In a world dominated by large corporations, the importance of supporting small businesses cannot be overlooked. Choosing to shop small is a powerful decision that goes through communities, increasing economic growth, uniqueness, and a stronger sense of connection.
Continue reading
Celebrating Thanksgiving with a child with Autism may require some preparations ahead of time and on the special day to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Continue reading
Pool communication boards can make it easier for everyone to have a good time in the pool, especially people with communication differences.
Continue reading
The Thanksgiving holiday is a great opportunity to practice communication skills your child has been working on in speech therapy. Practical reminders for families on how to promote the use of these new skills.
Continue reading
Playgrounds are loved by young and old. Playground communication boards play an important role in creating a sense of inclusivity, support and community in city playgrounds.
Continue reading
Discover the significance of AAC Awareness Month in October and explore the transformative power of playground communication boards. In this insightful article, we delve into the world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), shedding light on its importance for individuals with communication challenges. Learn how playground communication boards foster inclusivity, encourage social interaction, and promote language development among children, all while making outdoor play areas accessible to everyone. Join us in celebrating AAC Awareness Month and discover how these communication tools create opportunities for communication, empathy, and connection. Explore the ways you can support AAC initiatives and make a difference in the lives of those who rely on AAC, both on the playground and beyond. #AACAwarenessMonth #PlaygroundCommunication #Inclusivity #AACSupport
Continue reading
December has arrived and as with every year, it seems as if the calendar speeds up during this festive time. Packing in all the shopping, decorating and taking in the holiday fun can seem overwhelming. The elves at Lakeshore Speech Therapy took a little time to compile a one stop list of events in the Northeast Ohio area that are sensory friendly. These events are not only sensitive to the amount of unnecessary smells, sounds and sights, but often the pace of the event is slowed as well as those ‘working’ the event have been given some information on how to best engage with individuals with special needs.
We hope you are able to take a few moments and enjoy these events with your loved ones.
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC
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.
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.
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.
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,
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is some degree of disrupted speech motor control.In other words, a child diagnosed with CAS experiences difficulty rapidly and accurately moving and sequencing the tongue, lips and palate for the required movements for continuous and intelligible speech production. While the data on incidents of CAS in children is lacking, the estimates of some sources indicate that CAS is low incidence with perhaps 1 – 10 in 1000 children affected or 3 – 5 % of speech-impaired preschoolers.
A child with CAS may experience a limited number of vowel sounds, difficulty imitating mouth movements and/or words/sounds, or a variety of errors that may be unusual or idiosyncratic. Children with CAS may or may not experience receptive language deficits. Depending on the child, negative behaviors associated with not being understood may also be evident.
An experienced Speech-Language Pathologist in the area of CAS can help navigate families and children through the CAS journey. As a parent/caregiver, do not feel intimidated asking if your SLP has experience in the area of CAS. The therapists at Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC. are happy to answer your questions about CAS as well as provide specific therapeutic interventions.
February is CAS awareness month. If you would like more information, please feel free to ask your Speech-Language Pathologists as well as visit The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America.
Yours in Speech,
Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.
Join Ellen Spear, MA, CCC-SLP, of Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC, as she helps children use their “social filter” and understand how words and actions have an effect on others. Using role play, video, and smalll group activities, this hour long program will focus on deciphering the hidden rules of inside thoughts vs expressing a thought out loud.. We will determine whether we need to use our “thinking bubble” or “talking bubble” across a variety of different social situations and learn about the where, when, and who of venting.
Where: Lakewood Public Library
When: Saturday, February 3, Sessions begin at 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm
Online registration at www.connectingforkids.org
