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Developmental Activity
of the Month
Wagon Wheel Macaroni Snowflakes
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This is an easy way for toddler, preschool and elementary aged children to create snowflakes.
What you'll need:
- 1 box wagon wheel macaroni
- white spray paint or white or any color tempera paint
- construction paper
- glue
How to make it:
1. Spray
paint the macaroni white and let them dry. Or let the children paint the macaroni using a paint brush. You can use white or a variety of colors.
2. Glue
the macaroni onto a piece of construction paper making snowflake patterns.
3. When they
are dry you can cut them out if you would like.
Tips:
You can then go to this interactive website called Make-A Flake and cut out and make your own virtual snowflakes:
Make-A-Flake
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OUR SPONSORS
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Dear Parenting Digest Subscriber:
The team at Early Intervention Support would like to wish all of our readers Happy Holidays and thank you for subscribing to Parenting Digest and visiting the Early Intervention Support website in 2009. Look for a lot of new website content in 2010, specifically related to feeding skills and sensory processing.
The holidays are an exciting time for children and the American Academy of Pediatrics offers many tips to keep your child and family safe this holiday season:
- When setting up a
tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable
heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block
doorways.
- Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
- Use
only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree.
Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.
- Children
can have serious stomach and intestinal problems - including death --
after swallowing button batteries and magnets. Keep them away from
young children and call your health care provider immediately if your
child swallows one.
- Be
sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and
tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child's
exploring hands.
- Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed. Keep an eye out for danger spots.
- Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
To continue to read the full list of APP holiday safety tips click HERE.
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: How Can Yoga Benefit Kids with ADD/ADHD?
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By Tamara Guo, M. Ed.
Yoga
has been practiced for centuries and Web MD states that currently as
many as 11 million Americans are taking advantage of yoga to help
them with increased flexibility, strength, balance and improved
posture.
But, how can yoga be beneficial to children with a diagnosis
of attention deficit disorder?
Aside from the above mentioned skills,
which are wonderful for any child's physical fitness level, yoga is
also a great way to improve relaxation, focus, attention and mood.
These four factors can greatly benefit a child with ADD/ADHD.
A
recent article in Yoga Journal cited that yoga can help
balance the production of neurotransmitters in the brain and reduce
stress levels. Yoga combines physical activity with self-awareness
and promotes a mind-body connection that many children with a
diagnosis of ADD/ADHD lack.
Click here to continue to read how yoga can benefit children with ADD/ADHD
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What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
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By C. Renee Gwin, MA CCC-SLP
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) often
is defined as a motor speech disorder where the child has difficulty
saying sounds, syllables and words. Children often have a small
number of sounds they can produce, their vowels are distorted, they
have difficulty combining sounds ( they can say /m/ but may have
difficulty adding one sound /ma/ or more sounds /mam/.)
Children may have non-speech issues too
Children with
CAS may try to say a sentence but correct syllables and words may
sound like a melody instead of clear words. Frequently used phrases
may be easier for the child to use and words may be clear sometimes
but not other times. The child may also have non-speech
characteristics such as feeding difficulties, drooling, and the oral
motor (mouth/tongue) movement may not be coordinated. CAS occurs when the
brain tries to tell the parts of the mouth needed for speech to move
certain ways but the brain signal is interrupted and the accurate
movement does not occur.
Often CAS is not diagnosed when the
child is very young (usually 3 years or younger) because of the
developmental level needed for evaluation. To determine if your child
has CAS take your child to a certified (CCC-SLP) speech language
pathologist who specializes in apraxia and childhood speech/language
disorders for an evaluation The speech language pathologist should
conduct an oral motor assessent where the child imitates or follows a
request for mouth movements and how the mouth moves with specific
sounds requested. The therapist also examines the child's melody of
speech and how the child produces single sounds, sound combinations,
words, phrases and sentences. There are formal tests that the
therapist may also use.
How to locate a therapist who specializes in apraxia
To find a speech language pathologist
in your area go to www.asha.org,
scroll down to Quick Links, and click on "Find a Professional Near
You". Type in your city and state and you will see therapists
pop up. Click on the therapist's name or company's name and it will
list the areas they specialize in. When you find a location close to
you, request a therapist that has experience with apraxia if you feel
your child fits this description.
Some way to help your child in the
meantime would be to continue to encourage your child to point to
items to get his needs met. Try to use any form of communication to
keep him from being frustrated and to be able to get his point
across. You can also use sign language, pictures and augmentative
communication systems which may be used to assist with
speech/language while the child is working on oral language. Also,
please discuss your concerns with your primary care physician.
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"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even
touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness during the holiday season."
~Helen Keller
From The Team At Early Intervention Support
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