Like most children would be, 5-year-old Patton McCarthy was excited to meet the mayor of his town who was coming to his house to honor him with a proclamation. Patton practiced over and over, “Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor.” What is remarkable are those words that would come easily to most children, took years…
apraxia
COVID 19 Home School Tips From A Homeschool Apraxia Mom
While homeschooling information is always needed by some, the majority now are educating their children at home due to schools being closed to lower the spread of COVID 19/coronavirus. We appreciate the following article from Sarah Bonham, a homeschooler, to share what has worked for her children, one neurotypical and one with special needs, apraxia….
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…
GFCF For Autism or Apraxia
Your child isn’t talking on schedule, or perhaps has just received a diagnosis of autism or apraxia. You are probably on this page because either another parent or even a professional suggested a “trial” of gluten free, dairy free, or gluten and casein free (GFCF). The following information is regarding those that are not dealing…
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…
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…
My Quiet Boy
My Journey from Practitioner to Parent to Advocate Looking back on this journey, I recall the many times I heard, “he will be fine” or “just wait and see, he will talk when he is ready” or “he doesn’t feel the need to talk because you are talking for him”. I don’t think people were…
My Jack-Attack: An Apraxia Journey
“I had feared the worst with his diagnosis including apraxia and sensory processing disorder but he is proving to me that he is one happy, very smart, successful child. ” Anne Reed, Jack’s mom, studied Psychology at Harvard University and formerly worked in Neurology research at Massachusetts General Hospital. My beautiful, loving and active son,…
Apraxia: A Word That Changed My World
The following is the first of a guest blog series by members of the nonprofit Cherab Foundation. “When he got sick, it was hard because he couldn’t tell us what hurt or how bad it hurt.” ~Maria Apraxia… A word that changed my world, but it also gave me answers. It gave a name to…