Talking Matters

This week on our new blog:

Using pronouns and plurals

Using visuals with school aged children

Fun weekend learning activity

Check it out and don't forget to follow using the button on bottom right of screen so you don't miss out

http://blog.talkingmatters.com.au/

We were having some problems with our follow button on the new blog but that is fixed now so please visit http://blog.talkingmatters.com.au/ and click follow in the bottom right so you don't miss a post.

There will be six posts this week:

What is autism

using visuals

developing grammar

developing storytelling

talking with babies and toddlers

developing language with cooking 

More coming next week so follow and don't miss out

Our new post on using visuals with preschool children is here:

http://blog.talkingmatters.com.au/wp-admin/post.php?post=321&action=edit&message=1

Don't forget to follow on bottom right of page

The Talking Matters blog is moving to our new website. To make sure you don't miss out go to http://blog.talkingmatters.com.au/ and click the "follow" link on the bottom right to make sure you receive every post. 

While you there why not check out our other great features:

Areas of concern: This has information on: speech, language, autism, literacy, feeding and stuttering.  The specific diagnosis section has information sheets that can be downloaded on a range of topics such as speech and language difficulties, autism, Asperger’s, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, downs syndrome and more.              

Resources: this section has free checklists, downloads and newsletters 

Checklists: This section has checklists of what development to expect in children from 18 months to six years of age in 6 month intervals.

Downloads: In this section there are 20 different categories with information to download 

Our pinterest board has lots of great links to activities and ideas for children, parents, teachers and carers including information about play, language, reading, using visuals, therapy ideas and more.     

To launch our new website we are having an “everyone wins” competition. When we reach 500 likes in facebook we will add 10 new downloads to the “download” section of our website for everyone to download for free.  These may be information or activities on topics related to childrens’ speech, language and learning.  To enter you need to “like” the Talking Matters facebook page, then comment at the bottom of the blog article on the new website to let us know what kinds of resources or information would interest you. We will use this information as a guide to add the 10 new resources. Check the “downloads” section of the website for categories and ideas of the type of downloads available then add your ideas of what you would like to see.  Tell your friends so we can reach the target quicker!  

We are looking forward to continuing to bring you lots of interesting and useful information on kids speech, language and learning so don't forget to follow us at http://blog.talkingmatters.com.au/  

The new website is up and we are excited to share the new clean bright look as well as lots of useful and informative information with families and colleagues.    

To launch our new website we are having an “everyone wins” competition. When we reach 500 likes in facebook we will add 10 new downloads to the “download” section of our website for everyone to download for free.  These may be information or activities on topics related to childrens’ speech, language and learning.  To enter you need to “like” the Talking Matters facebook page, then comment at the bottom of the blog article on the new website to let us know what kinds of resources or information would interest you. We will use this information as a guide to add the 10 new resources. Check the “downloads” section of the website for categories and ideas of the type of downloads available then add your ideas of what you would like to see.  Tell your friends so we can reach the target quicker!  

Our new website has some great features. Here are just a few:

Areas of concern: This has information on: speech, language, autism, literacy, feeding and stuttering, including when to be concerned and what to do.  The specific diagnosis section has information sheets that can be downloaded on a range of topics such as speech and language difficulties, autism, Asperger’s, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, downs syndrome and more.              

Resources: this section has checklists, downloads and newsletters all of which can be downloaded for free.

Checklists: This section has checklists of what development to expect in children from 18 months to six years of age in 6 month intervals. It’s great for parents who are concerned about whether their child is developing as expected and for professionals to guide discussions with parents about the need for referral or assessment.

Downloads: In this section there are 20 different categories with information to download on topics such as: play, speech, literacy, autism, activities to develop vocabulary, grammar, concepts, as well as barrier games and speech games  to download print and play.  The “what to expect by age” category gives specific information about what to expect and tips to develop speech and language specifically for different age groups.

Our pinterest board has lots of great links to activities and ideas for children, parents, teachers and carers including information about play, language, reading, using visuals, therapy ideas and more.  You can also follow us on twitter to keep up to date. Our facebook page is the first place to find out about what is happening, share ideas and resources with other parents and find some great links to other useful information.       

The website also has information about our team, what we do, assessments, therapy options, costs and funding options so check it out to find out more about Talking Matters .   

We hope you are as excited about the new website as we are.

To all our followers, a new Talking Matters website and blog will be coming next week.  There will be no new blog entry today as we prepare for the new site.  We will let you know how to access the new site as soon as it is ready. Thanks for your support over the last few years and we are sure you will love what we have coming up.   

Talking Matters team   

ADHD is the most commonly diagosed physiciatric disorder in children and is thought to affect between 3 and 5 percent of children world wide.  ADD is one of the three subtypes of ADHD. So what are ADHD and ADD and what can be done to help children with this?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder where the child has problems with attention and hyperactivity. ADD (attention deficit disorder) is the term used to describe children who have difficulties with attention but are not hyperactive. ADHD is the term used when both attention and hyperactivity are a concern. “Developmental” means it begins in childhood and symptoms are present before the age of seven years.  It is considered a “chronic” condition, meaning that the effects are long term with around half the people diagnosed having symptoms which continue in their teenage and adult years. It is more common in boys than in girls.

Although there has been controversy about the diagnosis, cause and treatment of ADHD, most health professionals now consider it a true medical condition needing correct assessment, diagnosis and treatment. 

There are three types of ADHD: • Inattentive type (ADD) • Hyperactive/impulsive type • Mixed type

Signs and symptoms of inattention include: • Easily distracted • Missing or forgetting details • Forgetting or losing things • Switching quickly from task to another • Finding it hard to focus on one thing • Becoming quickly bored • Difficulty with organization • Finding it hard to finish things • Difficulty listening or processing what is heard • Appearing “dreamy” or “confused” • Difficulty following instructions

Signs and symptoms of hyperactivity include: • Fidgeting, wriggling, finding it hard to sit still • Moving around quickly, flitting between activities  • Talking quickly and/or nonstop • Excessively touching or fiddling with things  • Difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities

Signs and symptoms of impulsivity include: • Impatience • Blurting out comments without thinking • Showing emotions without considering the effect on others • Acting without considering consequences • Difficulty waiting and taking turns

All people show some of these behaviours.  In order to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD the behaviours must be having a significant impact on the person’s ability to learn, work, or maintain relationships.  Assessment should be conducted by a suitable qualified pediatrician or psychologist and must show that the behaviours have a significant impact on the person’s life in two different settings (such as home and school) over a period of at least six months.        

Common questions:

If I think my child has ADHD or ADD what can I do?  Discuss your concerns with your GP and ask them to refer you to a pediatrician or psychologist experienced in diagnosis or treating ADD/ADHD.     

What can be done to help a child with ADD/ADHD?  Support can include behaviour modifications, lifestyle changes, counseling and medication and often a combination of strategies is most effective.

How can I help my child at home? • Ask questions to your child understand their own distractibility and impulsiveness. e.g. Did you remember to stop and listen carefully? • Help your child with strategies:

stopping to think before answering

reading instructions carefully

listening carefully

reminding themselves to concentrate

taking breaks to move about when needed

What can help a child with ADD/ADHD in the classroom?

alert the student if there is something coming up which requires a high level of concentration

provide movement breaks between activities

place the student in a seat close to the teacher

keep the student’s working area clear from distractions

speak slowly and quietly to bring an impulsive student down to a quieter, more reasonable level

provide a ‘cooling down’ area for an impulsive student requiring some solitude to calm down

offer the student a separate desk if needed to minimise distractions.  Present this option in a positive way and allow the student to choose.

break tasks into short manageable parts.

give your student positive feedback for staying on task

provide fun activities to practice ignoring distractions. Put students into pairs, one of the pair must concentrate on a simple task (such as a puzzle, or dot-to-dot) whilst the other student tries to distract the worker in any way possible without touching them. Reverse roles, and see who can last the longest without getting distracted

teach your students that ‘fast’ or ‘first’ does not mean the ‘best’

use a visual of a ‘pause button’ or ‘stop sign’ to remind the student to stop and think

prepare cards with statements such as “you are working well”, “you stopped and thought” “you waited your turn”. Give these cards to your students when appropriate and allow them to trade for a small reward

have fun ‘stop and think’ activities. Ask your class a series of simple yes/ no answer questions. However, the trick is the students must wait five seconds before answering. If they answer in less than five seconds they are out of the game

For further information about ADHD and ADD visit:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/complete-index.shtml

http://www.psychology.org.au/community/adhd/

Talking Matters Team 

Between 600 and 700 children are born with cerebral palsy in Australia each year.  That is one in every 400 births or one baby every 18 hours.  So what is cerebral palsy and what can be done to help children with this?   

Cerebral palsy is the name for a group of non-progressive disorders of movement and posture.  “Cerebral” refers to the brain and “palsy” refers to muscle problems such as weakness, paralysis or poor muscle control. The messages from the brain may be sent to the rest of the body incorrectly, to the wrong place, at the wrong time or not at all.  This means that muscles may be too tight or totally relaxed or movements may be clumsy, shaky or jerky.  

Cerbral palsy is “non-progressive” meaning that it does not get worse, though some symptoms may become more noticable with time. It begins early in life and is permanent. It is not inherited, is not a disease and is not contagious.     

Most children with cerebral palsy are healthy and have a normal life expectancy.  They may have other conditions such as epilepsy, or intellectual, visual or hearing impairments. The muscle problems resulting from cerebral palsy effect movement and posture and this in turn effects daily living skills, communication and socialisation. The amount of impairment varies from person to person and while some have significant difficulties and need ongoing support, others may have only minor difficulties and be fully independent.  

Signs of cerbral plasy include:

Early feeding difficulties

Delayed development

Poor muscle control

Muscle spasms and involuntary movements

Clumsiness

Excessive drooling

Slurred speech or no speech

Stiffness or paralysis

Some common difficulties in people with cerebral palsy include:

Vision problems particularly squints

Hearing problems

Speech problems. These can range from having no speech to only mild difficulties. Speech problems are related to difficulty controlling the muscles in the mouth, tongue, palate and voice box. These difficulties can also effect sucking, chewing, eating and swallowing.

Spatial perception - Some children with cerebral palsy cannot perceive space and relate it to their own bodies.

Epilepsy - Epilepsy occurs in around 1 in 3 children with cerebral palsy and it is usually controlled with medication.

Intellectual or learning disability - There is a wide range of intellectual ability in people with cerebral palsy. Some have normal intelligence and others can have an intellectual disability ranging from mild to severe. This can be difficult to accurately assess in young children with movement problems. More severe movement problems do not mean the person will have an intellectual disability.

There are four types of cerebral palsy:

Spastic cerebral palsy means there is stiffness or tightness in the muscles and is the most common type.

Athetoid cerebral palsy involves uncontrolled movements when the person tries to move.

Ataxic cerebral palsy involves problems with balance and coordination. There can be problems with controlling the amount and timing of movements and with shaky or unsteady movements called tremors.

Mixed cerebral palsy is the term used when more than one type of problem is evident.   

Cerebral palsy is also described according to the parts of the body it affects:

Quadriplegia: all four limbs are affected and sometimes the muscles of the face & mouth.

Diplegia: all four limbs are affected, but the legs more so than the arms.

Hemiplegia: one side of the body is affected.

Paraplegia: both legs, but neither arm is affected.

Common questions

If I think my child has cerebral palsy what do I do?  Talk to your doctor about your concerns and ask to be referred to a paediatrician for a detailed assessment of your child. Following the assessment your child may be referred for therapy services to help your child develop the skills they need.

What kind of support does my child need?  Support needs vary from child to child so each child should be individually assessed to determine what is most important for them.  Many children benefit from physiotherapy services for motor skills, speech pathology for feeding and communication skills and occupational therapy for fine motor and sensory issues. Some children require support in the form of specialsied equipment and this is often provided through an agency such as Novita which specialises in supporting children with physical disabilities. Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy before the age of six can access services through the Betterstart program funded by the federal government which provides funding for children to access free private therapy services though registered providers.                

What causes cerebral palsy?  It is not genetic or inherited and it is not a disease.  It is not passed from person to person. Around 75% of cases are thought to be caused by damage or changes to the brain that occured prior to birth.  It can also be caused by damage, lack of oxygen or extreme prematurity at birth. The lower the birth weight the higher the chances of having cerebral palsy.  In many cases the cause cannot be determined.   

For more information about cerebral palsy visit:

Cerebral Palsy Australia

Novita Children's Services 

For more information about speech pathology services and betterstart visit the Talking Matters website

Talking Matters Team

Ref: Cerebral Palsy Australia

http://www.cerebralpalsyaustralia.com  

Children who struggle with various aspects of their learning and development are sometimes described as having “global developmental delay”.  What does this mean?

The term “global developmental delay” is used to describe a child who is behind other children of the same age in most or all areas of development. “Global” means that the child’s difficulties are across most areas of their development, including fine and gross motor skills, speech and language, social skills, learning and activities of daily living. “Developmental” means the delay begins in early childhood and affects the child’s progress though the expected stages. “Delay” means that the child develops skills at a later time than other children of the same age.

Delays with gross motor skills can include:

Being later to develop the skills of rolling, sitting and crawling as a baby

Being later to begin to walk

Lacking co-ordination with skills such as running, jumping and climbing

Delays with fine motor skills can include:

Being later to develop skills for craft type activities such as drawing and cutting

Being later to develop hand skills such as building with blocks and doing puzzles

Being later to develop pencil skills such as handwriting

Delays with speech and language skills can include:

Being later to begin to use words to communicate

Being later to combine words into sentences

Having more difficulty following instructions than others of the same age

Taking longer to learn new words and concepts

Taking longer to develop literacy skills

Using speech sounds, sentences and conversation which sound like a younger child

Delays with learning can include:

Taking longer to learn to understand concepts such as colours and counting

Being later to develop play skills such as pretending

Taking longer to learn and remember new information

Taking longer to learn reading, writing, spelling and maths skills

Delays with social skills can include:

Being  later to develop co-operative play with other children

Having difficulty maintaining friendships with children of the same age

Prefering to play with younger children

Taking longer to learn to share, take turns, negotiate and problem solve

Delays with activities of daily living can include:

Being later to learn to put on clothes, do up buttons, zips and laces

Being later to learn to use a spoon, knife, fork and cup

Being later to learn to brush hair and teeth independantly

Being later to develop toilet training

As all children are different, children suspected of having a global developmental delay require individual assessment and a carefully planned program to develop their skills.

Common questions

If I think my child has global developmental delay what do I do?  Child and youth health services are a good place to start. They can assess your child’s skills in relation to what is expected for their age and advise you what to do next.  A paediatrician or psychologist can provide a more detailed assessment of your child’s overall development. A paediatrician can also check for any medical issues that may be affecting your child’s development.  A specialised assessment with a speech pathologist for speech and language skills or an occupational therapist for fine motor and daily living skills is also important.  Your child should also have a hearing and vision assessment. Following assessment, therapy services can be provided to help your child develop the skills they need.

What kind of support does my child need?  Support needs vary from child to child so each child should be individually assessed to determine what is most important for them.  Many children benefit from speech pathology for communication skills and occupational therapy for fine motor and sensory issues. Providing a stimulating environment at home is also important as well as opportunities to interact with other children in a stimulating environment such as playgroup or kindergym.  Your child may also benefit from support at preschool and school and this is best discussed with staff before your child begins if possible.   

What causes global developmental delay?  Global developmental delay can be related to genetic disorders and it is more common in children who were premature or from a multiple birth, however often the cause is not known. An assessment from a paeditarician is recommended to check for any possible medical causes.

For more information about speech and language development and delays, assessment, therapy and ideas for helping your child check the Talking Matters Website.

Talking Matters Team

Often parents who bring their child for a speech assessment ask "Is my child just lazy?"  For example the child may say "tat" for cat. If the parent gets down face to face with them and says "watch me c- at", the child may be able to say "c-at".  This does not mean the child is just lazy when a few minutes later they say "tat" again. There are a number of steps in learning a new skill and the child is only part the way along. 

The first stage is called "unconscious incompetence". This means a skill is done incorrectly but the person does not know they are not doing it the right way.  At this stage the child cannot make the new sound and does not realise that they are not saying the sound in the same way as the adult.     

The second stage is called "conscious incompetence". This is when a person knows the skill is not being done correctly but they do not know how to do it the right way. The child knows they are not making the sound correctly but they do not know how to do it in the same way as an adult.   

The third stage is called "conscious competence".  Here the skill can be done with lots of thought and effort. This means the child can make the new sound but they need to break it down into steps and try very hard. The child above has moved to this stage when they are able to copy the parents model of the word. Adults may best understand this in terms of learning to drive a car.  This is the stage where you have the car moving but you have to think about each step, what you are doing with your hands, feet and eyes and you have to concentrate very hard.

The fourth stage is called "unconscious competence".  This means that a skill can  be done correctly without even thinking about it. This is when you can drive the car while listening to the radio and thinking about what you want from the shops and you do not even realise that your hands, feet and eyes are doing what they need to do. For the child above this will be when they can say the word correctly without having to think about it. Speech pathologists call this "transfer into conversation".  This means the child has learnt the new sound to a level where they use it in their conversation all the time without having to think about it, be reminded or corrected.     

When a child does not say a sound correctly they are not being lazy, they have just not reached the level of having transfered the sound into conversation. They are still in one of the earlier three stages.  This can be hard for adults to understand as we learned speech sounds so long ago that we use them easily, without thinking and probably cannot remember the time when we could not do this. 

Speech pathologists help children reach this final stage of saying sounds correctly by moving children through a number of stages.  They ask parents to help children practice at each of these stages because like any skill, the more practice, the quicker the progress.  Playing games and activities as you practice means kids want to practice more and so learn quicker. Using modelling to help your child be more aware of the sound in everyday activities also helps them reach the final stage more quickly.  

The stages for learning a new speech sound are:

1. hearing how the new sound is different from the old sound

2. saying the sound by itself

3. saying the sound with a vowel sound

4. saying the word at the beginning, middle and ends of words

5. saying the sound in sentences 

6. saying the sound in longer units such as stories or games

7. saying the sound all the time in conversations 

The Talking Matters website has lots of information about speech development and what to do if your child needs help to develop their sounds. 

Speech pathologists often talk about children’s skills in terms of “receptive language” and “expressive language”. What does this mean ? How is it assessed and how can parents help their child with these difficulties? 

Language is a means of sending and receiving messages to communicate ideas.  Speech is one way to communicate by using the muscles of the mouth to make sounds to send a message to another person. Other ways to send messages are though signs, gestures, symbols, reading and writing. Language includes all these things. The meaning of these is shared by the group of people who use the language. Within a language there are rules about how messages are sent and interpreted that people who use the language need to learn and follow so messages are sent and understood correctly.  Children need to learn the symbols (words) of their language and the rules (grammar) for using them.  This takes time and practice and is difficult for some children.           

Receptive language is about understanding messages from others. It relies on the message getting to the brain though a healthy hearing system.  The brain needs to remember the message and then interprete the message in terms of the meaning of the words (vocabulary), the way the words are structured in sentences (grammar) and the social context of the message (pragmatics).  

To develop good receptive language children need:

Good hearing (or an alternative such as vision for signing)  

Good attention and concentration

Good auditory memory skills

A range of good quality, age appropriate language experiences      

Children with receptive language diffiuclties may show:

Difficulty following instructions

Difficulty understanding the meaning of words and concepts

Difficulty learning and remembering new information

Difficulty listening to, remembering and understanding stories  

Difficulty understanding what they read

Difficulty understanding conversations

Difficulty understanding school subjects    

Expressive language is about sending messages. The brain needs to form the message using words (vocabulary), structure the words into sentences (grammar) and consider the social context of the message (pragmatics).  The child then needs a way to send the message using speech or an alternative method of communicating such as signing or symbols.  

To develop good expressive language children need:

Good speech or an alternative system such as signing

Good attention and concentration

An awareness of other people, the need, confidence and desire to communicate  

A range of good quality, age appropriate language experiences      

Children with expressive language difficulties may show:

Difficulty naming people, actions, objects and pictures  

Difficulty forming sentences correctly

Difficulty describing experiences and telling stories

Difficulty answering questions  

Difficulty with producing written work

Difficulty holding conversations

Difficulty with various school subjects    

Common questions

How can I tell if my child’s language is normal or if I should be concerned? Speech pathologists can accurately assess children’s receptive and expressive language skills.  Usually this is done using a standardised test.  A standardised test is developed by giving the test in the same way to many different children of the same age.  This means that when the test is given to your child it can tell you how your child compares to others of the same age.  As all children are different a standardised test can tell whether your child has real difficulties or skills within the range of variation that occurs amongst typical children. A speech pathologist can then interpete this in relation to observations of the child in real activities and information from parents, carers and teachers to decide if the child has a difficulty that requires support.

What should I do if my child has difficulties with language?  Speech  therapy sessions provide activities to target a child’s needs in the most effective way to develop their language skills.  Parents are also given activities to follow up at home and strategies for school or child care to help the child develop.  A team approach is most effective.

What can I do at home?  Providing a rich language experience is one of the most beneficial things a parent can do for their child.  This means listening to  your child, talking with them and reading with them as often as you can.  The Talking Matters "extras" section on the website and previous blog posts have lots of information about quality language activities for children.              

Talking Matters Team 

Children with speech or coordination problems are sometimes said to have “dyspraxia” but what does this mean and what can help ? 

Dyspraxia is defined as as "an impairment or immaturity of the organization of movement”. It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information, which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. It is considered a “specific learning disability” but it affects only specific skills and not all areas of development or learning.

Dyspraxia considered to be a neurologically based developmental disability which is present from birth.  It affects motor planning.  This means that although a child’s muscles are normal but the child cannot get their body to do what they want. There are three types of dyspraxia: oral, verbal and motor.  A child with dyspraxia can have one or a combination of all three types of dyspraxia. Children with dyspraxia can appear the same as any other child until they have to perform a certain skill which they find difficult.

Dyspraxia is believed to be caused by an immaturity of parts of the brain that control movement which prevents messages from being properly transmitted to the muscles of the body. It is estimated that around 10% of children are affected with around 70% of these being boys. Dyspraxia does not affect children’s intelligence and children with dyspraxia can have normal or above average IQ.  The difficulties experienced can have an impact on social skills and behaviour.

Oral dyspraxia affects planning and carrying out non speech movements such as blowing, sucking and making movements with the lips and tongue.  It can affect eating, swallowing and managing saliva.  Some signs of oral dyspraxia include: • Excessive drooling • Dislike of certain textures of food • Difficulty with movements such as blowing, sucking or licking 

Verbal dyspraxia or Childhood Apraxia of Speech affects the control and coordination of movements for making speech sounds. Children with verbal dyspraxia may show: • Limited babbling and lack of variety in speech sounds in very young children • Speech which is very difficult to understand • Inconsistent speech patterns • Difficulty sequencing sounds in words • Use of “groping” or “searching” movements with the lips or tongue in an effort to make sounds or words • Delayed expressive language skills, with more advanced receptive language skills • Compensation for poor speech by communicating with gestures • More difficulty in connected speech such as sentences or conversation than in single words

Motor dyspraxia affects the ability to plan, sequence and carry out movements to perform age appropriate skills in a smooth and coordinated way.   Children with Motor Dyspraxia may have difficulty with: • Fine and gross motor skills • Learning new skills and generalising these to other situations • Coordinating movements and organising their body in space • Handwriting • Daily activities such as tying laces and doing up buttons • Moving smoothly between steps in a task

Common questions

If I think my child has dyspraxia what should I do?  Oral and verbal dyspraxia can be assessed and diagnosed by a speech pathologist who can then design and carry out a therapy program to help your child develop their speech skills.  Occupational therapists can assess and treat motor dyspraxia and help chidlren develop skills such as handwriting and motor skills for daily living activities.  For more information on speech and occuapational therapy assessments see the Talking Matters website.

What types of treatment will help my child?  A qualified therapist will help you by providing specifically designed activities to target the skills your child needs to work on in the correct sequence.  They will also advise you about what to do at home to help your child. Generally early intervention is most effective and short regular practice of skills produces the best outcomes.

Will using an alterative form of communication help my child?  Sometimes children have very limited speech or are very hard to understand and so an alternative communication system such as signing or picture exchange is recommended.  Parents are often concerned that this will slow their child’s improvement but research has shown that this has a positive effect by reducing frustration and giving the child positive communication experiences.  The child will replace the alternative system with speech when they are able. Your speech pathologist can help you use an alternative system with your child if this is appropriate.                     

Further information about speech and occupational therapy is available on the Talking Matters website.     

General information about dyspraxia can be found at http://www.dyspraxia.com.au/

Talking Matters Team

Children with speech or coordination problems are sometimes said to have “dyspraxia” but what does this mean and what can help ? 

Dyspraxia is defined as as "an impairment or immaturity of the organization of movement”. It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information, which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. It is considered a “specific learning disability” but it affects only specific skills and not all areas of development or learning.

Dyspraxia considered to be a neurologically based developmental disability which is present from birth.  It affects motor planning.  This means that although a child’s muscles are normal but the child cannot get their body to do what they want. There are three types of dyspraxia: oral, verbal and motor.  A child with dyspraxia can have one or a combination of all three types of dyspraxia. Children with dyspraxia can appear the same as any other child until they have to perform a certain skill which they find difficult.

Dyspraxia is believed to be caused by an immaturity of parts of the brain that control movement which prevents messages from being properly transmitted to the muscles of the body. It is estimated that around 10% of children are affected with around 70% of these being boys. Dyspraxia does not affect children’s intelligence and children with dyspraxia can have normal or above average IQ.  The difficulties experienced can have an impact on social skills and behaviour.

Oral dyspraxia affects planning and carrying out non speech movements such as blowing, sucking and making movements with the lips and tongue.  It can affect eating, swallowing and managing saliva.  Some signs of oral dyspraxia include: • Excessive drooling • Dislike of certain textures of food • Difficulty with movements such as blowing, sucking or licking 

Verbal dyspraxia or Childhood Apraxia of Speech affects the control and coordination of movements for making speech sounds. Children with verbal dyspraxia may show: • Limited babbling and lack of variety in speech sounds in very young children • Speech which is very difficult to understand • Inconsistent speech patterns • Difficulty sequencing sounds in words • Use of “groping” or “searching” movements with the lips or tongue in an effort to make sounds or words • Delayed expressive language skills, with more advanced receptive language skills • Compensation for poor speech by communicating with gestures • More difficulty in connected speech such as sentences or conversation than in single words

Motor dyspraxia affects the ability to plan, sequence and carry out movements to perform age appropriate skills in a smooth and coordinated way.   Children with Motor Dyspraxia may have difficulty with: • Fine and gross motor skills • Learning new skills and generalising these to other situations • Coordinating movements and organising their body in space • Handwriting • Daily activities such as tying laces and doing up buttons • Moving smoothly between steps in a task

Common questions

If I think my child has dyspraxia what should I do?  Oral and verbal dyspraxia can be assessed and diagnosed by a speech pathologist who can then design and carry out a therapy program to help your child develop their speech skills.  Occupational therapists can assess and treat motor dyspraxia and help chidlren develop skills such as handwriting and motor skills for daily living activities.  For more information on speech and occuapational therapy assessments see the Talking Matters website.

What types of treatment will help my child?  A qualified therapist will help you by providing specifically designed activities to target the skills your child needs to work on in the correct sequence.  They will also advise you about what to do at home to help your child. Generally early intervention is most effective and short regular practice of skills produces the best outcomes.

Will using an alterative form of communication help my child?  Sometimes children have very limited speech or are very hard to understand and so an alternative communication system such as signing or picture exchange is recommended.  Parents are often concerned that this will slow their child’s improvement but research has shown that this has a positive effect by reducing frustration and giving the child positive communication experiences.  The child will replace the alternative system with speech when they are able. Your speech pathologist can help you use an alternative system with your child if this is appropriate.                     

Further information about speech and occupational therapy is available on the Talking Matters website.     

General information about dyspraxia can be found at http://www.dyspraxia.com.au/

Talking Matters Team

PDD-NOS is becoming more commonly spoken about;  so what actually is it?  How is it diagnosed and how can parents help their child with this diagnosis? 

PDD-NOS stands for “pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified”. “Pervasive” means it effects all areas of a person’s life and “developmental” means it begins in early childhood. It is  considered part of the “autism spectrum”, alongside autsim and Asperger’s syndrome. “Spectrum” means it can include a wide range of characteristics, abilities and challenges.  All people on the “autism spectrum” have difficulties with social interaction, communication and restricted or repetitive interests or activities. “Not otherwise specified” means that people with this diagnosis do not meet the diagnostic criteria for either autsim or Asperger’s though they share some traits of these.            A diagnosis of PDD- NOS usually results from a child being assessed for autism or Asperger’s and having significant social difficulties  but not showing enough characteristics to fit these diagnosis. As all people show some behaviours associated with the autism spectrum, people need to be having a significant level of social diffiuclty in their daily lives to get a diagnosis. The diagnosis is usually carried out by a suitably qualified and experienced paediatrican, speech pathologist and/or psychologist.          

Difficulties with social impairment can vary from being withdrawn and avoiding social contact through to people who try to interact with others but appear odd or inappropriate at times.

They may: • have difficulty understanding the thoughts and feelings of others • lack sympathy or empathy • have difficulty understanding how to behave in social situations • not understand the unwritten rules of social interaction • have difficulty with the social aspects of play with other chidlren • have difficulty using and understanding eye contact and facial expressions • have difficulty joining in with others and sharing toys and games • may prefer to play alone and may like to do things their own way • have difficulty taking into account the needs and interests of others.

Difficulties with communication can vary from people who have communication delays and disorders through to people who can speak very well but may have difficulty with the social aspects of communicating.

They may: • have difficulty taking turns in a conversation • dominate the interaction or get stuck on a favourite topic • be very literal and not understand more abstract meanings • ask excessive questions • repeat things that they have heard somewhere else such as on TV or in a movie. • not understand that certain topics are not appropriate in certain places or with certain people • may appear blunt or inappropriate • have difficulty with the nonverbal aspects of communicating such as facial expressions and tone of voice  use a flat or unusual tone or even sound as though they have an accent

Restricted and repetitive interests and activities can vary widely depending on the person. These behaviours may be present but less obvious than occurs in people with autsim or Asperger’s or they may not be present to any significant level.  Some other behaviours such as sensory issues or repetative movements may also be prersent but again to a lesser degree than in autism and Asperger’s syndrome.   

People with PDD-NOS may: • have a strong focus they have on one, or a limited range of activities • focus on a topic such as dinosaurs, transport timetables or ancient Egypt • focus on a certain movie, TV show or character • show an intense level of interest and spend long periods of time doing their activity have little interest in other activities not related to their topic of choice • spend most of their free time doing, talking about or thinking about their interest. • show unusual or repetitive movements such as: flapping, rocking, toe walking, finger movements • show repetitive movements with objects such as spinning, lining up, sorting, flicking • show sensory issues such as sensitivity to noises, smells, textures, certain clothes or foods.   All people on the autism spectrum have their own personality, and vary according to their intelligence level, family and cultural background. Some may have other diagnosis such as ADHD, intellectual disability or learning problems while others do not. Each person with autism requires support and understanding tailored to their own unique needs.   Common questions:   What kind of support services can my child access?  Children in with a diagnosis of PDD-NOS are eligible for the federal government’s “Helping Children with Autism” package.  This provides therapy and resources for chidlren under 7 years of age and medicare rebates for therapy services for children under 15.  In South Australia children with a diagnosis of PDD-NOS are not currently supported by Autism SA and are not currently considered funded students at school (unless they meet another funding category such as communication difficulties).     

What kind of help does my child need? Support needs vary from child to child so each child should be individually assessed to determine what is most important for them.  Many children benefit from speech pathology for communication skills, occupational therapy for fine motor and sensory issues and psychology for behaviour. All these professionals also help children to develop social skillls. 

How can I find out more? The Talking Matters website has information about the process of assessment for autism spectrum disorders and the Helping Children with Autism package.

Talking Matters Team

Children and adults who have difficulties reading and writing are often said to have “dyslexia” but what does this mean and what can help?

The following is the definition of dyslexia adopted by the Research Committee of the International Dyslexia Association in August 2002:

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterised by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary problems may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Difficulties with word recognition can result in difficulty recognising common sight words. This means that reading may be slow, inaccurate and lack fluency. Slow, inaccurate reading means that it is harder to understand what is read. Poor decoding abilities relate to a difficulty breaking down written words into sounds and blending those sounds to “decode” the written word into a spoken word. This means that as well as having difficulty with recognising whole words by memory, people with dyslexia may also have difficulty reading using a sound by sound approach. These two difficulties can also have an impact on writing and spelling.

Difficulty with the “phonological component of language” refers to a difficulty understanding the way sounds are organised to form spoken words. This then impacts on the ability to understand the way letters are organised to form written words. Dyslexia is therefore considered to be a language based difficulty. Students with dylexia may have other language problems such as poor comprehension, reduced vocabulary and difficulties with grammar and these can also effect reading and writing skills. As children get older much of their language learning comes though reading. As people with dyslexia tend to read less often, read less complex texts and have difficulty understanding what they read this can slow their langauge development.

Each student with dyslexia is different. Because dyslexia has a language base, a detailed assessment of language and phonological awareness skills is recommended in order to determine the patterns of strengths and weaknesses. This then allows planning of an intervention program to target a student’s individual needs and to recommend support strategies for use at school.

Children with dyslexia may show the following: • Reading, spelling and/or writing below their age or grade level and general intelligence • Difficulty hearing beginning and ending sounds, rhyme and syllables • Difficulty learning the sounds associated with letters • Difficulty blending sounds together when reading • Difficulty breaking words into sounds when writing and spelling • Difficulty reading and writing basic sight words • Reading is slow and effortful • Difficulty understanding and remembering what is read • Difficulty with grammar, sentence construction and punctuation • Difficulty with organisation and time management

Common questions:

If my child has trouble reading do they have dyslexia? Dyslexia is only one cause of reading problems. Reading problems can also be caused by language delays and disorders, intellectual disability or developmental delay, hearing and vision problems, emotional diffiuclties and lack of apprpriate teaching and experience. Assessment of your child’s hearing and vision is recommended to eliminate these as possible causes. If there is a concern about overall development and learning an intellectual assessment with a child psychologist is recommended.

Is there a cure for dyslexia? There is no “miracle cure”. Research suggests that the most ongoing benefit is gained from a phonics based literacy program that is structured and works through a logical sequence.

How can a speech pathologist help? Speech pathologists can provide a detailed assessment of language, literacy and phonological awareness skills and provide individualised support to develop the needed skills. They can also recommend strategies for supporting the student in the classroom.

For more information about how a speech pathologist can help your child with literacy check the Talking Matters website.

Ref: http://www.speld-sa.org.au

Talking Matters team

More importantly, you are what you think because of what you eat.

There is significant research about the importance of diet in the functioning of our brain. We have known for some time about the importance of Omega 3 fats and that we should eat more oily fish, but do you know what it is all about, really??

More than that, it is also about the effects foods have on our behaviour. Research indicates significant improvements for people who suffer from ADHD, depression, schizophrenia and so on, from simply changing their diet.

There are 5 essential foods needed to tune your brain:

Glucose – in the right amounts is the fuel which drives your brain

Eat low G.I carbohydrates, such as wholemeal and grain breads; 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables every day; rice, corn, oats. Avoid foods with added sugar. Combine protein with carbohydrate in your meals. (e.g pasta with fish)

Essential Fats – needed for the transmission of information in the brain

Eat raw nuts and seeds; seeded bread; muesli; fish, such as mackerel, salmon and other cold water carnivorous fish, 3 times per week. Avoid fried foods and saturated fats. Take Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplements.

Phospholipids – help us to remember better by enabling a “smooth run” for signals in the brain

Eat eggs; lecithin; cereals.

Amino acids – help send the brain’s messages

Eat “good” proteins, such as lean chicken, lentils, brown rice, eggs, yoghurt, tuna, broccoli, frozen peas, cottage cheese.

Intelligent nutrients – include vitamins and minerals for “fine tuning” 

Eat at least 5 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day. Eat nuts and seeds regularly. Choose wholegrain foods over processed. Supplement with a multivitamin and mineral tablet that includes B vitamins, folic acid, magnesium, manganese and zinc.

Many children eat very high sugar cereals for breakfast, such as fruit loops, cocoa pops etc. This produces a rapid influx of sugar into the bloodstream, but does not give long-term energy to the body, so by mid-morning, students are “starving”. Very often they have another high sugar food at this time, which repeats the cycle. This is why foods are now labelled with a G.I rating (Glycaemic Index, which means a ranking of the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose and insulin levels.) Low G.I foods keep you going longer and enables better concentration, as they release energy more slowly, thus causing fewer fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Long-term this reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

What you drink is also important to keep you healthy and your brain working at its peak

Water – the building blocks of growth, water is the transport system for nutrients and electrical impulses in the brain. 

Drink between 1 -2 litres of good quality water a day for your brain to work well. Brain cells require a delicate balance between water and the other elements discussed to operate.  When you don’t drink enough water your brain cells lose efficiency.  Years of research have found that when you don’t drink enough water you have more difficulty keeping your attention focused.  Short-term memory function and the recall of long-term memory as well as the ability to perform mental arithmetic are compromised when your fluids are low.  Avoid sugary additives to your water such as cordial.

This information comes from a number of sources, but it is interesting to note that many popular magazines on the news- stands have a focus on school lunches built around these principles. More information about G. I. can be found at www.glycemic.com or just Google glycaemic index for a host of available sites.

Talking Matters would like to thank Deborah Russell, Head of Student Care at Trinity College Senior for allowing us to share this information with our families. The information provided below was put together by Deborah for students of Trinity College but we thought it was so good we asked her if we could share it.  We have modified a few words to make this more applicable to our young families also. 

We’ve added a few extra websites and blogs here for you to look at if you would like more information on this subject:

http://healtheries.com.au/nutrition/childrens-nutrition/nutritious-diet-enhances-learning-in-kids

http://www.unilever.com/brands/nutrition/cookingandeating/articles/food-for-thought-child-nutrition-and-learning.aspx

http://www.007b.com/essential_fatty_acids.php

http://www.uncletobys.com.au/health-and-nutrition/balanced-lunch/

Talking Matters Team

Four and a half year olds are confident communicators. They are speaking in sentences with most grammar used correctly. They are using most speech sounds correctly and their speech can be easily understood. Here are some ideas to develop your child’s communication skills.

Four and a half year olds should be using sentences with most of their grammar correct. They can use conjunctions such as: and, then, so and because to join sentences together. They can retell simple, familiar stories by looking at the pictures in books. They can ask and answer a range of questions. Their speech should be able to be understood easily with just a few sound errors.

By 4 1/2 years children can: • use many action words (eat, sit, run), describing words (hot, big, red, mine) and position words (in, on, under) • follow instructions with 4 or more key words “put your shoes and hat in your red bag” • use sentences of six words or more words • use grammar words including pronouns (he, she, I, you) and verb tenses (is eating, jumped, will jump) correctly • use language to greet people, ask for things, refuse things, make comments and ask questions • understand and answer what, who, why and where questions • understand concepts including position words (in, on, under), size (big, little), number (more, lots, 1, 2, 3), colours and shapes • link sentences together in simple sequences with “and, then, but, because and so” (I went to the zoo but I didn’t see a tiger) and retell stories • begin to develop awareness of words, letters and sounds such as their those in their name

To help your child develop language skills

1. Use modeling to fix up mistakes. Children at this age are still refining the later developing speech sounds (/ch/,/ j/, /r/ and /th/ and may make some mistakes with blends such as “gr” in green or “str” in street. They are also developing the last few grammar structures such as irregular verbs (ate, fell, caught) and irregular plurals (mice, feet, children). You can help fine tune these skills by repeating back what they say and fixing the mistakes “he hurt his foots” yes “he hurt his feet”, “my wabbit” yes that’s your “rabbit”. Use a positive tone and emphasis the changes slightly to draw your child’s attention to the correct form. Repeat it a few times for extra practice.

2. Expand what your child does say by adding another word. You can help your child learn to use longer and more complex sentences by adding a word to what they say. “Mummy look a big dog” “Yes look a big, brown dog” Your child does not need to copy you. Just hearing what you say will help and they will use that new word when they are ready. If they do try to copy you though, respond positively.

3. Expose your child to the world of letters, sounds and words. Four year olds are beginning to become aware and interested in sounds, letters and words. You can help your child prepare for learning to read and write at school by developing this awareness.

Some ideas include:

• Talking about your child’s name by writing, tracing and copying it and talking about the letters and the sounds they make. Look for these letters and sounds in different places and in different words. • Playing with plastic letters, making letters out of play dough, playing with letter stickers or stamps. • Cutting and pasting letters and words from magazines and catalogues. • Looking at words in the world around you in shops, on signs and in books and talking about them. • Making a scrapbook and pasting pictures that start with the same sound on the same page. • Reading rhyming books and making up you own rhymes • Talking about long and short words and clapping and counting the syllables.

4. Try introducing some simple board games. Board games can help develop concentration and social skills like turn-taking. They can also be helpful for developing language skills and other skills such as counting. Try playing with a child and an adult initially then introduce another child to help develop cooperation, sharing and being a good winner and loser.

5. Expand your child’s knowledge using books. Four year olds can enjoy books with a true “story” structure and can “tell” familiar stories back to you from the pictures. Don’t just read the story, talk about how stories have a beginning, middle and an end. Talk about the way a story is usually about a character trying to solve a problem. Talk about the way a book works such as where the title is and how to turn the pages. Point to the words as you read and talk about them now and then “look at this long word it says…” “Look at this letter. It is the same as your name starts with”. Rhyme and repetition are still important at this age and help with learning to retell and to practice predicting what will happen next. Talk to your child about other ways that writing is used to such as in letters, advertisements, emails, message and birthday cards.

6. Help your child learn to link sentences together. Talk about things that you do that have a number of steps and take some photos showing the steps. Help your child to put the pictures in order and retell what they did. Try this with outings, craft activities, cooking, gardening or special events such as birthdays. Retelling in this way is good practice for linking sentences in writing later on.

Important tips for helping your preschooler learn: • Get down to your child’s level, play face to face with lots of eye contact and expression. • Start where your child is and gradually move them forward. Start with toys, activities, books and songs they know and gradually add new ones. • Follow your child’s interests. Watch what they like and use these to help them learn. • Care for your child’s hearing. Follow up on ear infections and ask to see a specialist if your child has more than three ear infections in a year.

If you are concerned about your child’s communication a speech pathologist can help with an assessment, advice and ideas to help your child learn. For more information visit www.talkingmatters.com.au