Oral Motor and Sensory Tools

Children who have low tone around their mouths may benefit from oral motor activities.  Low tone and weak musculature can impact your little one's ability to speak clearly and eat efficiently.  Oral motor activities are paramount to successful development in the realm of speech, language and feeding.  A regular routine incorporating oral motor massage, and other oral motor activities will support your child's awareness, build the strength and range of motion of their oral motor mechanism for both speech and feeding purposes  The following items used regularly will promote intelligible speech and well as strong chewing, swallowing and overall good feeding protocols.

   

I recommend that a consistent program implementing these activities take place 3 times daily before each meal to bolster your child's healthy development. 

As with any issue regarding your child's speech, language and or feeding, you should consult your pediatrician and or a qualified speech language pathologist.

Auditory Processing Disorder and Your Child's Success

Auditory Processing Disorder, APD can be defined as the inability to recognize and identify sounds; primarily sounds that comprise speech.  It is the inability of the brain to accurately process the speech signal.  For instance, a person with APD may not be able to differentiate the sound /f/ from /th/ from /v/.   As you can imagine, when a student cannot easily distinguish between the word /feign/, and /vain/, or /fin/ and /thin/, the communication process becomes quite challenging and the classroom can become a difficult environment for a child to navigate.  Not only does APD impact the comprehension of the spoken word, but a fragile phonological/phonemic foundation can also impact negatively on academic success, reading comprehension and the child’s understanding of nuanced language.

While working with a qualified Speech Language Pathologist is paramount to develop and implement compensatory strategies, it is also imperative that child’s educators understand the unique needs of a child with APD. It will benefit the child if the classroom teacher implements the following strategies in the classroom.

1.       “Front and center” in the classroom.  Seating in the front of the room allows the child with APD to pick up on the non-verbal and visual cues such as facial expressions and articulation so as to comprehend the subtleties of the signal/message.

2.       A quiet classroom is paramount for success.  Research has been conducted that indicates that a classroom is many times noisier than healthy and acceptable levels.  NYC classrooms are probably worse and more worrisome.  A student with APD can become easily distracted by sound, and very often cannot prioritize the speech signal from other ambient and environmental sounds.  I suggest that the child with APD utilize an FM system.  However, many children are not eager to take this step.  Something as simple as closing the windows and curtains serve to significantly reduce the environmental sounds and will help tremendously.

3.       Allowing significant time for the child with APD to process a question or statement; whether written or verbal is imperative for their success.  For instance, when you interact with this child you may need to rephrase your question or statement in order for them to fully comprehend it.  Working with children with APD, I have found that, at times, they do not understand some of the nuances of complex language.  For instance, some older children with APD do not easily understand analogies without an explanation and have difficulties with metaphors.  You may find that this type of language may present a challenge and may need to be rephrased. Questions that include analogies and metaphors can be very tricky and may not be the best indication of their understanding of a topic.  A child with APD may understand more direct language and will be more successful at answering direct questions.

4.       During classroom lectures and tests, providing handouts, and using visual tools and illustrations very often support students with APD.

5.       Also, allowing extra time for testing will significantly help a child with APD.

As with any concerns you may have regarding your child’s speech and language, consult with your child’s doctor or a qualified SLP.  Referrals can be made for an assessment to determine whether your child has APD.  Please be aware that APD is not diagnosed in young children.  However, if it is suspected, a qualified SLP will be versed in treatment.

The Importance of Parental Involvement

This is a great Op Ed piece  by Thomas Friedman.   Thanks for sharing it, Cassandra.

Autumn Fun for the Family!

Now that summer has unofficially ended and autumn is upon us, parents are looking for activities that will engage their children, build their self-esteem, encourage healthy and successful development and not cost an arm and a leg. With a focus on broadening your child’s experiences while encouraging successful motor coordination, language, social emotional, and cognitive development, the following are some suggestions that will take you and your little ones away from the television and the video games and into the truly interactive world.


A child’s play is not only amazing and amusing, but it is also paramount in healthy childhood development. The playground is your child’s early life university. Whether it is the 2 year old dipping one toe and then the other in the sprinklers until she builds her confidence and courage to get her entire body wet -- or the 6 year old challenging the 5 year old to climb higher on the jungle gym -- the playground is an ideal environment for your child to learn how to navigate the world, build relationships and learn about life. The Bleecker Street playground at Bank Street is always filled with children of all ages, as well as activities and equipment that will promote your child’s language, social, and motoric development. The Imagination Playground at Burling Slip is a safe, creatively designed space which encourages child directed, unstructured play.

The New York City Public Library is a great place for your child to build their imagination along with their love for books. Offering activities from arts and crafts to music and film for children, the library is an ideal nurturing environment where your child can flourish. All branches offer story time for children of different ages. Story time is where children and their care takers can enjoy new and classic children’s stories, learn action songs, make friends, and meet other children from their neighborhood.

The zoo! There is nothing more educational and exciting to a child than seeing lioness care for her cub, or watching a polar bear jump in and out of the water. One of the world’s most spectacular zoos is just a short subway ride to The Bronx. The Bronx Zoo has events and exhibits throughout the fall including a scary Halloween celebration for all family members. “ Boo at the Bronx Zoo” runs throughout October and includes a haunted safari, hayrides and parades. Your child will love it.

Rainy day activities can run the gamut from pretend play tea parties to baking chocolate chip cookies, to charades and Pictionary. A rainy day is a great opportunity to engage playfully with your child. The positive interaction between a parent and child is paramount in developing language, self-esteem, and social skills. For great rainy day ideas there are many sites to visit, my favorite site is Amazing Moms. You will find loads of creative ideas to keep your children occupied while sparking the creative fires. One simple project I enjoy and so will your kid constructing a time capsule. A decorated shoe box, and a few keepsakes can create hours of fun and it will certainly make for an interesting conversations between your child and yourself.

Curiosity, exposure, and interaction are key in your child’s development. Participation in simple activities this autumn can encourage healthy development on all levels. Don’t skip the hayrides or the pumpkin patches this fall. Create memories and enjoyment that your child will cherish for years to come!

Story Hour, June 18, 2011

Here are some photos from this past weekend's story hour hosted by Little Marc Jacobs, books read by Diane Freedman.  A good time had by all ... especially me!!!!  Please join me next weekend.  Saturday, June 25 at 10:30 AM -- Bleecker Street Playground!

Preschool is a Time for Exploration

I am grateful that one of my clients shared this article with me.  Alison Gopnik, the author, expresses an interesting perspective on preschool.  She emphasizes the value of exploration vs. instruction for a child of preschool age.  A good and important read!

Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School
New research shows that teaching kids more and more, at ever-younger ages, may backfire.
By Alison Gopnik

Reading is Fundamental

Reading is paramount in your child’s development.  It serves to enhance your child’s language development, creativity and ability to think. It also builds strong social emotional ties and encourages cognitive development.   Additionally, it is a perfect venue to spend quality time with your child.  Even if your baby does not yet understand words, by reading to them, they will begin to recognize and enjoy the sound of your voice.  Reading to your child will assist in creating parent/child bonds that will build your child’s sense of self and safety.  These connections are necessary precursors to spoken language.  Children who form secure relationships early in life with their parents and caretakers are likely to be able to develop healthy social emotional connections with peers and others later in their lives.  Furthermore, as you read to your toddler and begin to identify objects in books and ask wh questions, you are building their vocabulary, their ability to form sentences and narratives as well as enabling them to respond, question and reason.  Children who grow up reading are more likely to pick up words quickly, choose books rather than television, and develop a healthy respect for books.  All of which will lead to a strong foundation for a successful life and academics.

Here are some recommendations for just a few books that you and your children will love...
On Top Of Spaghetti
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly
Caps For Sale
A Very Special House
Madeline (series)
One Fish - Two Fish - Red Fish - Blue Fish