Babytalk: When does it go away?

The other day I was talking with my friend when she asked me "when is the 'L' sound going to come? Are my kids ever going to be able to say Lion?". This was a very good question. Different sounds come in or develop at different ages. 'L' is one of the latest sounds to develop and can come as late as 6 years old. Some children are able to say their 'L's and even 'R's at a very young age, but other children take longer to develop these sounds so it is o.k. if a 4 year old still calls a lake the "Yake" for example.

Even though it's natural for children who are 4 and 5 to have some articulation errors, it is essential for them to hear the correct way that they should be pronouncing words. The important thing to keep in mind is NOT to imitate your child or speak the way s/he speaks...as tempting as it is to do. For example if your child wants his/her "Wed" ball, you say ok here is your "Red ball" and if you're going to see the "Yions" at the zoo please tell your child the "Lions" will be there. Otherwise your child may actually think s/he is saying the word correctly because that's how mommy or daddy say it and then continue to say the word wrong. By hearing the correct way to say words, as sounds develop at a natural rate, your child will begin to say words correctly.

If by about 6 years old you are still noticing many errors, and/or have difficulty understanding your child you may want to consult with the school's Speech Therapist to see if there is an articulation delay.

In the meantime go grab you and the kids some wed yayipops...just be sure not to call them that! ☺

On the Spectrum

Autism is called a Spectrum Disorder because it ranges from mild to severe. More severe forms are alot easier to recognize than milder cases because the characteristics are all there such as delay in or no speech and language skills, poor social skills and repetitive patterns of behavior.  Those with Asperger's Disorder for example, can sometimes be harder to recognize, especially in younger children since they have good language skills, can have average IQs as well, but difficulty with social skills. Because there can be difficulty diagnosing Autism and sometimes children have some but not all characteristics to meet the criteria for this diagnosis, there are times when children are diagnosed as Other Health Impairment(OHI) or Not Otherwise Specified (NOS). 

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding Autism in terms of what works and what doesn't to help those with the disorder improve. So far, there has been no conclusive evidence to show that gluten free diets, charcoal diets, or things such as seratonin shots will cure Autism or even help someone with Autism improve. Additionally, there is no conclusive evidence to say that vaccines cause the disorder. There are 3 facts out there that have remained true. 1- There is no known physical cause for disorder.  2- There is no cure.  3-The only proven techniques to help someone with Autism improve, have been behavioral and therapeutic interventions.

With interventions, the skills that children on the spectrum have can improve. Picture cards and visual aids often help those on the spectrum make sense of the world and help them organize and process what is being said or what needs to be done. Social groups help them learn what is appropriate in social settings. Speech Therapy can also help improve social skills, language and communication. Occupational Therapy can assist with sensory issues.

Autism is a complex disorder that is still being discovered and there is a lot more to learn about it. There are many resources and organizations now which support research and educate the public, so that we can continue to learn more about Autism:

Autism Speaks

Autism Society of America

Division TEACCH

National Institute of Mental Health

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Let's talk about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  ADHD is attention deficit with hyperactivity, so not only are children with this disorder easily distracted they are also very active. Young children with ADHD are usually in constant motion and have a hard time concentrating on activities.  

An article on Sciencedaily.com stated that over 4 million children ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, and discussed performance speed  on tasks among children with ADHD (in other words how quickly a child completes a task).  It also mentioned 'working memory' specifically. Working memory means a person's ability to process and recall information. An example would be to say the alphabet backwards.  Working memory affects both cognitive and language skills and children with poor performance in this area on standardized evaluations, such as on those conducted by speech-language pathologists and psychologists, often have difficulty academically in school.  

The main point the article made was the fact that children with ADHD have inconsistent performance on tasks, meaning they may do well one day, and poorly the next or even within the same day. It noted that levels of hyperactivity affect the response times children have. For example, the more hyperactive a child is at a given time, the slower the reaction time will be or the slower they are to respond to a problem or give an answer. It noted that the children with ADHD answered questions as accurately as their typically developing peers, however at times, it just took the children with ADHD longer to respond.  This is a good thing to keep in mind when working with children who have ADHD as there are many times when pressure is put on students whether they are being formally tested or called upon in the classroom, to give a response in a certain amount of time. We need to remember to give children a chance to come up with an answer in an amount of time that is appropriate for them.

This holds true with all children. So many times we are too quick to answer for children instead of taking a step back to let them process what we have just said, find the answer, and then give it to us. In this busy world, it would do us all some good to slow down a little, think before we speak, and let the kids do the same.

You can find the article here: 

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090324141047.htm

Picture Schedules

If you are like most people, then you rely on a calendar, a plan book, or to-do lists to survive.  It is comforting to know what is coming next so we can plan our days or weeks and we can see an end to all the madness (at least for a little bit until it starts all over again). 

Just as it is comforting for us to know what comes next, kids need that comfort as well. It is helpful for them to know what their day entails. Picture schedules are a great way to help.  You can make picture schedules for each day, for weekly chores, or for anything you wish. It works because it lets your child see the fun things s/he gets to do as well as the work.  For example, if your child really loves going to the park but loathes homework, if you have a picture schedule, then s/he can see that after homework comes something more enjoyable, like the park, dessert, or t.v. time. 

The pictures can be used for even more than just picture schedules. You can use a picture card to tell your child to wait, be quiet, not to interrupt or anytime you are tired of yelling over your children or repeating yourself.  The possibilities go on and on. 

To use individual pictures, print the pictures, glue them on a heavier stock of paper (I use a file folder) then laminate. If you don't have a laminating machine, try using clear contact paper. For schedules you can velcro the pictures onto a bigger piece of paper after you laminate them so you can change the schedules when necessary. Have a 'To Do' and a 'Finished' column.

There are some great websites which allow you to print pictures of daily activities, emotions and every day objects. In general, the websites listed below provide materials and picture cards for children with communication disorders or Autism. However, these aids are a great way to teach young children and have your child understand their responsibilities because pictures provide a visual support in addition to your words. 

The following links will take you to sites where you can find many pictures to help you make a schedule for your child.

http://www.dotolearn.com/

http://www.speakingofspeech.com/AugCom_Materials.html

http://elearning.autism.net/visuals/main.php?g2_itemId=524

http://www.visualaidsforlearning.com/products/index.htm

Sit down with your child and get creative. Have him/her help you choose the pictures and make a daily or weekly schedule and be on your way to a little less stress in your life. Let the pictures do the talking, so you don't have to. 

Bilingual Babies

America is known as a melting pot... and for good reason. People from all around the world move to here and bring their culture and customs as well as their native languages with them. Parents who speak English as well as languages other than English can sometimes be faced with the dilemma of whether or not to pick only one language to speak at home. Then, if they decide to use only one language, they must decide which language to use.

By the age of about 3 children [who do not have any language delays] have excellent language skills and a good language foundation. If you, as a parent, speak more than one language, it is a good idea to speak your native language at home, since children are capable of learning a second language without even trying. So as long as your child does not have any language learning difficulties, s/he will learn English naturally through the television and school. 

If you are in a bilingual household and both languages are spoken to your child, it may take a bit longer for your child to develop language skills in both languages. For example, your child may begin to speak a little later than expected, or may babble for a longer amount of time than children learning only one language. Also, while your child is still a toddler, it is not unusual for bilingual children to mix both languages in one sentence when speaking. Eventually as they get a little older (around 4 years old) they work out the kinks and begin to use each language separately. 

If you speak only English in your home, but would like your child to have exposure or start learning a second language, around the age of 3 is a good age to introduce a new language to your child. This is because young children absorb language without even trying. 

If you want to introduce your child to another language here are some good resources:

 

Usborne publishes books in languages including English,  German, French, and Spanish:

http://www.myubam.com/ecommerce/results.asp?sid=NEW&gid=82284281

My personal favorites are the "First Hundred Words" books which have great pictures and words in English and the featured foreign language. 

Janelle publishing has picture cards and many more materials in Spanish:

http://www.janellepublications.com/spanish-materials.shtml

Uncommon goods sells fun flashcards in Spanish & French:

http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=15896

Put on shows like Dora, Go Diego Go and Handy Manny which are mainly in English, but mix in Spanish as well. 

Looking at picture cards and books with foreign languages in them are also great ways for adults to learn another language too, so it's a fun way for you to learn with your child. 

Better Parenting

We know that when a girl is too bossy and has a guy on such a tight leash that he is at her beck and call, people say he's lost his man card and...well... let's face it... this is not a good thing. Yet... what about when your 3 or 4 year old is just as bossy and you will do anything just to please him/her? I say you've lost your parent card and you need to reclaim it. As a parent you are (or should be) the boss of the family, not your little child.

When I see a young child lash out and hit a parent just because the child is annoyed, and the parent does nothing, it makes me disapointed. Why does that 3 or 4 year old feel entitled to hit a parent? Why is that behavior allowed? Why don't parents do more to get rid of those inappropriate behaviors? 

How do I do that you ask? Start by setting boundries, and let your child know there are consequences for negative actions. Also, ask yourself when these behaviors will no longer be acceptable; will they be acceptable until your child is 6 years old? what about 8 years old? and then what? At that age you suddenly tell them it's not ok. How confusing.

It's one thing when children have real emotional or behavior issues which manifest themselves in undesirable behaviors, but it's quite another story to have an unruly child and let them get away with acting that way. Clearly I am not the only one who has noticed that we have become a society that is too lenient with their children. The show Super Nanny features different families every week who desperately need help deaing with children with potty mouths and out of control behaviors. And last week Dr. Phil did a series entitled "How To Be a Better Parent". Not only did he do the shows, but there are some advice articles as well regarding better parenting. 

In order to make a change, you need to understand how you parent to know what your parenting strengths and weaknesses are. A little re-evaluation can go a long way. To help you get started below is a link from Dr. Phil to help you understand your parenting style. It has interesting questions that allow you to take a look at your role as a parent and expectations you have towards your child. So go ahead and check it out: 

http://drphil.com/assets/a/a0170fbd26b6c36fa62c08ef9bf049b3.pdf

Sensory Integration

The timer is buzzing, the phone is ringing & somewhere in the background little voices are screaming "Mommy... Mommy".  Did someone say sensory overload? It is so easy for us to get overwhelmed with all that goes on. These days there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day, so we do everything at once. 

Just as adults get stressed and overloaded, so do children. But some children have what is known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID). Sensory integration is how our bodies integrate and respond to stimuli in our environment. Stimuli being things such as light, sound, things we touch; more or less how we process the information through our senses.  SID comes in different forms. Some children are constantly smelling objects, others are extremely active and get over-stimulated in a noisy busy room, while others are impulsive and easily distracted. 

There are times when these behaviors can be mistaken for something else such as a child misbehaving or acting out, when all the child is doing is trying to satisfy a craving their body has for the sensory information they are seeking. Children with SID have difficulty controlling themselves without the proper sensory input (such as jumping, running, a massage to calm them down, etc)and it is important for us to be aware of children with these behaviors. 

 

Children who have been identified as having SID can improve with the help of an Occupational Therapist who can provide a "sensory diet" to help children receive the input they are seeking.

There is a lot to sensory integration and it is by no means a subject easily summed up in a few paragraphs. There are different forms of SID and there are great books and websites to help us learn and understand more about it. Here are a few:

"The out-of-sync child" by Carol Stock Kranowitz. http://www.out-of-sync-child.com/

Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation: www.spdfoundation.net

Sensory Integration Education and Research Foundation: http://www.sierf.org/

Even if your child doesn't have SID, they still get overloaded and overwhelmed, just as we do and they look to us to help. So help them take a few deep breaths, bring them to a quiet room or stop to smell the roses.  Sometimes it's just enough to help for the moment... 

Try a Little Tenderness

The other day I was talking to my friend about all the new and exciting things her 16- month old little girl Ella has been doing.  Ella was seemingly distracted by other things in the room and her little eyes were wandering.  As my friend continued the conversation saying "... and she knows shoes..." Ella pointed to her shoes and tried to say "shoe". What is the point I am making you ask? My point is that children understand language before they are able to use it. And they know when you are talking about them.

Kids ears are always listening (although it may seem like they are not, especially when it's time to clean up). It's so easy to think that because a child is engaged another activity they are not paying attention to your conversation, or what you are saying has no effect on them, but that is not the case as proven in the example above. Therefore it is important to use discretion when having conversations with your friends when your children (younger or older) are around. 

This holds true as your child gets older as well.  On the phone telling someone about how slow a reader your child is? Complaining over tea that your child has to have speech therapy? Well, if your child is within earshot then you should hold off on the negativity. There's nothing wrong with venting to a friend or catching them up on what's going on in the family, but it's a good idea to keep these conversations for when your child is not around. 

If your child is in trouble or having difficulty with something, they may already feel bad enough about themselves without having a parent unintentionally make them feel worse. So try a little tenderness. After all we all have our own areas of weakness.  

Now We're Reading

So your child is getting ready for Kindergarten and doesn't know how to read yet. Is this a problem? Absolutely not. It's completely normal for a child who is 4 or 5 not to be reading yet. Think back to when you were in Kindergarten... when you went for half-day and almost no one went to Preschool (gasp). You learned letters weekly along with words that started with those letters and slowly began to read. And clearly it worked, since you are able to read this now.

The first step to helping your child be on her way to reading is to make sure your child can identify the letters of the alphabet. At around 3yrs children should be able to do this. Next, buy a box of alphabet picture cards. These cards have at least one picture for each letter of the alphabet. For example 'A' for Apple. Look at these pictures with your child and ask them what letter they see and then explain that the picture begins with the letter. Make the sound of the letter and then say the word. Using 'A' again you can say "a says a-a-a for apple". Another way to make it fun is "a is for apple... a-a-a". Looking at these cards allows your child to start recognizing the written words of common and familiar objects. You should also tell your child other words that begin with the letter you are looking at as well (ex. 'a' is also for alligator, ant, etc) This way although your child cannot read yet, she will be used to hearing what letters words start with. Always use your child's name in this list and the names of others in the family. For instance if your child's name is Madison, when you get to the letter M, ask your child whose name starts with this letter or say "M is for Madison". Children catch onto this very quickly!

 Another good practice to help your child recognize words is to have their name on things so they can identify it. If your child is not in school yet, write the names of family members on separate pieces of paper and have your child identify her name out of the group.

Next, go get a pack of flash cards with Sight Words in them. A Sight Word is a word that is recognizable without sounding it out. Children can begin to recognize simple 2 and 3 letter words. Some examples are: "and", "the", "at",  "on", "I", "me" etc. Children learn sight words in each grade, so make sure that you are not buying sight words meant for 3rd graders for your 4 or 5 year old. Look at the words and read them with your child, then have her repeat the word. If you do this consistently enough, your child should begin to recognize the words on her own.

Lastly, a fun activity is to help your child make her own alphabet book using construction paper. Each page should be a different letter of the alphabet with that letter written on the top of the page. Look at flyers and magazines and cut out pictures of objects beginning with that letter. Then glue the pictures onto the construction paper and write the names of the words under the pictures. Next, hole punch the sides and tie the pages together using your ribbon of choice. When you are finished, your child will have her very own alphabet book that she helped create. You two can look at it over and over again giving your child a more personal aid to word recognition. Be creative and make it fun because after all... you know what they say.... Reading is Fundamental.

Language Development 101

Did you know that play skills are prerequisites to language?

Play does more than occupy a child, it helps them build the skills they need for language development. The silly game of hide and seek that your baby likes so much - Not so silly.  At around 8 months of age your baby develops a very important skill referred to as object permanence which is a prerequisite to language. This means that when your baby watches you hide something under the blanket or behind a chair and goes to find it, s/he hasn't forgotten about it just because it can't be seen. The good news is this means s/he is getting ready for language development, the bad news is up until then if you didn't want your child to play with something you could hide it and s/he would forget all about it.

As your baby gets a bit older and begins to develop more advanced play skills, these too signify s/he is ready for more advance language skills. When a child starts connecting blocks to make a train, for example, it indicates they are ready to start connecting words. Play skills do more than just precede language skills, they help your child develop cognitive and social skills as well.

So go on and play!  You'll not only feel like a kid again, you'll be fostering your child's developmental skills too.