The Use Of Visuals For Speech Development | Pediatric Therapy Tv

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In today’s webisode, a Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist gives details on how different visual aids can help children develop speech.

 In This Video You Will Learn:

  • What is a speech visual
  • What types of visuals can help with the development of speech
  • What ages and conditions the visuals work best with

Video Transcription:

Announcer: From Chicago’s leading experts in pediatrics to a worldwide
audience, this is Pediatric Therapy TV, where we provide experience and
innovation to maximize your child’s potential. Now your host, here’s Robyn.

Robyn: Hello and welcome to Pediatric Therapy TV. I’m your host, Robyn
Ackerman. Today I’m standing here with Deanna Swallow, a
pediatric speech and language pathologist. Deanna, can you tell
us what visuals are and how they help children with speech?

Deanna: Sure. A lot of research has been done to find out which ways
children learn the best. It’s been well-documented that children
learn well with a multisensory approach. Because speech and
language rely so heavily on an auditory system, we try to use
the visual system to help enhance a child’s ability to process
and use spoken language.

There are a lot of different ways and reasons that visual
support can be used, depending on the child’s needs. I’ll show
you an example that I made for one of my kids who has difficulty
following directions. I made a schedule for them that had each
different step visually presented so I could speak each step to
the child and then point to it as I spoke. In this example
visuals are used to help process.

For developing toddlers, oftentimes people will use baby sign to
enhance their development of speech. For older children or
children who don’t have means to verbally communicate at all,
sometimes we will use an entirely visually-based communication
system such as PECS, the Picture Exchange Communication System.
This system was developed for preschool-aged children with
autism.

There are a lot of augmentative communication devices that rely
wholly on visual input. Here’s an example of a binder I made for
my kids that has a lot of different activity choices. I’ll use
these in a variety of ways to help children to let me know
different activities they want.

Robyn: Thank you so much, Deanna, and thank you to our viewers. And
remember, keep on blossoming.

Announcer: This has been Pediatric Therapy TV, where we bring peace of
mind to your family with the best in educational programming. To
subscribe to our broadcast, read our blogs, or learn more, visit
our website at LearnMore.me. That’s LearnMore.me.

Cell Phones: When Should Your Child Get One?

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Now that my oldest child is eleven, a “tween”, the subject of getting a cell phone is slowly creeping into conversations in our home. She insists that she needs a cell phone because she will be walking to junior high school next year. When does a child NEED a cell phone? Well, in my day… cell phones didn’t exist.girl with cell phone

Question: When does your child need a cell phone?

Answer: Your child needs a cell phone when you need your child to have a cell phone. Sorry, parents, teens, and tweens, there really isn’t a hard and fast rule for an age when a child should get a cell phone.

When You Need Your Child to Have a Cell Phone:

  1. Emergencies– Most parents say they allowed their child to have a cell phone so the child can contact the parents or other adults in case of an emergency, or vice versa.
  2. Teaching Responsibility– Allowing your child to get a cell phone teaches him to be responsible for his own belongings and to obey the limits you set (talk time, text usage, etc). If your child wants a cell phone before you are completely convinced, have him pay for the phone and service plan by earning the money. If he is too young to get a job, he can earn it through extra chores around the house, mowing neighbors’ lawns, shoveling driveways, baby-sitting, etc. This idea also works when your child wants the newest technology instead of your old phone.
  3. Tracking Your Child’s Whereabouts– I apologize to all my children’s friends (and my teen and tween clients) for the following: If you agree to get your child a cell phone, insist that your child check in with you while she is away from home. The rule should be: “If Mom or Dad calls, texts, or messages you, you must respond immediately, or your cell phone privileges may be revoked.” As a parent, remember to be respectful of your child’s activities and refrain from contacting your child when he cannot answer the phone. Obviously, if your child’s plans change, he can show he is being responsible by checking in and making sure the change of plans is okay with Mom or Dad.  Many phones also offer GPS tracking which lets you know where your child (or specifically, where your child’s phone) is at all times. This is important for keeping your child safe and also for knowing where your child is if you suspect your child is not being honest about where she spends her time.
  4. Constant Contact– To many teens, this falls under the “be careful what you wish for” category. If your child has a cell phone, you can contact her wherever she is. If you are running late and she is waiting to be picked up from a class or practice, you can let her know.
  5. Picking Up From Activities– Yes, this benefit goes for both parents and kids. If your child ends an activity earlier or later than expected, or if your child is going to be waiting at a different location than what you originally planned, your child can call, text, or message you about where to go.
  6. Internet Use– A cell phone with internet capability is much more cost-effective than buying another computer for the home. As kids get older, more and more of their homework relies on research done on the computer. So, if your child has a cell phone where he can look up information, it will free up your home computer for other uses. And, it can be used as a back-up computer if you have common power outages in your area.
  7. Entertainment– Of course, time limits on the cell phone should be set, but having a cell phone means that your child can entertain himself when you have to drag him on an errand with you. He can talk or text his friends, play games, and you have the benefit of avoiding the “I’m bored” discussion with your teen/tween.
  8. Keeping Up with the Joneses– Of course, this is not high on the parental list, but as parents, we all wanted something that our friends had, so we could “fit in”. Having a cell phone is a way for your child to fit in with and communicate with his friends who have them.
  9. Peace of Mind– If your child is home alone or if she has to walk to or from school, having a cell phone can give you and her peace of mind knowing you both are only a phone call, text, or message away.

Other Options Vs. Getting Your Child A Cell Phone:

As I write this, I am still on the fence about whether my daughter needs a cell phone at her age. If you are on the fence like I am, consider:

  1. A family cell phone– This works well when the oldest is not a teenager yet. If one child is going to be away from home and you want to have the benefits of 1-9 mentioned above, but don’t want to break the bank by getting several cell phones, consider having a shared cell phone. Many cell phone companies will offer an “add a phone” option with unlimited text and several hundred minutes of talk time for a nominal monthly fee.
  2. An iPod touch or other MP-3 player– Many kids already own these devices. Let’s face it, kids are not generally using cell phones to talk anyway. With these, your child can email you and you can receive messages immediately on your smart phone. You can also send your child emails or messages on their device. Some programs also offer free texting.

You Are An Expert Too

How did your family address the cell phone dilemma? Please comment below regarding the solutions you have found and how they worked or did not work with your family.

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iPhone and iPad apps to Promote Reading and Language Development

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The number of iPhone and iPad apps related to speech and language continues to grow every day! This can be both exciting and overwhelming, however. That’s where I come in. I’ve downloaded a bunch of different apps, and I’m here to let you know which ones are definitely worth looking into and why. I have also provided ways in which you can use the apps to target different skills.Child with iPad

Based on my experience, children are inherently motivated by devices like the iPad. While I absolutely love using my iPad, I always make sure that when I do use it in a session that I also include traditional therapy activities too. Below you will find apps that target reading readiness and literacy skills and language skills. I have used all of these in a number of my sessions and I think they would make a great addition to your iPad. I’ve included the prices as well; however, these are subject to change (every now and then there are some great sales).

Apps for Promoting Reading Readiness and Literacy Skills:

  1. The Monster at the end of This Book and Another Monster at the end of This Book: $3.99 This super fun and interactive book helps with spatial development and encourages good listening skills. The reader/listener has complete control over the book and thus enables him/her to make the appropriate decision of when to go on to the next page. The words are highlighted as they are read out loud which helps beginner readers learn that there is an association between letters and spoken words. It’s also great for working on different emotions!
  2. Dr. Seuss Books: $2.99 Works on rhyming skills.
  3. ABC Phonics Rhyming Bee: $2.99 Appropriate for preschoolers and kindergarteners. This app is great for children who are learning to recognize rhyming words and how to sort words by sound. You can pick from a number of different sounds (i.e. –ad, -ag, -ed, -ob).
  4. ABC Phonics Butterfly Long Vowels: $2.99 Appropriate for 1st and 2nd graders. Start off by choosing two long vowel sounds. Words are presented orthographically and auditorily. The child then learns the words by hearing the sound of the word. Then they match the word to the right vowel group. You can also hide the word.
  5. Dora hops into phonics: $3.99 This app facilitates learning to recognize that letters can be organized in a specific sequence to represent words. In the first level, children are asked to identify the picture that matches the given word. If the child can’t read the word, they can tap the letter to sound it out! Depending on the level he/she is in, they are asked to change the beginning, final or middle letters of the words to turn it into another word. Mini games are embedded within which provides great reinforcement! Manipulating sounds is an important skill to becoming a proficient reader.
  6. Dora’s rhyming word adventure: $3.99 In this app, Dora and Boots want to go over the Troll Bridge, but the Grumpy Old Troll challenges them. There are 4 different levels: rhymes, first sounds, last sounds and inside sounds and you can select a different level at any time. This app helps preschoolers to learn rhyming and letter sounds, which is important pre-reading skills.
  7. Rock ‘n Learn Phonics Easy Reader 1 Practice: $1.99 using the following phonics material: short vowel sounds, consonant-vowel-consonant combinations, words ending with ll, ss, ff, s, and plural s. 3 stories included.
  8. Step by story: 2.99 each 500 creative story combinations – children are able to build their own stories.
  9. Booksy:  Learn to read platform K-2; Free app (comes with 2 books) additional books are $0.99 eachLearn to Read Platform K-2 AWESOME APP! Designed for children between pre-kindergarten and second grade. The platform has a number of different features. You can choose to have the book read out loud or you can touch individual words. Your child can even record himself/herself! At the end of each book, there is a comprehension quiz. Another unique feature is called “Parental Dashboard.” This allows parents, or SLPs to see statistics related to the child’s progress. Stats include reading speed, quiz scores, words that are tapped and dates. There are also 3 different awards that can be given. If you want to buy additional books, you can do so within the app and you can preview every book there is!
  10. TJ’s Picture Dictionary: $0.99 A very easy to use picture dictionary. Using this dictionary can help build a child’s vocabulary and knowledge. The definitions are straightforward and the pictures are bright and colorful. Pictures enlarge when you click on them, as well as appropriate sound effects.
  11. Funny alphabet: $0.99 Helps with preschoolers’ ABCs! There’s a voiceover for every object on the page and some are even animated. When you touch the letter it says its name, not the sound. Includes a page of all of the letters and by clicking on a letter, it jumps to that page. Otherwise, it’s like a flipbook. This app is great for little ones who are learning to talk – use it to label early objects. For older kids, you can even use it took work on describing and other vocabulary skills!

Apps for Promoting Language Skills:

  1. More Fun with Directions: $9.99 This app focuses on 12 different concepts which include: up, down, in front, behind, put in, take out, above, below, turn on, turn off, on, under. You can select from 3 different levels (easy, intermediate and advanced) and you can choose whether or not to have direction written out for the child.  Features that I particularly like: option to “hear again,” change the concept when you want to, and turn the voice command on/off.
  2. House of Learning: $6.99 There are a variety of skills you can work on using this one app. You can use it to help children understand prepositions (i.e. in, on, over, under, next to, etc).” It is great for targeting 1, 2 or 3 step directions. I’ve found it particularly useful for kiddos who need to work on formulating stories as well answering wh- questions. This is definitely an app you can get creative with!
  3. Speech with Milo – Sequencing: $2.99 There are over 30 3-step picture sequences in this app! The pictures are presented in a random order and the child has to drag the picture to spot 1, 2 or 3. You can choose to have the text show (which I prefer to leave off). When the child has put the cards in the correct order, you can click “play” to watch an animated clip of the story. Use this app to work on sequencing, temporal concepts (first, second, last), sentence formulation, syntax and answering/asking wh- questions.
  4. Speech with Milo – Interactive story book:  $1.99 A very cute interactive story! Use it to target wh- questions, vocabulary skills, animal sounds, formulating sentences and grammar. You can record what the child says and play it back to them right then and there! If you prefer to have them listen to the story, there is both text and audio. The animations are great and very reinforcing.
  5. Splingo: $2.99 There are 4 different levels in this app.
    Level 1 – instructions contain 1 main word Examples include: 
    Which apple is dry?
    Put the spider next to the house
    Which tiger is running?
    Level 2 – instructions have 2 main words 
    Put the clock in the box
    Bring the clean tractor to the sheep
    Level 3 – 3 main words 
    Put the plate in front of the big castle
    Level 4 – 4 main words
    Put the girl’s little dustbin behind the school
    After completing a few directions, there’s a mini reinforcing game.
  6. Sentence builder: $5.99 Designed to help children learn how to build grammatically correct sentences. The child is asked to make a sentence about the picture. The child has to choose each part of the sentence from a few choices (i.e. subject, helping verb, verb, object). You can choose to have answer reinforcement and answer animations. In addition, there are 3 levels to choose from (i.e. 1, 2 and 3).

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Benefits of Limiting Screen Time

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We currently live in a world revolving around electronics with computer screens, tv screens, phone screens, tablet screens, video game screens, etc. While many electronic programs geared towards children are educational, there are also benefits to turning the power buttons off and playing within a child’s physical world.

As an occupational therapist, I prefer to use real board games in my sessions rather than their electronic counter-parts because of the skills that are developed while playing board games.

Benefits of playing board games versus video games includes developing:

  • Visual-motor skillsvideo game controller
  • Fine motor skills
  • Sensory-motor experiences
  • Motor planning
  • Coordination
  • Social engagement with others
  • Turn taking skills
  • Organization
  • Self-monitoring skills

For example, board games such as Angry Birds or Rush Hour differs from video games because the video game already has each piece in place and no set-up is involved, whereas the board game requires the player to plan how to place pieces onto the board exactly as shown from a card in order to successfully begin the game.

Many board games also require significantly more motor planning, dexterity and upper extremity control than their video game counter-parts. Think of playing a game of solitaire on the computer which requires one motion of clicking the mouse and moving the mouse exactly where you want it to go in order to move the cards versus playing the same game of solitaire with a deck of cards which requires fine motor skills, motor planning and dexterity involved with shuffling the deck, turning the cards over and picking up only one card in your fingers at a time. Other benefits also may include counting the cards to ensure you are starting with a full deck and the planning, sequencing and organization that is involved with setting up the game.

In conclusion, I encourage a healthy balance between screen time and playing in the physical world, as there are many benefits to turning off the electronics in order to learn through play.

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iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Apps to Teach Kids Social Skills

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As a licensed clinical social worker, I have worked with hundreds of kids and teenagers since 1994. For many, social skills do not simply come Child with iPadnaturally; they need to be taught, just as they need to be taught spelling, reading, mathematics, social studies, and science. Kids with ADHD, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders often find learning social skills to be especially challenging.

Throughout time, kids have learned through play. Kids as young as one year use pretend play to learn about their world. And, as any kid will gladly tell you, kids like to learn when we make it fun for them. When I was growing up, video games were emerging, but now the tiniest little ones can be observed effortlessly playing with their moms and dads’ iPhone, iTouch, and iPad.

Since the kids are interested anyway, why not teach them something while they play? There are many apps that teach kids social skills in a non-threatening, engaging manner.

The following is a list of some apps to help children with social skills:

1. Model Me Going Places– Free is a visual teaching tool to help children navigate common challenging locations in their community. Each location incorporates a photo slide show of children modeling appropriate beahvior. Locations include: hair salon, mall doctor, playground, grocery store, and restaurant.

2. Responding Social Skills– $0.99 teaches how to listen and respond to others, give directions, understand others’ feelings and perspective-taking.

3. Initiating Social Skills– $0.99 includes practice in greetings, starting conversations, giving information, and introducing oneself.

4. Everyday Social Skills– $0.99 Teaches basic social skills needed for everyday activities in the child’s community, including common activities like walking down the street, using a public restroom, waiting in line, asking for directions, asking for information, and joining a group.

5. Personal Social Skills– $0.99 Teaches responsibility, dependability, accepting consequences, maintaining personal hygiene, grooming, dressing, and more.

6. Hidden Curriculum for Kids– $1.99 Real-life scenarios spur conversations about the many unwritten social rules that we encounter daily that can often cause confusion and anxiety for those who cannot read these cues well.

7. Small Talk App– Presents conversation fillers for those awkward social moments, allowing users to choose between conversation: starters, jokes, factoids, “would you rather” questions, etc.

8. Look in my eyes– There are a series of apps that address eye contact as a social skill. Choose one of high-interest to the child: restaurant, car mechanic, undersea, dinosaurs, etc.

9. How would you feel if…–  Allows children to discuss their feelings about a variety of situations to promote emotion awareness.

10. Eye contact toybox app–  Helps kids practice eye contact while earning fun rewards.

11. Body language app–  Offers full-body illustrations of body language to help kids become aware of gestures, postures, handshakes, and other body cues.

12. Conversation Builder– Teaches elementary-aged children how to have multi-exchange conversations with their peers in a variety of social settings.

13. Social Skills– $6.99;  Offers social stories complete with photographs and sound to help children with social skills such as: attention, non-verbal communication, greetings, structured game play, turn-taking, imitation, and classroom rules. For the iPod Touch, one will need an external microphone to record the sound.

14. Super Duper What Are They Thinking?– Children can listen to 180 entertaining “thoughts” or answer “what are they thinking?” questions to teach perspective taking.

15. Stories2Learn– $13.99 Offers social stories that can be personalized using photos, writing, and audio messages. This allows stories to be created that show targeted social cues.

New apps are added frequently and as this industry grows, we will update you with the latest technology and apps.

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*North Shore Pediatric Therapy, Inc. (NSPT) intends for responses to the blogs to provide general educational information to the readership of this website; all content and answers to questions should not be understood to be specific advice intended for any particular individual(s).  Questions submitted to this blog are not guaranteed to receive responses.  No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by NSPT  to people submitting questions.  Always consult with your health professional first before initiating or changing any aspect of your treatment regimen.

iPad and iPhone Apps For Autism

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What a difference one year makes in the world of technology!!.

Recently, everywhere you look, people are on their iPads, iPhones, iPods. Imagine if there was a way to help your child improve his/her social skills by using these technological advancements… well NOW THERE IS!  iPad and iPhone application developers have tons of applications to help children of all developmental levels. These applications offer a new method of teaching social and communication skills. Below are a few of my favorite applications that I use almost daily with clients here at North Shore Pediatric Therapy!

Application Name

 Description of Application

Benefits

KINDERGARTEN.COM

 Here you will find flashcards that help with language building. Most of (if not all) of the images are realistic images.* Actions   * Vehicles  * Rhyming Words  *Feature  * Healthy Habits * Functions  * Foods* Emotions  *Science  * Shapes  * Clothing * the Alphabet * Pretend Play *Zoo Animals  * Sports  *Instruments  * Places * Problem Solving* Receptive Identification. What I like most about these apps are how easy and beneficial they are. Many of the “receptive identification are Feature/Function/Class combined and it is from a field of three.

iTouchiLearn

 Puzzles, matching games and various word games. This application really helps with morning routines by using an interactive approach with cartoon characters.

Reward Charts

 Here you can add multiple charts, configure chart numbers, add behaviors/activities. This is especially good for families with multiple children and also can be very useful in our social groups.

TapToTalk

 This is a starter album to help increase communication Parents can also download their own pictures and sounds. It is very similar to a communication device/pecs

Who Am I?

 This provides the learner with 4/5 clues and the learner has to guess which animal you are describing This is great to help promote social conversation while also helping the child with clues about topics.

Animal Fun

 This app says the name, the sound the animal makes, and how to spell the name It is great to help prompt social conversation while learning about animals.

iTakeTurns

 A tool to help children learn the concept of taking turns Helps children cope with taking turns while practicing this skill

123 dominoes

 

 This is a great way to teach colors, color matching, shapes and shape matching. It also has fun music to go along with it.

Learn to Talk

 Helps teach children how to speak while using the natural progression of sounds and words. This application really helps with the natural progression of acquiring sounds and words.It begins with high impact words, then expanding meaning by changing intonation of speech, adding vocabulary (nouns and verbs) the developing early syntax and simple word combinations

TimeTimer

 Visual Timer This is a great tool to help children with transitions to and from any activity

Conversation Builder    

 Allows your child to chose which response they feel would be the correct response and then they get to record their own voice Discriminate between subtle differences which can negatively or positively impact a conversation.
First Then Visual Schedule    Create digital visual schedules with several format options

Avakid: See Me Go Potty

 This unique potty training app provides a simple cartoon avatar that resembles your child/children, and then reinforces your child to repeatedly use the potty It teaches your child to go potty . and also has “Go Potty”  narrative showing him/herself successfully complete the whole process of using the potty step by step instructions. There is also an accident scene.

 

 

All of these apps are available to download in the iTunes store. Prices are subject to change. All apps are regularly updated so be sure to check for updates!! If you find an app that you absolutely love, check out the section “Customers Also Bought” and “More iPad Apps from…”  Have fun with these!

If you know of a great app that other parents would benefit from. please leave a comment here with the details!

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