Using Apps for Aphasia Therapy

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
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When your child is first diagnosed with a speech disorder like aphasia, you might feel a bit like a private investigator – you’ll do a lot of background research on the issue and figure out what your resources are. One great way to stretch your resources when it comes to speech therapy is the use of specialized tools, such as Speech Buddies for articulation or apps for aphasia therapy. The symptoms of aphasia can range from mild to severe, and they will also vary depending on the part of the brain that sustained damage. Work with your child’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) to select the right apps for aphasia therapy that would best help his specific trouble areas.

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Apps for Phonics

by Jacky G. Language Development
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Times are tough these days, economically speaking, and many families are even tapping into their retirement savings to pay for debts and day-to-day living expenses. Families of children with special needs are hit even harder; speech therapy isn’t cheap. Fortunately, speech therapy activities at home don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are plenty of low-cost methods of teaching your child phonics, for example. (Speech Buddies are also cost-effective – after the initial investment, you’ll have countless speech therapy lessons in one simple tool.) If you’re not certain about what phonics actually is, or about its importance in speech and language development, check out our post from last week. And then mosey back over to our recommended apps for teaching phonics, listed below. You can also check out a whole bunch of useful speech therapy apps at SpecialNeeds.com.

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Best Back-to-School Homework Help Apps

by Jacky G. School
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Many children have speech and language issues as a symptom of another condition, such a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or autism. Conditions and disorders such as these often cause other barriers to academic success as well, such as problems with time management, organization, and problem-solving. Some children with a TBI may have difficulty starting a task, for example. Barriers such as these may be difficult to cope with, but equipping your child with the right back-to-school tools can help him reach his academic goals. Your child’s back-to-school tools might include Speech Buddies for articulation or a shiny new iPhone with homework help apps. Many homework help apps assist your child with time management skills and assignment tracking. On the list below, there is also an app that can even encourage vocalization. Standard note-taking apps can also improve writing skills. Many of these apps are designed for older children or high school kids.

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Apps for Traumatic Brain Injuries: Communication

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Using iPhone

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When your child was born, you probably dreamt up ways of giving him every possible advantage in life – from cloth diapering to the latest high-tech strollers. Unfortunately, life sometimes throws you a curve ball. It’s heart-wrenching when your child suffers a serious accident. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can severely affect your child’s communication skills. Children who are recovering from a TBI often have trouble with social communication skills, such as taking turns in a conversation, responding to body language, using an appropriate tone of voice, and interpreting the nuances of conversation (i.e. sarcasm). Your child might also have trouble understanding both spoken and written language or finding the right words to express himself. Problems with writing, spelling, and reading are also common.

Despite your child’s injury, you can still give him every possible advantage by working with his care team, including a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Your child’s SLP will develop a treatment plan to improve his communication skills. These days, many SLPs are incorporating technology into treatment with the use of specialized apps. You can use apps at home to facilitate your child’s progress. Here are a few apps that can address some of the issues that can result from a TBI.

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Apps for Traumatic Brain Injuries: Cognitive Rehab

by Jacky G. Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Using iPad App

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A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in so many different types of symptoms. You might also notice that your child develops different symptoms after he is released from the hospital, or even months or years following the injury. People who suffer from a brain injury commonly experience issues with cognitive skills. Cognition includes memory, awareness, reasoning, problem solving, and concentration. Cognitive problems can also include issues with executive functioning, which refers to self-monitoring, goal-setting, planning, and initiating.

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