Cold Spring Speech Therapy

Cold Spring Speech Therapy Empathetic, neurodiversity-affirming private speech/language therapy in New York State

Comment “CONNECT” to register for our FREE TRAINING!Attention parents! I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting a FREE v...
10/09/2024

Comment “CONNECT” to register for our FREE TRAINING!
Attention parents! I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting a FREE virtual parent training on Autistic language on October 15th through my practice, Cold Spring Speech Therapy! This is a topic that I’m deeply passionate about, and I can’t wait to help parents learn more about it. This training is for anyone whose child:
➜ Repeats the same words or phrases the same way every time
➜ Repeats quotes from movies, books, songs, or things they’ve heard others say
➜ Mixes up pronouns (such as saying, “Are you okay?” when they get hurt)
➜ Is “stuck” using only single words
➜ Has a hard time answering questions or repeats your question instead of answering it
➜ Seems out of context when they speak
Feel free to pass on the invite to anyone you think might be interested in attending!

DM or comment “CONNECT” to save your spot today, or register at www.coldspringspeech.com/training

Comment BASICS for a link to our latest blog post covering the basics of gestalt language! Think of it as a mini crash c...
09/05/2024

Comment BASICS for a link to our latest blog post covering the basics of gestalt language! Think of it as a mini crash course. 🚀

How is gestalt language development different than how we traditionally think of language (analytic language development)?

The stages of GLP is longer than it is for analytic language learners, who only need to progress through 4 stages. Gestalt language learners have two extra stages of language development to go through. Some may progress quickly, while others may get stuck in those early stages (a sign you may need a GLP-trained SLP!).

Remember that GLP is a framework and not all individuals will follow these stages exactly. As your child progresses through these stages, you'll notice them shift from relying on scripted phrases to using individual words more flexibly and creating brand new, original ideas.

Check out our new blog post where we talk about the basics of Gestalt Language Processing. ♾️
09/05/2024

Check out our new blog post where we talk about the basics of Gestalt Language Processing. ♾️

Is your child a GLP? Learn about this unique language acquisition style and how it can impact autistic communication. Gain insights and strategies to support your child's development, and find out when you should seek out a speech-language pathologist (SLP).

Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month with us! This month, we’re focusing on creating a world where Autistic individuals fee...
04/08/2024

Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month with us!

This month, we’re focusing on creating a world where Autistic individuals feel valued and understood.

Previously known as Autism Awareness Month, this shift in name represents not just the need to be *aware* of Autistic individuals, but also the *acceptance* of their valuable role in our world. Historically, Autistic people have been expected to conform to neurotypical norms (such as forcing them to engage in eye contact, stop flapping, and ultimately mask their true selves). Let’s embrace neurodiversity and create a world where everyone feels valued and understood.

➡️ Want to learn more? We’ll be sharing resources all month long to help you understand and support autistic people.

Is my child saying enough words? 🤔The following numbers are averages, which tell us what 50% of children are doing at a ...
10/17/2023

Is my child saying enough words? 🤔

The following numbers are averages, which tell us what 50% of children are doing at a given age. These averages are based on neurotypical language development. Your child’s language may or may not follow this path.

SLPs often use these averages to determine whether therapy is needed. This may mean some children get more support than they need, but it also prevents children who truly need help from falling through the cracks.

An experienced SLP can help you to understand the nuances of your child’s communication differences.

12 months: 2-6 words (other than mama and dada)
15 months: 10 words
18 months: 50 words
24 months: 200-300 words, 2 word combinations 30 months: 450 words 36 months: 1,000+ words, 3 word combinations

How do you know if it’s time for a speech-language evaluation? The bottom line is: if your child is often frustrated because they can’t communicate their needs & ideas, that’s a strong indicator that you should get a speech-language evaluation done.

BUT if you’re not sure... just schedule a free consultation! We can talk over options and decide what is best for your family.



LANGUAGE TIP: IMITATE AND EXPANDFor this strategy, our goal is to affirm/repeat what they're already saying, and then gi...
10/11/2023

LANGUAGE TIP: IMITATE AND EXPAND

For this strategy, our goal is to affirm/repeat what they're already saying, and then give them new language models to learn from. Take a look at some examples of how to imitate and expand your child’s words:

⭐️ "dog" ➡ "Yes, a fluffy dog," "Look, a brown dog."
⭐️ "ball" ➡ "You caught the red ball," "Let's kick the ball."
⭐️ "hungry" ➡ "I see you're hungry. What would you like to eat?" "It's snack time; you must be hungry."
⭐️ "happy" ➡ "You look so happy when you play with your favorite toy," "I'm so happy!"

The good news is this strategy works for both analytic language (above) and gestalt language. With gestalt language processors, we repeat what they said and expand by producing the sentence you think they are trying to use:

⭐️ "Are you hungry?" ➡ "Are you hungry? Wanna eat?"
⭐️ "You're banished!" ➡ "You're banished! Stop that!"
⭐️ "The wheels on the bus go round and round" ➡ "The wheels on the bus! Yes, it's time for school!"

Communicating with your child in this way will strengthen your relationship, enrich their language, and nurture their creativity!



Mr. Rogers understood the essence of childhood like no other. He knew that play isn't just fun; it is an essential part ...
10/04/2023

Mr. Rogers understood the essence of childhood like no other. He knew that play isn't just fun; it is an essential part of a child's growth.

Play shouldn't be just a reward for hard work; it should be an integral part of the journey! In a world where kids are inundated with structured learning from an early age, we need to remember to give them the freedom to explore life through play. Children learn so many important things through open-ended play activities like LEGOs, dress-up, cooking, and cars.

Why Play Matters:
🌟 Enhances vocabulary
🌈 Sparks imagination
🤝 Builds social skills
📚 Develops storytelling skills
🙌 Boosts Confidence

Bubbles are a timeless hit with my clients and my own son. 🫧 What is your favorite way to play with your child?


Language Tip for Parents: less is more when it comes to questions. 💭Parents are often excited for their children to comm...
09/22/2023

Language Tip for Parents: less is more when it comes to questions. 💭

Parents are often excited for their children to communicate, so they ask lots of questions to try to engage them. Throwing so many questions their way can make toddlers feel like they're in the spotlight, which can lead to a bit of performance anxiety. So, let's try a more relaxed approach!

✨ Use statements instead of questions.
Instead of:
Are you playing with the ball?
Is that your doll?
What color is that?

Try:
I see you playing with the ball! It’s bouncing!
Your doll looks hungry! Let’s feed him.
Look at that green tree! It’s so big!

✨ Try using the 3:1 strategy during playtime. For every 1 question you ask, follow it up with 3 statements. This not only takes off the pressure but also creates a comfortable space for them to express themselves at their own pace.

If you take the pressure off by using more statements instead of questions, you may be surprised to see what (and how much!) language comes out of your kid! Ready to try it out? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!




Cold Spring Speech Therapy is an empathetic and neurodiversity-affirming private practice providing speech and language ...
09/13/2023

Cold Spring Speech Therapy is an empathetic and neurodiversity-affirming private practice providing speech and language therapy services to children and adults in New York State. We believe that meaningful communication starts with authentic connection.

In-person services are available in Cold Spring, Beacon, and the surrounding areas of Northern Westchester and the Hudson Valley; teletherapy services are available throughout NYS. Specialties include gestalt language/echolalia, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), play-based learning, and supporting autistic communicators. Contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation.

Address

Cold Spring, NY
10516

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cold Spring Speech Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Cold Spring Speech Therapy:

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram