Dr Carolyn Cole Speech Language Pathology

29/09/2025

What a great gift idea!

What a meaningful gift idea from for the book lover in your life! ♥️ MNP

29/09/2025

The Raising Children Network states “Current national and international guidelines recommend that children under 2 years don't have screen time other than video-chatting.”
I understand this is difficult to adhere to when screens are with us constantly.
And yet - it is so important!

Many modern children's shows, even the well-meaning ones, are designed to grab attention through fast visuals, exaggerated movements, bright colors, and nonstop sounds.

This kind of stimulation lights up the brain’s reward system and can make slower, more meaningful activities (e.g. like reading, conversation, or open-ended play, etc.) feel dull in comparison.

This isn’t about blaming parents or pointing fingers at any one show. It’s about understanding how sensitive toddler brains are as they develop. Ideally, toddlers should have little to no screen time. If screens are used, they should be offered with intention - not as background noise, not as a way to keep a child quiet, and not as a replacement for real learning.

If your child can sit for hours watching a screen but struggles to sit with a book for even a few minutes, the problem isn’t with the book. Their brain has simply adapted to expect constant novelty and quick feedback. But those slow, quiet moments with books are what help build attention, regulation, language, and imagination.

To help support a love of books, keep screen time to a minimum and make reading feel calm, cozy, and inviting. Pick stories that truly interest your child, even if that means reading the same one about trucks or animals over and over again. Let them lead! Turn the pages, point to pictures, or wiggle around while you read. Repetition is powerful and helps build understanding. Most of all, focus on connection. Your tone, warmth, and presence are what make books come alive.

Thanks for the important messaging CAN Read

29/09/2025

“Sleep is a modifiable behavior and a key component of the effect of screen time on the brain and depression, underscoring the importance of strategies that encourage a balanced lifestyle to mitigate the negative impact of screen time on sleep.”

More is associated with more depressive symptoms, potentially due to shorter sleep and worse white matter organization during early adolescence. https://ja.ma/4mNmToA

29/09/2025

If you know 14 people, you probably know someone with DLD, but because you can't see DLD it means you don't know. And the chances are they don't know either.

DLD stands for Developmental Language Disorder. It is an ongoing difficulty understanding and using spoken language. Words and sentences are tricky for people with DLD.

It might look a bit like autism, ADHD or dyslexia, but it is different and actually more common than any of these!

Help us to raise awareness of DLD.
Find out about DLD here:https://radld.org/about/dld/dld-fact-sheet/
Find out about how you can raise awareness of DLD also: https://radld.org/dld-awareness-day/resources-media-ideas/
Get involved for on Friday October 17th. Theme: 'you can't see DLD'. Together we can make it visible!
radld.org

29/09/2025

Talking out loud as you work through a problem can help!

Talking to a human can come with certain limits.

18/09/2025

12/09/2025

12/09/2025

Crafting is slow and quiet. It’s worth trying with even very young children.

01/09/2025

When working on saying words with 2 or more syllables, it’s important to keep stress patterns correct and not slip into “spelling mode” where each syllable is clapped out with the same stress.

30/08/2025

30/08/2025

Time for a visit!

The Mortlock Chamber - State Library of South Australia, claimed Second Place as ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Library’ in the 1000 Libraries Awards 2025, a competition driven by global book lovers, just behind Trinity College Dublin and ahead of iconic delis like Oxford and libraries in Switzerland and Austria.

The Mortlock Chamber – at The State Library of SA - is a Jewel of North Terrace opened in 1884 as the Jervois Wing, this grand building was the first stage of an ambitious cultural precinct for Adelaide, originally housing the Public Library, Museum, and Art Gallery. Built in the French Renaissance style, it features a mansard roof, Sydney freestone facings, ornate wrought iron balconies, and a spectacular glass-domed roof that floods the galleries with natural light. Many liken it to a real-life version of Hogwarts’ library, with its majestic and almost otherworldly ambiance.

Construction took more than 18 years, delayed by political debates, design changes, and unstable ground caused by an underground stream. Inside, visitors can admire one of the finest examples of a late Victorian library in Australia, complete with original gas lamps and intricate ironwork.

Restored in 1985 and renamed the Mortlock Wing in honour of philanthropist John Andrew Tennant Mortlock, it now houses exhibitions, conservation services, study spaces, and the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia Library.

A visit offers not just a glimpse of Adelaide’s architectural heritage, but also a connection to its cultural and literary history.