An Interview with Gina Badalaty – Special Needs Mom

by Jacky G. Interviews
Gina Badalaty

Courtesy: Gina Badalaty

This week, we’re featuring Gina Badalaty of Mom-Blog. Gina has been blogging about special needs since 2002. Her focus is on raising awareness and helping other parents of special needs kids. Gina herself has two special needs children: Amelia has a rare form of Down syndrome and Zoe has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In our interview, Gina discusses the many speech therapy techniques she has used with both of her daughters – the ones that worked and the ones that didn’t. While not all speech therapy treatments helped Zoe and Amelia, it’s important to remember that every child is unique. Gina also pointed out that treatment techniques are always evolving. The number one lesson from Gina’s story is to keep trying until you find something that helps, and to never let your child’s disability get in the way of her happiness.

Continue reading →

Characteristics of Speech in Autistic Children

by Jacky G. Speech Disorders
Autism Cartoon

Image source: ultimateautismsolution.com

Autism is a developmental disorder that ranges from mild to severe. Rather than being defined as one particular disorder and set of symptoms, autism is referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Every child is unique with his own particular signs and symptoms.

As the parent or caregiver of a child with ASD, you have likely noticed some of the typical signs of autism. Children with autism often react differently to being touched, resist changes to routines, and engage in repetitive activities. However, it bears repeating that children with autism spectrum disorder have various symptoms. That said, you will likely notice that your child communicates differently than children without ASD.

Continue reading →

Apps for Spanish-Speaking Children

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Using a Speech Therapy App

Image source: squidalicious.com

Most children love electronics. Even if your child doesn’t much care for flashcards during speech therapy, there’s a good chance he will give it a try if it’s on an app for an iPad or iPhone. While the majority of speech therapy apps are geared toward an English-speaking audience, there are a few gems for Spanish-speaking children as well.

Continue reading →

Evaluating Speech After Traumatic Brain Injuries

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Speech Therapist Working with Child

Image source: atcoftexas.org

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) typically results in a wide range of physical and cognitive effects. Recovery is gradual and many children only partially recover from their injuries. Before developing his treatment plan, your child’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) will conduct a thorough evaluation of the changes in his speech and language skills. She will also determine the impact of those changes on his day-to-day routine. The SLP will use a formal and an informal assessment to evaluate your child.

Continue reading →

Speech Difficulties After a Traumatic Brain Injury

by Jacky G. Speech Disorders
Child with Traumatic Brain Injury

Image source: bloggingthelaw.com

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be generally defined as any injury to the head which damages the brain. A TBI can vary in severity and symptoms. If your child has suffered a TBI, you have likely noticed physical symptoms like dizziness and decreased coordination. TBIs also affect cognition and communication. TBIs are best treated by a team of professionals, which will likely include doctors, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), physical therapists, occupational therapists, and neuropsychologists.

Continue reading →