Coping with Hypotonia

by Jacky G. Language Development
Baby with Hypotonia

Image source: livingwithcerebralpalsy.com

What Is It?

Hypotonia is a condition in which the patient has poor or decreased muscle tone. This is not the same as muscle weakness; however, patients with hypotonia often do have weaker muscles. With hypotonia, the brain fails to transmit the proper electrical signals to the muscles that tell them to contract. Hypotonia may be present in varying degrees of severity. It can be caused by a wide range of diseases and conditions, including muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, trauma, and genetic disorders.

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An Interview with Laura Clark – Children’s Librarian

by Jacky G. Language Development
Laura Clark in Front of Mural

Courtesy: Pat Raftery

Laura Clark, of the Saratoga Springs Public Library, is a longtime children’s librarian with nearly 40 years of experience leading story groups and parent/child workshops. Today, she’s sharing her expertise with parents on how best to use library resources to encourage children to love books.

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Dispelling Speech and Language Therapy Myths

by Jacky G. Language Development Speech Disorders
Baby Talking on Headset

Image source: accuracy2010.org

When you first begin to research speech therapy and speech disorders, chances are you will come across some misguided information. You might hear that your child will likely grow out of his speech disorder, that you should never use “baby talk” with an infant, or that living in a bilingual household is detrimental to your child’s language development. When in doubt, never hesitate to ask your child’s speech therapist about these issues.

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How to Foster Language Development

by Jacky G. Language Development
Father Playing with Baby

Image source: purplecrying.info

Every child develops at his own pace; however, there are certain language milestones to watch for. For example, many children begin to form short, simple sentences by the time they turn two years old. You can help foster your child’s language development by using some simple communication techniques.

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Language Development in Babies

by Jacky G. Language Development
Sleeping Newborn

Image source: bossip.com

As you watch your newborn grow, you will undoubtedly make a note of every milestone of development. While every child develops at a different rate, your baby may lift his head up when he is a month old, roll over at six months, and begin teething at four to seven months. Likewise, language and speech development is a gradual process. Don’t worry if your baby is a little off the typical development schedule.

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