Integrity Speech

A new report by JAMA Pediatrics featured in this Today Show piece shows some concerning findings about the effect digital devices may be having on the developin...g brains of young children (excluding AAC)looking specifically at language and literacy. Among the findings, kids with more screen time were more likely to struggle with words and took longer to name objects in written tests. Experts emphasize the importance of reading together, talking and singing, unstructured playtime and physical activity. To learn more about healthy popular tech usage, visit www.communicationandtech.org. See more

Did you know that young children often have increased ear infections due to the shape of their Eustachian tube compared to adults? Due to the shorter and floppier shape of a child's Eustachian tube, it often doesn't open when it is expected to - such as during chewing, yawning, and vocalizing - to equalize middle ear pressure. This can lead to a build up of fluid behind the tympanic membrane, also known as acute otitis media, and is the leading cause of hearing loss in developed nations and can result in speech delay. If your child has had multiple ear infections early in development, be on the lookout for signs of speech delay. Early intervention is the best intervention!

Limiting children’s recreational screen time to two hours per day, and coupling this with a good night’s sleep and sufficient physical activity, may mean better cognitive function.

"Oh you're a speech therapist? You help kids say 'R', right?" YES! Yes I do that and SO MUCH MORE! SLP stands for speech language pathologist, yet most people d...on't realize we focus on increasing language skills too! It's also important to know, a person does not need speech in order to have language! Find out the difference here See more

https://www.zerotothree.org//1289-language-and-literacy-sk This article gives some great, practical ideas for parents to help language and literacy skill development! "Early language and literacy skills are learned best through everyday moments with your childreading books, talking, laughing and playing together. Children learn language when you talk to them and they communicate back to you, and by hearing stories read and songs sung aloud."

This article brings up another angle to the common issue of screen time and smartphone use. This is a long article, but well worth the read. Occasional parental inattention is not catastrophic (and may even build resilience), but chronic distraction is another story. Smartphone use has been associated with a familiar sign of addiction: Distracted adults grow irritable when their phone use is interrupted; they not only miss emotional cues but actually misread them. A tuned-ou...t parent may be quicker to anger than an engaged one, assuming that a child is trying to be manipulative when, in reality, she just wants attention. What’s going on today, however, is the rise of unpredictable care, governed by the beeps and enticements of smartphones. We seem to have stumbled into the worst model of parenting imaginablealways present physically, thereby blocking children’s autonomy, yet only fitfully present emotionally.

Need some ideas on what to do to help your child's speech and language development? These practical tips are easy to do! Don't be afraid to turn any activity into a chance to grow your child's language skills.

5 Signs That Your Child May Benefit From Speech Therapy 1. Number of words: If your child is approaching 2 years old and is using fewer than 50 words to communicate, he may benefit from an evaluation to determine the need for speech therapy. 2. Understanding: By 2 years of age, most children should understand approximately 300 words. Parents can monitor their child’s understanding by giving simple directions, for example: get your shoes, get your coat, want more juice?... 3. Combining words: After your child acquires his first 50 words, he should begin to combine words when making requests. For example, your child may say, more ball, and my truck. 4. Frustration: Often when children are delayed expressively, some will exhibit signs of frustration when communicating, including tantrums, screaming and hitting themselves and others. 5. Play skills: Children showing difficulties with the acquisition of speech and language may also have difficulty with appropriate play skills. By 2 years old, children should begin to play away from their parents, and use most toys for their intended purpose. Parents, you may feel like you should "wait and see" if your child catches up with same aged peers, however, the most successful intervention is early intervention. Your child has no advocate other than you! Contact us today if you have concerns about your child's development. A quick screening will give us enough information about if your child would benefit from additional evaluation or if they are typically developing. 816-744-0556 www.integrityspeech.com [email protected]

Dyslexia or a history of ear infections may hamper a child’s ability to learn word sound structures, affecting development of reading skills, indicates a recent... study. Researchers from Coventry University in the United Kingdom observed 195 children, ages 810, including 36 children with dyslexia and 29 children who had frequent ear infections. The researchers tested the children for basic reading and writing skills and for how they used structures of wordsbased on their sounds and meaningsin both speech and literacy. After 18 months, the researchers retested the children and screened their hearing. Twenty-five percent of the children with dyslexia showed some form of hearing loss, despite none of their parents reporting hearing loss before examination. Children with dyslexia also struggled with literacy activities involving manipulating speech sounds (phonology) and knowledge of grammatical word structure (morphology). See more

Have you noticed your preschool-age child stuttering recently? It may not be time to worry yet! Did you know that it is very common for every child to stutter during their preschool years as their speech develops? Here are a few risk factors to be aware of if your child continues stuttering. If you notice these factors, continue monitoring their speech closely and give us a call with any questions or concerns!

More evidence that caregivers need to be active communication partners with babies from the start! Check out this article in Scientific American describing a recent study showing that babies recognize word meanings much earlier than when they actually begin to talk.

Are you wondering if your child's speech is on track? These speech sound development charts will give you a reference for when each sound is typically mastered. Contact us if you have concerns about your child's speech! Errors with a sound before the age listed are considered developmental but can be targeted in therapy if you don't want to "wait and see" if they resolve on their own.