Pragmatic activities can be hard to practice in a natural way at home; it can often feel forced, as the scenario is within speech practice time, and not in a natural situation. That is why it is important to choose the right time and type of activities to get the best results. Here are some tips and ideas on where to start. Greetings and Salutations Many children have difficulty with greetings, especially children with Autism. This is … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2016
Sugar in food
About sugar in food The sugar in food can come from natural sources (fructose or lactose) or it can be added to products by manufacturers. Natural sugars have their place in a healthy diet but we still need to ensure we don’t over consume them. Added sugars don’t offer us any health benefits and we should try to limit them as much as possible. We easily get enough sugar in our diet from natural sources like milk and fruit and it can be very … [Read more...]
General Dysphagia Management
Swallowing is complex, and a number of issues can interfere with this process. Dysphagia is defined as difficulty or discomfort with eating and drinking. Dysphagia becomes increasingly common with age as a number of neurological disorders and conditions can cause a person to suffer from it. Common causes for dysphagia generally falls into one of the following categories, oropharyngeal or oesophageal. Oropharyngeal causes are often due to … [Read more...]
The Incredible Thing We Do During Conversations
One of the most amazing skills humans have within communication is not only that we are able to form such detail in the content of our speech, but also in what is not said. “When we talk we take turns, where the “right” to speak flips back and forth between partners. This conversational pitter-patter is so familiar and seemingly unremarkable that we rarely remark on it. But consider the timing: On average, each turn lasts for around 2 seconds, … [Read more...]
How teachers can identify language delay
A number of children start school with a language delay that has never been identified. This is quite common as language delay is not a physical disability, which is visible often on first seeing the child. Sometimes the first point of referral is from a teacher in the classroom as they see so many children so it is easier to identify the children that are not keeping up with their peers. Signs that a child may have a language delay The … [Read more...]
‘I love Language’ Valentine’s Activities
There are so many children that love getting into the spirit of Valentine’s Day and celebrating love doesn’t always have to be with a partner. There are plenty of family friendly activities to help share the love. Here are a few Language focused activities to help get the homework done at the same time: Love Story This activity is for working on sequencing of stories and events. All you need is a short Valentines story. It can be … [Read more...]
Mindfulness relaxation trial records ‘overwhelming benefits’ at Canberra school
A School in Canberra has implemented a Mindfulness relaxation program which has shown "overwhelming benefits" for their students. The program is a 10-minute guided relaxation session run every morning with the year three students at Giralang Primary School after they take a short run. The program helps students focus on their breathing and assists with focusing on the day ahead. Selima McAdam, 8, said the program had helped her to feel positive … [Read more...]
Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver – also known as steatosis - is most commonly seen in people who are overweight or who have diabetes. It is becoming increasingly prevalent in Western countries due to the increasing rate of overweight and obesity. How does it occur? If you eat or drink excessively, your body will take the excess calories and convert them in to fat. Some of this fat is stored in the liver cells. The fat in the liver cells can build up and if not … [Read more...]
Disability group calls for revamp of MySchool website
Speech Pathology Australia has proposed that the Federal Government should include a national “disability inclusion measure” on its MySchool website to allow parents who have children with a disability to identify the schools which best suit the individual child’s needs. This “disability inclusion measure” would aim to identify the resources available at each school and the skills each individual school possesses to accommodate for disabled … [Read more...]
Do you eat better when you are single or in a relationship
Food and the Single Girl Do you eat better when you are single or in a relationship? An interesting question. Not many people think of the sometimes drastic changes their diet may undergo when moving in with a partner. Having full control over your diet when being single may be a blessing or a curse. Such is a benefit of living alone — at least for me. Because I cook for one, I can make whatever I want and not let the scent of a toasting bagel … [Read more...]
