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FAQ's about the SAY AND PLAY Programs and Speech and Language Development
Additonal Questions and Helpful Information is available on our Blog:
http://www.sayandplayfamily.com/blogframe.html
1. What is ASHA? What is CCC-SLP?
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the professional association for speech-language pathologists. CCC is an acronym for Certificate of Clinical Competence, awarded by ASHA. SLP is the acronym for Speech-Language Pathologist.
2. What are some general indicators of child language disorders?
According to ASHA, general indicators of child language disorders are:
- Absence of words by age 18 months
- Absence of two-word phrases that have a message by age 2 years
- Inappropriate responses to questions
- Echoing of speech
- Poor intelligibility of speech
- Undeveloped play skills
- Poor understanding or use of adjectives and prepositions
- Word-finding problems
- Dependence on gestures to follow directions
- Need for frequent repetitions of directions
- Poor social interaction with peers
- Poor school performance
*American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2003). Let's Talk: Child language disorders. Rockville, MD: Author.
3. What is the difference between speech and language?
Speech is the production of sounds that make up words and sentences. It involves the coordination of the jaw, lips, tongue, vocal folds, vocal tract and respiration. There are three divisions to speech: articulation, voice and fluency.
Language refers to the use of words and sentences to convey ideas and express our wants and needs. Speaking, gesture use, writing, understanding verbal conversation and understanding what one reads are all language related.
4. Is my child's language "late blooming" or a language problem (birth through age two)?
If your child's comprehension of language is age-appropriate and he or she uses gestures and does new things with language each month, these are good signs that your child may be a "late bloomer" and not necessarily have a language disorder. However, it is important to note that the older your child is at the time of diagnosis of a language disorder, the less positive the outcome of intervention. Consulting with a certified speech-language pathologist may be a wise decision to ease your fears and potentially get an early start to language intervention.
5. What does the language evaluation for the Say and Play Kids program involve?
The language evaluation allows your child's receptive language (listening) and expressive language (speaking) skills to be assessed via formal and informal assessment. Newborn babies can even be assessed.
A more comprehensive evaluation is available upon request and for an additional cost. This would include an oral-motor examination, an assessment of feeding skills, articulation, voice and fluency. A formal, written report may be requested, also for an additional cost.
6. How may language learning be affected by ear infections (otitis media)?
Children often have frequent ear infections up to age three. Unfortunately, this is a time when they are learning to speak and understand words. It may be harder to hear and understand speech if sounds are muffled by fluid in the ear. Some researchers report that frequent ear infections may lead to speech and language difficulties.
7. How can sign language help improve verbal communication skills?
By using signs / gestures, parents can communicate with babies as young as 6 months. Usually children use their first verbal words at 12 months. Incorporating signs can help you know what your child is feeling (e.g., hot, tired, hungry) and help avoid potential frustration / tantrums when your child can not verbally communicate to you that he or she wants to play with the Cookie Monster doll that is out of reach.
Signs enhance language development, and indicate that a child is understanding and using the communication tool of language. Children who use signs often develop a higher IQ than children who did not use them. Signing can help develop listening and visual attention skills because children observe parents signing the name of an object while hearing the corresponding word.
If appropriate, Say and Play teaches parents how to begin using signs with their children to facilitate language development and provide a more total communication approach.
8. How can the language development of a child be affected in a bilingual home?
Bilingual children develop language skills just as other children do. In general, learning two languages may take longer than learning one. Children can be expected to go through periods of mixing grammar rules between the two languages and using vocabulary from the different languages in the same sentence. Some children may go through a "silent period" where they do not communicate as much when a second language is introduced. These experiences are normal and should gradually disappear as their language skills develop. Major language milestones such as using first words by age one and using two-word combinations by age two, should still be achieved.
9. How can the Say and Play programs improve pre-reading skills?
Say and Play teaches parents how to choose the most appropriate books for their child that will improve vocabulary, grammar and cognitive skills (e.g., attention, thinking, memory, etc.). Often, parents choose books that are not beneficial for their child's age / language development and therefore, are not as fun for the child (or parent!), and the child may have difficulty listening to the story.
Specific techniques to improve speech and language skills while reading books are provided and demonstrated with all Say and Play programs. Techniques may include how to ask your child great questions, encouraging verbal participation in familiar books, and playing thinking games.
Did you know that the best way to read to your young child is face to face? When you face your child while holding the book next to your face, (not in front of your mouth) your child can observe your facial expressions and watch how you move your mouth when you speak. Stephanie will always provide specific book recommendations for birth-four year olds in all Say and Play programs. Her knowledge of the literature for this population is impressive.
10. What is oral-motor therapy?
Oral-motor therapy uses a variety of exercises to develop awareness, strength, coordination and mobility of the oral musculature (jaw, lips and tongue). It is often used in conjunction with feeding and articulation (speech) therapy. Oral - Motor intervention can help resolve issues with drooling and negative oral habits (e.g., thumbsucking, pacifier usage).
11. I understand that Stephanie is PROMPT trained. What is PROMPT?
PROMPT = Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets.
This type of treatment involves using dynamic tactile cues (paired with verbal and visual cues) to stimulate speech production in children who have difficulty articulating specific sounds. PROMPT may also be used with children who have a motor-based speech disorders, such as developmental apraxia of speech.
12. What is developmental apraxia of speech (DAS)?
DAS is when children have difficulty forming sounds into words. Common characteristics may include: uneven or slow speech, difficulty putting sounds in the correct order, omission of sounds, more difficulty with longer words and sentences, and inconsistent mistakes.
13. What are typical feeding concerns and how are they addressed?
Feeding issues may include, but are not limited to: "picky" eating, refusing to eat, choking, gagging, food pocketing, drooling, difficulty transitioning to more demanding textures, and difficulty with cup drinking. Feeding issues often require oral-motor therapy. Feeding techniques (e.g., obtaining lip closure (important for producing sounds like m, b and p) via particular spoon-feeding) are often employed in oral-motor therapy.
14. What is a tongue thrust?
When a tongue moves in a horizontal plane (in and out) instead of a vertical plane (up and down), this is referred to as a tongue thrust. It may cause dental issues such as an overbite or an open-bite. A tongue thrust may be associated with thumbsucking, mouth breathing and ear infections. Children with upper respiratory issues and chronic ear infections may exhibit an open-mouth posture. An open-mouth posture may lead to a forward tongue position.
15. How can a speech therapist resolve drooling and negative oral habits?
Drooling can often be eliminated through oral-motor exercises and improving swallow frequency and efficiency. Negative oral habits, (e.g., thumb, finger, hand, shirt and object suckling, pacifier, bottle and sippy cup usage) may directly interfere with speech (articulation) and feeding skills. Through oral-motor exercises and improving awareness, one may eliminate negative oral habits.
16. Say and Play Appointments: Who, Where and How?
All Say and Play sessions are conducted and customized by Stephanie. You can make an appointment by phone (646-295-4473), or by e-mail (sayandplay@yahoo.com).
Say and Play evaluations, treatment and consultations are conducted in the comfort of your home (e.g., Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Midtown, Village, Soho, Tribeca, Gramercy).
17. Are individual, continuous therapy sessions available?
If Stephanie's schedule allows, your child may be placed on her caseload.
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