard mask or even a half-mask. Using make-up vs a mask might really make a difference. Really look at the costume – is covering the child’s face necessary?
Hats or headbands – here too are lovely items that make sense for some but will ruin an evening for others. Similar to a mask, have your child wear it around the house for longer than 2 minutes. Initially you may have to start at 2 min and work his/her tolerance up to 15-20 minutes. Consider a softer version and/or if it HAS to be part of the ‘look’.
Major clothing part of the costume – tags, buttons, velcro, and zippers are scarier to some children than goblins and monsters! You might consider taking a page from your mother’s or grandmother’s handbook – make your own costume. Please do not think for one moment we are talking about getting the sewing machine out or whip stitching something together! Consider the following ideas using the clothes that are hanging in the closet now:
Jeans and a flannel shirt:
- Adding a tool box or tool belt = construction worker, carpenter, Paw Patrol character
- Adding a piece of fake wood (ie: cardboard tube) = lumberjack or jane
Leggings and a long shirt:
- Adding a cape on the shirt = superhero
- Adding a belt with a few fake flowers on it = fairy
Jeans and a white t-shirt:
- Adding maybe a scarf around the neck = ‘50’s girl
- Rolling up the sleeves = ‘50’s guy
Shirt and bottoms that are the same color =
- Tape a white ‘M’ on the shirt = M&M character
- Tape a picture of any character from the movie “Inside Out” on the shirt
Look at the PJs your child currently wears – chances are those worn to school or to a party could pass as a costume without issue.
By now, your costume creator self has probably more than enough ideas for this Halloween. Feel free to share pictures of your costume creations with vkotansky@lakeshorespeech.com and we’ll post them on our Facebook page. Your photo might be the inspiration which makes a difference in the life of a little one this year or for years to come.
Happy Halloween Prep! And above else, remember to enjoy the time with your child making memories that will last a lifetime!
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC
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
- Don’t forget to include what will be
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: Ideas for Every Family
Build strong executive functioning skills this school year with simple speech therapist tips for stress-free routines, organization, and family success.
Continue readingStan Is Here! Stan Is Here!! – the Power of Therapy Dogs
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! – Fall Programs Available
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
3 Easy Suggestions:Decrease Stress When Visitors Come
Vistors bring joy and sometimes stress
Summer not only is a time to travel, but a time when others may be traveling and staying with you! While these visits are important and eagerly anticipated, having Gramma and Papa or Auntie and Uncle staying in with you can really create situations where you and your child may not be at your best.
For some children, upsetting the routine at home can create a rather unsettling feeling that may last for the day, the week, or the month. Children may ‘express’ these feelings verbally, vocally or physically. Working through daily meltdowns is not a vacation for anyone – parent or visitor.
Making a plan ahead of time will save stress for everyone
Proactively planning for visitors, no matter the length of the visit, should not only include cleaning and food prep, but working with your child AND your visitors so everyone can enjoy the time together.
Location…..
If you child will be sacrificing their bedroom to Gramma and Papa or Auntie and Uncle you may want to :
- Weeks ahead of the visit warning your child verbally of the change
- Having a ‘pretend’ visitor (a nice use of that entirely too large of a stuffed animal living in your attic) stay in your child’s room; giving them the opportunity to sleep in the location they will be sleeping in when the ‘real’ visitor is in town.
- Have your child help in preparing their room for the visitor
- let them pick out the color sheets that will be on the bed
- Make a ‘game’ of hiding toys/games, etc.
Routine….
Without a doubt your child’s routine is going to be ‘off’ while there are visitors in your home. You may want to consider:
- Getting the daily routine down on paper (use pictures, words, etc)
- Reach out to your visitors and share the ‘typical’ daily routine and explain to them the importance of them understanding the routine, not that they will need to follow it minute to minute, but to realize how or why your child might be acting differently (ie: Typically after lunch, your child has rest time, however while visitors are in town, he/she may not get rest time until later in the day – this change MAY result in a meltdown.)
- Practice changing up the daily routine weeks prior to the visitors arriving.
- Give ample time for your child to process the ‘change in routine’ (some children will require a warning days prior to a major changes, others manage the change given a moments notice).
Have a Plan….
Life is life, so anticipate there will be a time and place while your visitors are in town when everything is going along well and BOOM your child unexpectedly melts down. You may want to consider:
- Having an “emergency melt-down kit” at the ready. A small bag that contains a favorite snack, fidget toys, favorite smells (ie: cinnamon candy, cotton ball with your perfume/colgan, etc), a ‘lovey’ or stuffed animal), etc.
- A playlist on a device (probably your phone) with favorite or soothing music
- Willingness to leave a location until your child is feeling better (ie: go to the restroom, go outside, take a walk away from the area)
- Talk less, act more – less is more in these instances. When your child is experiencing difficulty managing, having everyone talking to them could actually increase the confusion and escalate the melt-down. Stay calm, talk less, and move quickly to enact the plan may result in a shorter less dramatic event.
- Let EVERYONE know the plan. If you do not want or need help to execute the plan – LET EVERYONE KNOW. Your visitors, while meaning well, may try to help and in doing so create a larger issue.
Enjoy your time together and create memories that last a lifetime!
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech
5 Simple Games to Make Travel Fun for All”
Making Travel Fun for All
While Cleveland is a ‘go to’ destination for many people during the Summer months, you may be leaving for a get away of your own. Whether basking in the sun, sleeping under the stars or reading every historical marker/plaque across the country is your idea of a vacation, it’s easy to weave in a few moments of language enrichment or practice.
Enjoying time with family and friends does not necessarily mean you can’t work on your speech-language skills. If your child is working on articulation, listen for correct production of sounds and use reminders to help correct errors. If your child is working on language, use these games to practice vocabulary. If your child is working on following directions, these games are perfect for working on those skills (not to mention passing time in what can feel like and endless car ride!).
Simple Games to Enjoy!
I Spy…
“I spy with my little eye, something blue.” Directions: One person spies something and recites the line, ending in a clue. Everyone else takes turns trying to guess the mystery item.
I’m Going on a Picnic/Trip/Space Adventure…..
Directions: The first player says “I’m going on a picnic/trip/space adventure (or whatever interests your child) and I’m putting in my suitcase…” followed by something that begins with A (apple/air/ape). The second player repeats what the first person said, but adds something that begins with B (“I’m going on a trip and I’m putting in my suitcase and apple and bermuda shorts.”). And so on with C, D, and the rest of the alphabet. If someone forgets an item, he/she is out OR you can allow everyone to chime in to help OR the next person just starts over with A.
Add-on Storytelling…..
One person starts a story with only one or two sentences and stops in the middle of the next sentence (“Once upon a time, there was a lovely princess. The princess lived in a huge…..”). The next person starts their story where the previous person left off (“igloo on a mountain. The princess has long brown hair and her eyes were …..”) You cannot negate or poo-poo another’s idea, you can only build on the story (“on the top of her head. She was a martian princess from the land of ….”)The stories are sure to start get everyone giggling. An adaptation to this game could be an adult tells the full story and the children add the descriptors/objects/verbs when the adult pauses.
20 Questions ……
Directions: One person thinks of something (you may want to determine a category or area to narrow the choices for beginners), and everyone else has only 20 YES/NO questions to ask to try to guess what it is. If someone guesses correctly before the 20th question, that person get to think of an item and ANSWER the yes/no questions. If no one figures it out, the person answering gets to go again.
Category Naming Game….
Directions: The ‘announcer’ (typically a parent) sets a time limit (ie: 60 seconds), that person announces “Name all the pick a category you can think of starting NOW!” The player starts naming all the items in that category. If the player names an incorrect item, the announcer starts counting down from 10, if the player cannot come up a correct item in the category by the time the announcer gets to 1, it’s the next players turn.
Ask your friendly speech therapist for more ideas that will not only make the journey fun, but practice critical speech skills as well.
Safe Travels!
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech