Sign Language is an umbrella term, which refers to systems of Language that use gestures and signs made using parts of the body such as hands, to communicate a message. Sign language is most commonly known for its use amongst the deaf population. There are however, some types of sign language used frequently by other populations. For example, the Key Word Sign or MAKATON system is often used with people who have language difficulties such as … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2016
In a new study, salt made people eat 11% more food and calories
Many of us believe fat to be responsible for adding a lot of desirable taste to foods and making us crave more. However, research has indicated that this is not at all the case and that the taste of fat alone in foods is rather unappetising. So what is it that keeps us coming back for more? It is actually attributed to the salt and/or sugar that goes hand in hand with fatty products. Lately, researchers have taken a closer look at salt. Eating … [Read more...]
Premature Babies and Communication Development
It’s always important to keep a careful eye on your premature child’s development. But it’s also worth remembering that there’s a big range of ‘normal’ when it comes to development. Also, corrected age can be very useful if you’re worried about your child’s development. For example, if your child is one year old but was born three months early, her corrected age is only nine months. That means you’re best to compare her to babies aged nine … [Read more...]
Allergies News
There has been a lot of back and forth in the past when it comes to highly allergenic foods and when/if they should be introduced to infants. Some people recommend to delay the introduction whereas more recent guidelines have advised otherwise. Babies at risk of severe allergies should be fed peanut products before they turn one, according to updated Australasian guidelines. Taking into account recent research on allergies, which have more … [Read more...]
Noise Harder on Children Than Adults, Hinders How They Learn
From the cacophony of day care to the buzz of TV and electronic toys, noise is more distracting to a child’s brain than an adult’s, and new research shows it can hinder how youngsters learn. In fact, one of the worst offenders when a child is trying to listen is other voices babbling in the background, researchers said on Saturday at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Children and adults hear different things … [Read more...]
Peeling Vegetables: Is It Necessary?
It’s common for vegetables to be peeled before they are eaten. This is a practise that many of us follow on with from our parents and the way they prepared vegetables. If a vegetables has a skin, often it gets peeled – carrots, cucumber, pumpkin and so on. However, do we need to? Is the skin bad for us or could we be saving oursleves a lot of effort and waste by eating the skin? Considering we waste $8 billion of food each year, with the average … [Read more...]
Nasal Rinses
Flo Nasal Rinses: Nasal irrigation is a practice in which the nasal cavity is cleared of any excess mucous, blood or debris. The solution restores moisture and eases inflammation of nasal cavity, therefore swelling is reduced, making it easier to breathe. Nasal rinses can benefit people with the following Allergies Cold and flu Removal of pollen Deviated nasal septum Nasal polyps Dust and debris If your Surgeon or GP has … [Read more...]
Smoking and the mouth
Many people are aware of the harmful effects that smoking has on our health, however many people are unaware of the effects smoking has on the oral health of your mouth and throat. The mouth and throat play vital roles in our daily lives including breathing, talking, eating, drinking, chewing and swallowing. A smoker exposes their mouth to over 7,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. These harmful chemicals are contributing to common mouth and … [Read more...]
Nutritional Risk Factors For The Aged Care Population
There are numerous factors that place the aged care population at nutritional risk. Adequate nutrition is integral to maintaining good general health yet it is something that often gets neglected. This blog will discuss some of the more common concerns and how they impact nutrition/health and can lead to malnutrition. Poor dentition A significant number of elderly people will have had tooth extractions and therefore require dentures. This poses … [Read more...]
Resource Review – Marble Race
Like many of the games I find effective in therapy, marble run or marble race is another game with plenty of pieces, colours and shapes. These games are great as you can work on a number of different language concepts, teach turn taking or give each piece as an ongoing reward. Here are some of the reasons why I think this toy is great as a therapy tool for children working on communication goals: The range of colours and shapes makes this … [Read more...]
