speechtherapy.space

07/10/2023

October is AAC Awareness and Acceptance Month!

AAC stands for “Augmentative and Alternative Communication” and essentially means helping someone communicate using any form of communication other than speech. Many people associate AAC with speech tablets, like an iPad. When speech is not adequate to achieve the child’s communicative purposes, a child must find a way to close any gaps (which is especially important as the child enters school). This may be through using sign language, picture books, or a speech tablet.

Reminder that our Speech Tablets for Apraxia applications are NOW OPEN!

We are excited to continue offering speech tablets for our apraxia stars in need! Parents/Guardians can apply online now, with applications due November 6, 2023.

Visit our website for full application details and eligibility requirements. https://www.apraxia-kids.org/speech-tablets-for-apraxia/

03/04/2023

Easter fever 🐣

03/01/2023

Couldn’t switch off my brain as I was hustling to finish off my eldest’s secret birthday cake. My boys are a beyond the stage but this could have easily worked as a game ⏱️ with the obvious benefit of nicking some along the way 😋

29/10/2022

🎃 biscuit decorating event done and dusted 🙌 Thank you .mt & & the kiddos and parents who joined us today!

27/10/2022

To support children with a disability, Gabriela and Radovan's initiative aims to invest in specialised equipment that will enhance the individuals' wellness and mobility. Help Embrace Diversity Organisation reach their funding goals so they can help children with a disability by visiting https://zaar.com.mt/projects/physio-room/

26/10/2022

Communication fans are highly under-rated. Print and laminate your fans, pop on a key ring or a string. And bam! You have your highly portable visuals at hand which you could use to support both & . They are incredibly easy to store too by hanging on a small hook for easy access for adults. I love using these in situations where fringe vocab is necessary to facilitate participation in an activity - such as our Halloween Biscuit Decorating event with .mt & this Saturday 👻 Happy 🥳

24/10/2022

LAST DAY TO REGISTER!

Celebrating month by helping you stock up on your 🎃 treats! Join speechtherapy.space & Biskits on 29th October at 2pm at Embrace Diversity Organisation for a biscuit decorating event for Children with Complex Communication Needs. Invite a friend, family member or sibling to join 🙂 Register your interest on: https://forms.gle/1aA8Gw3v2qhEhFBW6
Get in touch with us on speechtherapy.space for more information.

Booking is secured at a €5 non-refudable deposit via BOV Mobile or Revolut (99209608).

Price:
€12 pp (incl. biscuit decorating kit)
€10 pp for Embrace Diversity Organization clients

13/10/2022

Celebrating month by helping you stock up on your Halloween treats! Join speechtherapy.space & Biskits on 29th October at 2pm at Embrace Diversity Organisation for a biscuit decorating event for children with Complex Communication Needs. Invite a friend, family member, or sibling to join :)

Register your interest on: https://forms.gle/1aA8Gw3v2qhEhFBW6
Get in touch with us on speechtherapy.space for more information.
Booking is secured at a €5 non-refudable deposit.

Price:
€12 pp (incl. biscuit decorating kit)
€10 pp for Embrace Diversity Organization clients

21/09/2022

Beyond chuffed to be sharing this! speechtherapy.space launched its podcast channel with our Back to School released today!!! Give it a listen on:

Listen to Speech Therapy Space on Spotify.

06/09/2022

Tip #2 of our “Embedding intervention goals at home” series … coming your way.

Sorting is a pre-verbal skill that supports the development of language. It allows kids to develop linguistic organisation through play. It sets the way for vocabulary organisation later on in life … among other cognitive-linguistic skills.

You may have seen your Speech-Language Pathologist play sorting games with toys in the clinical setting.

Creating new routines to accommodate intervention goals is easier said than done. Don’t fret. Get your kids to help you sort out your laundry. Model/show your kids to separate the whites from the colours. Pair your demonstration focussing on key words such as “clothes”, [colours], etc. Be ready to jump in with gestural cues to support successful sorting. Be careful not to over-prompt.

You can take this activity one step further by categorising according to colour (white vs. red. vs. blue, etc.)

Happy sorting!!

05/09/2022

Don’t deny us our voice! A powerful blog written by a teen advocate. Follow Aditi on her Instagram (ig: writeaditi) and page - Small step big thought

Read Aditi's blog urging parents and professionals stop hesitating & provide autistic folks with alternative means of communication they need.

02/09/2022

Check out this snazzy app guide!

Make sure to consult with your Speech-Language Pathologist or Occupational Therapist before purchasing any apps.

In today’s world, we rely on technology more and more...but do you use it for speech?!

Apps (applications on tablets, phones, and other smart devices) can be used for childhood apraxia of speech in a variety of ways: staying engaged and motivated in speech practice, using certain apps to communicate their wants, needs, and thoughts, and motivate and reinforce their speech practices.

Apraxia Kids partnered with Penn State health to create a “Speech and Language App Guide” to help you find apps that may fit your needs!

Keep in mind, technology is always evolving so this guide is not all-inclusive and may contain outdated apps, different price listings, or be missing new apps.

Check out our FREE App Guide on our website! https://www.apraxia-kids.org/apps-for-kids-with-apraxia/

26/08/2022

.space introduces the Speech Language Therapist behind it all. Do get in touch for more information or to book a consultation.

24/08/2022

.space & .mt are cooking up a biscuit decorating event for children and young teens with Complex Communication Needs and their siblings. Get in touch with us to find out more. Let us know if this event is something you’d be interested in. We’ll include you in our contact list to keep you updated about this and similar events.

22/08/2022

Evidence-based practice is key in our profession. Yet making the time to read up and skill up isn’t always that easy when managing a full caseload.
space endeavours to make this a tad simpler for fellow clinicians out there. We present to you, the first in our series, Hyter’s (2021) systematic review of the literature available on the consequences of childhood maltreatment on social pragmatic communication.

10/08/2022

Following through on your child’s intervention goals at home may prove to be a feat and a half. Embedding intervention goals into your current routine is key to developing sustainable practices that support your little one’s developmental journey.

This series aims to present some ideas you might find helpful.

Episode 1: Matching (Pre-Verbal Skill)
a. Model matching mis-matched socks. Model the target words “same” and “different” in an animated voice.
b. Invite your child to match the socks. Provide verbal and social reinforcement for positive matches. Scaffold your child’s learning when you are witnessing some struggle.
c. Check for comprehension: “Which ones are the same?” A point gesture is enough at this point in time.
d. Elicit verbal expression. Perhaps via an expectant delay: “These are the … same!” “These are … different!” Apply verbal and social reinforcers when your child attempts to beat the prompt.

Each child will respond to these tasks in a different way and at a different rate. This is OK! Trust the process. Be patient with yourself and your little one.