40% of a typical 2 to 18-year old’s diet consists of “empty calories” (commonly known as “junk food”), and even in the remaining 60 percent of their diet, there are often roadblocks to gaining essential nutrients. Elimination and fad diets often prevent children from meeting daily requirements. Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added…
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I’m learning to speak, please don’t mind me while I eat
We recently saw an article about a family who was asked to leave a restaurant when their child with Apraxia made a nearby patron uncomfortable with his attempts at speech. That had us thinking… We previously created an information card to hand out while Trick-Or-Treating at Halloween. It’s obvious that parents need similar information cards…
How to use songs to stimulate speech
There is evidence to support music therapy, but you don’t have to be a music therapist to get the benefits of singing to and with your child. Your child doesn’t care if you are a professional singer, or if you are singing the right words, or making it up as you go. Singing can help…
20 Inspiring Children’s Book Quotes
All of us know the book ‘All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. That wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school. Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess….
In Memory Of Sophie Prunty
Sophie Rae died peacefully. The house is way too quiet. 25 years of love and memories to hold. ~Jody Prunty I first met Jody on a parent’s group and she stood out as a mom that not only had a great deal of knowledge, but also compassion and kindness. Jody has always been the type…
The Special Mother By Erma Bombeck
“She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a ‘spoken word’”. She will never consider a “step” ordinary. When her child says ‘Momma’ for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!” Erma Louise Bombeck (February 21, 1927 – April…
AI Brings Voice To Vulnerable Children
For children on the neurological spectrum, there is a 28 time higher risk than that of typical children for suicidal thoughts or attempts. Depression was the strongest single predictor of suicide contemplation or attempts in children with autism. Penn State College of Medicine researchers New Study Finds AI Can Detect Hidden Depression in a Child’s…
Visiting The Happiest Place on Earth With Special Needs
My son was diagnosed with autism at 5. My husband and I also fall somewhere on the Sensory Processing Spectrum and I unfortunately also passed my “superpower”, anxiety disorder, on to my sweet boy. I call it my “superpower” because anxiety has made me the most organized planner and organized special/different needs mother I can…
Scientists Create Natural Sounding Speech From Brain Activity
“For the first time, this study demonstrates that we can generate entire spoken sentences based on an individual’s brain activity, This is an exhilarating proof of principle that with technology that is already within reach, we should be able to build a device that is clinically viable in patients with speech loss.” Edward Chang MD…
Apraxia Mom To Apraxia SLP
For me, speech therapy is personal. Cheryl Rowan MA, CCC-SLP, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist When my middle son was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) in 2001, I was stunned. At that time, I was not a speech-language pathologist (SLP), so I didn’t know anything about this diagnosis, what therapy would look like, how my…
