Mehnaaz Karim Speech Therapy

05/05/2025

🌟 Why Speech Therapy is Essential for Children with Down Syndrome 🌟

At Down Syndrome Support Breakfast, we know how important it is to support children with Down syndrome in every aspect of their development. One key area of focus is speech therapy, which plays a crucial role in helping children with Down syndrome enhance their speech, language, and feeding skills.

Children with Down syndrome often face challenges in language production and intelligibility, which can affect their communication and ability to interact socially.

Speech therapy helps children in these areas, boosting their confidence and improving their ability to connect with others.

We're thrilled to partner with Mehnaaz Karim Speech Therapy, where Mehnaaz is not only an expert in speech therapy but also a Certified Lactation Consultant, providing comprehensive support from breastfeeding to speech development.

💬 Reach out to Mehnaaz for support today:

📍 41 Estcourt Avenue, Wierda Park, Centurion
📞 +27 72 375 4008
📧 mkarimspeechtherapy@gmail.com
🌐 mehnaazkarimspeechtherapy.co.za
Let’s support our children on their journey to a brighter, more communicative future! 🌈
Mehnaaz, thank you for your support for our Down Syndrome Support Breakfast!

29/04/2025

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

Mehnaaz Karim Speech Therapy is here to support your child with Down syndrome in their development and feeding journey! Specialising in infants and young children with neurological conditions, genetic syndromes, and more, Mehnaaz Karim Speech Therapy provides expert assessments and management. 🧠 💬

Mehnaaz, thank you for your support for our Down Syndrome Support Breakfast !

Contact them at:
📍 41 Estcourt Avenue, Wierda Park, Centurion
📞 +27 72 375 4008
📧 mkarimspeechtherapy@gmail.com
🌐 mehnaazkarimspeechtherapy.co.za

Let’s support your child’s journey together! 🌈

01/08/2022

Today marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week 2022.

The objectives of which are to:

• Inform people about their role in strengthening  the warm chain of support for breastfeeding

• Anchor breastfeeding as part of good nutrition, food security and reduction of inequalities

• Engage with individuals and organizations along the warm chain of support for breastfeeding

• Galvanize action on strengthening capacity of actors and systems for transformational change

 

29/06/2022

Babies should always be placed on their back for all naps and at night. Research shows this is the safest way. Babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to die of
SIDS than babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides.

Sleep surfaces.
Use a flat, noninclined sleep surface. A crib, bassinet, portable crib or play yard should conform to the safety standards.

Sleep location
Infants should sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for at least the first six months.

Bed Sharing
The evidence is clear that this significantly raises the risk of a baby’s injury or death, however, and for that reason AAP cannot support bed-sharing under any circumstances.”

Bedding
Do not place any soft objects, including pillows, blankets or bumper pads, in the infant’s sleep environment.

Pacifiers
Pacifier use is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.

Monitoring devices
Home cardiorespiratory monitors should not be used to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Tummy time
Supervised tummy time should start soon after hospital discharge and increase slowly to at least 15-30 minutes total daily by 7 weeks of age.

Other recommendations
* Avoid smoke and ni****ne exposure — and the use of alcohol, ma*****na, opioids and illicit drugs — during pregnancy and after birth.
* Pregnant people should obtain regular prenatal care.
* Infants should be immunized in accordance with recommendations from the AAP and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
* There is no evidence that swaddling reduces the risk of SIDS.
* Physicians and others should model safe infant sleep guidance from the beginning of pregnancy.

02/04/2022

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day that encourages individuals to raise awareness about people with Autism.
Autism Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction, language and nonverbal communication, play and repetitive behaviors.

ASD can be diagnosed as early as 18 months of age and although there is no cure, research shows that Early Intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life.

18/02/2022

12- 15 months
The World is a source of amazement as your toddler learns new things everyday. Your toddler is learning to express themselves and you'll notice a maturity in their language development. This maturity also comes with frustration at not always being understood.

If by 15 months your toddler is not saying any words or understanding common phrases, then reach out to your nearest speech therapist.

11/02/2022

9- 12 months
As your baby gets older and more mobile, she is ready to explore the world by becoming more adventurous. She is now very curious and will investigate anything she finds. Make sure to model good language around said object as well as to assist with the investigation of the object, which will foster her curiosity further. You can also show her other uses for the object which will delight her further!

Seek assistance if by 12 months your baby is not babbling or using any gestures.

04/02/2022

6 -9 months
Your baby has been watching, listening and learning from you. She is now shouting to gain your attention too!
She has started to make many new sounds and communication is now fun! As your baby's understanding develops, she will be an active participant in everything that is happening around her. Her non-verbal communication like reaching, clapping and waving are starting to develop and she uses these to aid her vocalizations.

Seek assistance if by 9 months your baby is not making eye contact, responding to her name or showing enjoyment during play.

28/01/2022

3 -6 months
Your baby has learnt a lot in their first 3 months. They are now very social and they love being with you and having fun. At this age they get immense pleasure from smiling and interacting with you. Encourage turn taking by having conversations with her. Respond to every sound she makes!

Play silly games, or with toys that make noise which will encourage anticipation as well as babbling.

If at 6 months your baby is not smiling socially, turning their heads towards a sound or babbling then seek assistance from your Paediatrician or Speech Therapist.

21/01/2022

0 - 3 months
Your baby communicates with you from birth and each sound will have meaning, e.g. hunger or pain.
Watching how your baby communicates through sounds and facial expression are important ways to help her learn about language. Babies learn language through everyday experiences and this happens when you talk, play or read to them. It is never too early to start stimulating your baby's language development and you'll be amazed at the personality that emerges!

If by 3 months your baby is not visually tracking moving objects or responding to environmental noises then contact your Paediatrician or a Speech Therapist near you.

17/11/2021

Premature infants are at risk of developmental delays and disabilities. Early identification can lead to intervention and lessen its impact on the functioning of the child and family. Because developmental screening and surveillance is a process that identifies children who will receive more intensive evaluation or treatment, all premature infants should be screened ideally at 3, 6, 9, 18 and 36 months of age for developmental delays.

23/10/2021