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Research out of the University of York and Sheffield Hallam University has shown that a good night’s sleep can help children develop their vocabularies better and retain new words more efficiently. The British study found that when children age seven and up (as well as adults) slept within 12 hours of learning new words, they were more likely to retain the vocabulary. This could change how we present speech therapy techniques for better retention! Continue reading
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If you live in Atlanta or its bustling metro area and have a special needs child, you’ll be happy to know there is a great new place for you to get out and play with your child in an environment that’s safe, fun and stimulating. Often traditional amusements can be overwhelming, noisy and crowded with people who may not understand how your child wants and needs to interact with their environment. This can be frustrating for you and upsetting for your special needs child. But the great news is, this fun new place in Atlanta’s outskirts is specially made for families just like yours – Sensations TheraFun. This is a place special needs kids can play and thrive and special needs parents can relax and enjoy.
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Wow! This is one piece of scary news. A study published in November in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has linked prenatal and childhood exposure to flame retardant chemicals to certain neuro developmental delays. Yikes! I thought flame retardant products were supposed to keep our children safe, not harm them… The study research was done at University of California’s Berkeley School of Public Health, so I tend to take their findings seriously. Continue reading
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You know the saying it takes a village, but when it comes to special needs children, the village can make a striking difference in the effectiveness of speech therapy. Collaboration doesn’t always come easy, but once you have a handle on it, speech therapy techniques can be seamlessly integrated at home and at school so that your efforts build to a greater result. Not only should you see better results with collaborative therapy, but you will see a rapport develop between parents, teachers and the therapist that will foster communication and coordinated efforts toward the common goal of improving a child’s speech.
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Calling all Chicago parents of special needs children! Whether you are looking for information on speech therapy techniques, schools, summer camps or any other resource, this annual fair is not to miss. Its’ coming up soon on February 10th. You can find more information including location and directions below. The event is organized by Neighborhood Parent Network (NPN) and is officially called “The Developmental Differences Resource Fair.”
And not only is NPN committed to helping parents of special needs children find resources, but their associate executive director Melanie Schlachter knows first hand how important it is to have tools at hand. Schlachter says, “As the parent of a child who was recently diagnosed with a developmental difference, I’ve just been absolutely amazed by all of the extraordinary resources that exist to help kids with different challenges.” Continue reading
