NI Speech Therapy Tots 2 Teens

08/10/2025

Some families have been asking me recently how to best use and phase out using a dummy with their toddler.

It’s true that young children will make less attempts to talk when they have a dummy in their mouth and any attempts will be muffled because the dummy is restricting their tongue movements; so how can we use and work towards phasing out the dummy to best support our child’s speech and language development?
Have a look at this advice sheet from Help Kids Talk for some helpful ideas! 💡 💬

25/04/2025

Here are some helpful tips to help you to interpret your child’s communication to keep interactions going!

23/04/2025

Do you have a 15-18 year old with a stammer? Follow this link for some group therapy running this summer 2025 at the Michael Palin Centre.

Find out how to refer yourself (if you are 16+) or how to refer a young person here. The important stuff: The next course is: What people have said: “I could not have asked for anything more! This has been a life-changing experience for me. I feel like I have turned a page or maybe … Read more

06/02/2025

You’ll want to take a look at this website! This is Language Launchpad; a program with resources and activities to help you develop your child’s language and communication skills through reading together.

Language Launchpad at Oxford University Hospitals. Resources.

30/01/2025

New research suggests that parents’ use of smartphones has important implications for their child’s language development. You can read more in this article from Hanen.

New research shows how parental smartphone use may affect children’s communication development – and Hanen wants to hear your thoughts on this topic! Dive into our latest Wig Wag to see what the research means for families and for the opportunity to share your reflections. Visit the article page...

29/09/2024

This week’s Makaton sign of the week is glasses. A handy sign for any little one who wears glasses, or perhaps if you’re playing together with a Mr Potato Head toy, or looking through family photos together.

Learn a new word every week and be inspired to get signing. The sign for 23rd - 29th September 2024 is Glasses / Spectacles.

06/09/2024

Please share 😀
Parents and teachers; Here’s a you tube video clip about Buddy Chat, the new school video lessons to help school children become empathetic communicators with their peers with speech, language and communication differences.

Learn about Buddy chat and how to access this for your class

31/08/2024

Absolutely brilliant! This new school scheme of lessons called Buddy Chat is for children from P4 upwards and has been
developed by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists; Its purpose is to educate children in developing an understanding of their classmates’ speech, language and communication differences, and how to support them, day to day, in school.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/7Rf8j6jqn943fGwD/?

30/08/2024

Parents, carers and early years providers; many of you will be helping your young child with their sound development as part of your speech and language therapy goals. You may also be feeling like you want to start the new nursery/school term off with a new focus and some really useful and easy to carry out ideas to support your child’s speech sound development.
Here are some absolute gems of ideas to support their sound development and speech clarity; they are lots of fun and can be easily used alongside your child’s targeted home activities from their most recent speech and language therapy session!

24/04/2024

Here’s a great sign to use for any early language learners who enjoy playing inset puzzles and jigsaws!
Remember…
-always say the word and do the the sign at the same time.
-say the word with the sign lots of times as you play together with the puzzle, so your child hears it often and will begin to learn it.
-leave pauses after each time you say and sign the word; giving this extra time helps your child lay down new brain pathways for language!

Found on Google from youtube.com

11/03/2024

I know some of you have been learning and using some Makaton as part of our speech therapy sessions. Check out this link if you’re interested in attending this training course and developing your Makaton a bit further.

Still some spaces available for this workshop. It's an introduction to Makaton covering over 30 of the most useful signs and symbols to get you started. £20 per person.
To book email ahandtotalk@gmail.com
More information at www.ahandtotalk.com

29/02/2024

For anyone who didn’t see today’s This Morning, this amazing lady was on, sharing her personal experience of stammering and promoting her new book! ❤️

After filming videos of her debilitating stammer on TikTok, Jessie Davies is here to talk about how social media has rebuilt her confidence.