Learning in Steps

26/07/2025

🧡 Parent & Caregiver Involvement Matters 🧡

Did you know? Children make the BEST progress in speech therapy when parents and caregivers are actively involved! 💬👨‍👩‍👧

Here’s how you can support your child’s communication journey:
✨ Join sessions when possible
✨ Practice strategies at home
✨ Ask questions — you’re part of the team!
✨ Celebrate the small wins 🎉

You are your child’s biggest cheerleader — and the most important part of their therapy success. Let’s work together! 🤝💛

24/07/2025

🖐️ Gestures come before words! 🗣️⁣
⁣
Before little ones can speak, they show us what they need with gestures — like pointing, waving, or reaching.⁣
⁣
These early movements are building blocks for language! 💬⁣
⁣
✅ Pointing = “I want that!“⁣
✅ Reaching = “Pick me up!“⁣
✅ Shaking head = “No thanks!“⁣
⁣
Encouraging gestures helps your child learn how to communicate and sets the stage for their first words.⁣
⁣
✨ Tip: Model gestures during daily routines! Try waving and saying “bye-bye” or pointing while naming objects.⁣
⁣

23/07/2025

🧠 What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Apraxia of speech is a speech disorder that makes it hard for children to say what they want — even when they know the words!

🗣️ It’s not about muscle weakness. Instead, the brain has trouble telling the mouth how to move to make the sounds.

💡 Common signs you might notice:
✔️ Your child says words differently each time
✔️ They might struggle more with longer words
✔️ Their speech is hard to understand
✔️ They understand more than they can say

👂 With the right support and regular speech therapy, children with apraxia can learn to speak more clearly.

💛 If you’re concerned, trust your gut and speak to a speech pathologist early — early help makes a big difference!

21/07/2025

🧠 What is Selective Mutism?

Selective Mutism is more than just shyness.
It’s an anxiety disorder where a child who can speak in some settings (like at home) is unable to speak in others (like at school or with unfamiliar people). 😶

They’re not being rude or defiant — they want to speak but feel frozen by fear.

✨ The good news?
With the right support — from parents, teachers, and therapists — many children find their voice over time.

🔑 What helps:
✅ A calm, pressure-free environment
✅ Small, gradual steps to build confidence
✅ Support from a speech pathologist or psychologist
✅ Patience and understanding ❤️

Let’s raise awareness and support kids who are silently struggling.

21/07/2025

17/07/2025

📣 AAC supports speech – it doesn’t replace it! 🗣️💬
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is designed to support and enhance communication, not to take speech away.

In fact, research shows that AAC can help children:
✅ Develop language skills
✅ Increase verbal speech
✅ Reduce frustration
✅ Build confidence in communication

Whether it’s a picture board, sign language, or a speech-generating device, AAC gives children a voice while building on their speech skills.

🌟 Every child deserves to be heard – and AAC is just one of the many ways we help that happen.

10/07/2025

📚 Speech Therapy for School-Aged Children 🎓

As kids grow, so do the demands on their language and communication skills—both in the classroom and on the playground!

Speech therapy for school-aged children can support:
✅ Literacy and vocabulary growth
✅ Understanding and using complex language
✅ Social communication and friendships
✅ Speech clarity and confidence in class
✅ Following instructions and classroom routines

Every child deserves to feel confident and connected at school. 💬 Let’s help them thrive!

10/07/2025

🧸✨ Pretend Play = Communication Confidence! ✨🧸

Pretend play isn’t just fun – it’s powerful! In speech therapy, we use imaginative play to help children:

🎭 Practice real-life conversations
🗣️ Use new words and sentence structures
😊 Build confidence in expressing ideas
👫 Learn turn-taking and social skills
💬 Explore feelings and problem-solving

When a child “cooks dinner” in a toy kitchen or “runs a vet clinic” with stuffed animals, they’re not just playing – they’re learning to communicate with confidence in a safe, creative space. 💡💕

08/07/2025

Reading & Spelling 📚✏️

Did you know? Strong language skills are essential for learning to read and spell!

👂 Listening & Understanding
Children need to understand spoken words and sentences before they can make sense of written ones.

🗣️ Vocabulary
A rich vocabulary helps kids recognise words in print and understand what they’re reading.

🔤 Phonological Awareness
Skills like hearing rhyming words or breaking words into sounds (e.g. c-a-t) are building blocks for spelling and decoding.

🧩 Grammar & Sentence Structure
Understanding how sentences are built helps children read with meaning and write clearly.

✨ When we support language development, we set children up for success in literacy!

07/07/2025

🗣️ What is Social Communication?
Social communication is how we use language to connect with others — through words, gestures, tone, facial expressions, and more!

It includes:
👀 Eye contact
🤝 Taking turns in conversation
😄 Understanding facial expressions
📚 Knowing what to say — and when
🧠 Adjusting language based on who you’re talking to

Some children may need support developing these skills. A speech pathologist can help build confidence in navigating social interactions!

💬 Every child deserves to be heard — and understood.