- From birth to the age of five, language develops at a very rapid pace, but the age and the pace at which a child reaches each milestone of language development can vary greatly. If you are concerned about your child’s expressive or receptive language, you can contact our office and we will be happy to discuss your concerns.
- For children and youth, occupations are activities that enable them to learn and develop life skills (school activities), be creative and/or derive enjoyment (play), and thrive (self-care and care for others). Play is the media most often used in the Occupational therapist’s treatment of children. The act of playing is an important tool that influences a child’s life. The primary goals of childhood are to grow, learn, and play. It is often through play that children learn to make sense of the world around them. It is a child’s “job” or “occupation” to play to develop physical coordination, emotional maturity, social skills to interact with other children, and self-confidence to try new experiences and explore new environments. Recommended interventions are based on a thorough understanding of typical development and the impact of disability, illness, and impairment on the individual child’s development, play, learning, and overall occupational performance.
- Some signs of sensory processing difficulties are: • Overly sensitive or under reactive to sight, sounds, movement, or touch. • Can’t get “enough” sensory input: moving, bouncing, squeezing, or mouthing. • Difficulty with behavioral and/or emotional regulation. Easily overwhelmed (may result in overexcitement, meltdowns or shutting down.) • Has poor muscle tone, fatigues easily, leans on people, or slumps in a chair. Uses an inappropriate amount of force when handling objects, coloring, writing, or interacting with siblings or pets • Is clumsy, falls frequently, bumps into furniture or people, and has trouble judging position of body in relation to surrounding space. • Has difficulty learning new motor tasks; experiences frustration when attempting to follow instructions or sequence steps for an activity. • Avoids playground activities, physical education class, and/or sports • Difficulty learning how to play or get along with other children • Difficulty with everyday activities like eating, sleeping, brushing teeth or getting dressed • Problems learning to color, cut, draw or write • Difficulty transitioning from one activity or place to another • Challenges in school, including attention, organizational perception and listening skills.
- Please call the office and we will assist you in obtaining the required referral from your child's pediatrician. Once the signed referral is received we will call to schedule the initial evaluation
- An evaluation consists of a combination of standardized assessments, play-based assessments, thorough case history and parent interview. These are used together to create an individualized plan of care to meet the needs of each child.
- For therapy to have the maximum benefits consistent attendance is critical. Following the evaluation the therapist will let you know the recommended number of sessions per week and the duration
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- Birth-21
- The first few years of life are an exciting time of development for children. Here are some of the milestones that are important to speech, language, and communication development: Communication Milestones: · Smile between 4-6 weeks of age. · Look toward voices around 4 months · Pay attention to caregivers (e.g., mom, dad, babysitter grandma) and reach up to be picked up near 6-7 months · “Take turns” making sounds (usually cooing) and wave around 8-9 months · Point at objects (e.g., toys or lights) around 11 months, and shake their head “no” around 13 months. Speech Milestones: · “Coo” or make vowel-like sounds (e.g., “oooo” “eeee”) between 4-6 months · Make a single sound (e.g., “ba” or “ga) by five months · Repeat a single sound (e.g., “bababa”) between 7-9 months · Babble, or mix sounds (e.g., “bagabaga) around 10-12 months Language Milestones: · First word used around 12 months. · Use about 20 words near 18-20 months. · Use 50 words and use two-word phrases (e.g., “me up,” “more please”) by 2 years Milestones are only “rough” guides for development. Each child develops speech, language, and communication differently. “Normal” development is not set in stone. However, a concerned caretaker should contact a certified Speech-Language Pathologist.
- “Red flags” for speech and language development are signs that a child might not be developing like his/her peers. Some “red flags,” for speech or language delay include: · The child does not respond to his/her surroundings in the usual way. · The does not play with peers or toys in ways that other kids his/her age do. · The child does not use a variety of sounds or words. · The child does not understand (or respond) when he/she is asked a question. · The child does not follow instructions. · The child does not use words to tell adults what he/she needs. · Instead, lots of gestures or even tantrums are used. If a child is showing any of these “red flags,” contact a Speech-Language Pathologist in your area. If a child is not showing any of these “red flags” but there is still concern about his/her speech, language, or social development, you should also contact a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) for a speech and language evaluation. An evaluation is a great opportunity for a professional SLP to learn about what a child is currently doing and what a child can do. With this information, an SLP can help to improve a child’s speech and language development.
My child’s friend talks much more than he does. Is this normal?
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