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Dear Parenting Digest Subscriber,
The season for parties, presents, family and food is in full swing and we hope you and your family will have a fun filled and peaceful holiday season.
In this month's newsletter you will find another fun sensory activity for you and your child, thoughts from a parent on when to seek a gross motor early intervention evaluation, and an article on augmentative and alternative communication.
Please check out our BLOG as well as the latest in early intervention news on our FORUM at the Early Intervention Support web page.
Early Intervention Support is a place for families who are facing any challenge
pertaining to their child's growth and development. It is a place where you can
come to find answers and practical suggestions from licensed therapists on how
to work on a variety of issues. Whether you are a parent, grandparent or
therapist of a child with a disability, challenging behavior or other
developmental issue-childhood is short, it should be savored and enjoyed!
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FEATURED ARTICLE: Gross Motor Development
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Does Your Child Need An Early Intervention Evaluation?
By Kate Brennan, M.Ed.
As I watch my now 8 year old daughter hop down from the bottom step of the school bus and run to meet me across the street, it's hard to remember that there was once a time that I was concerned about her motor development.
Grace didn't walk until she was almost 18 months old. She had low muscle tone and frequently seemed unmotivated to engage in or explore her environment. As a brand new parent, I was unsure of my own instinct to be concerned. All of the parenting magazines and books and even our own pediatrician assured me that all kids develop at different rates and that there is a large range of "typical". Yet, I undeniably, had a nagging concern that peppered my daily interactions with my daughter.
I knew that she would eventually walk. At this point, she was able to do so with very little support and seemed to need a hand there only for comfort. In fact, even after she walked independently, she did so only when holding on tightly to her own shirt for "support"! My concern lay more in the idea that her motor delays were affecting the way she interacted with the world. She was a wimp! She would cower next to her fellow boisterous and active 18 month olds. As her playmates raced to devour a newly presented toy or experience, Grace lagged behind and waited for me to assist her towards the excitement. Grace seemed intimidated and overwhelmed by her playmates' eagerness to play with her and would visibly shield herself from their attempts to enter her space. I look back and realize that this important stage of her life was spent guarding her from events that might overwhelm her rather than encouraging her to engage fully in them.
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What is Augmentative & Alternative Communication?
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By C. Renee Gwin,
MS CCC-SLP
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a form of
communication an individual uses that is not verbal/oral speech. This form of
communication can be anything from facial expressions to high technology that
communicates what the user tells it to.
People who communicate using AAC can be verbal but use additional
methods such as facial expressions or pointing to express themselves. Others may be nonverbal and use various
methods or devices as their main source of communication.
There are 2 main
types of AAC systems: unaided and aided.
Unaided AAC systems include pointing, facial gestures, sign language,
eye gaze and gestures. We all use these
methods of communication everyday but people who have difficulty communicating rely
more heavily on these forms.
Aided AAC
consists of additional types of equipment that assist the person in
communication. This equipment can range from no technology to high technology.
A form of no tech can be a communication board/book that consists of pictures,
symbols, words, letters or numbers. A
person who uses a communication board/book points to or looks at the desired
picture, word etc. to express their wants/needs.
A form of low
tech can be simple switches, such as a One Step, Step by Step, Tech/Talk etc.
The communicator touches the switch with their hand or a part of the body that
can easily access the switch. Once
activated the low tech device then speaks what it has been programmed to say.
A high tech
device such as DynaVox, Mercury etc. is designed with synthetic speech output
and can look similar to a laptop computer. These devices allow people to
communicate and have conversations with others.
They are programmed with pictures, symbols, letters, words, phrases and
can be accessed with the method that is best for the communicator (direct
select, scanning, head mouse, joystick etc.)
There are many
forms of AAC that can assist children and adults who are having difficulty
communicating. If you feel AAC may
benefit your child discuss having an AAC evaluation with your speech language
pathologist. If you have had any experience with unaided or aided AAC devices
please share and post your thoughts and experiences with others who may
benefit.
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"It only takes one smile to offer welcome...and blessed be the person who will share it.
It only takes one moment to be helpful...and blessed be the person who will spare it.
It only takes one joy to lift a spirit...and blessed be the person who will give it.
It only takes one life to make a difference...and blessed be the person who will live it."
-Amanda Bradley Quote
Happy Holidays!
From The Team At Early Intervention Support
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