Lots of us at Child and Family Development wore blue and white for the first-ever Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) Day!
As a pediatric speech therapist with a lot of training and interest in helping kids with this diagnosis, it was an easy way for me to support my clients with CAS and CASANAS.
Some facts about CAS:
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Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder in which children have difficulty programming and planning the motor movements for speech.
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Top 3 characteristics of CAS: *Inconsistent errors with consonants and vowels, * lengthened pauses between sounds and/or syllables, and *Inappropriate stress on syllables and/or words.
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A licensed speech language pathologist is the appropriate person to diagnosis CAS.
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Early Intervention is crucial for children with CAS.
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Further information of CAS can be found at http://www.apraxia-kids.org/
Once again this year, I will be leading the C&FD team's participation in the 2nd Annual Walk for Apraxia in Charlotte on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Mark your calendars!
Hello Bloggers!
I’ve recently moved back to my home state of North Carolina after practicing speech-language pathology in Los Angeles, California for 5 years to work at Child and Family Development in Charlotte.
In my previous settings, I took on a strong interest in verbal motor-planning and motor speech disorders such as childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), dysarthria and verbal dyspraxia. I became PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Motor Phonetic Targets) trained 4 years ago and have been practicing the philosophy and techniques of this approach ever since! The PROMPT system has been used with phonological, developmentally delayed, dysarthric, dyspraxic, apraxic, hearing-impaired, autistic spectrum, and fluency disorders. The philosophy behind PROMPT is designed to integrate the most efficacious traditional and/or new approaches that augment, support, and enhance speech production interventions.
In treating children with motor speech disorders, I have also helped parents learn what to expect from their child when it comes to adequate speech production through all phases of treatment. I can imagine how frustrating it may be for a parent to hear a few simple words from their child for the first time only to never hear them again or to see your child struggle to produce new words.
Laura Mize, pediatric speech therapist, has a website with gobs of information for parents on motor speech disorders. Here is a link to one of my favorite articles called “Can’t vs. Won’t” focusing on a child that may demonstrate difficulty with speech production.
(http://teachmetotalk.com/2011/05/03/cant-vs-wont/)
Also, it’s a great website to peruse for early developmental milestones of speech and language and communication strategies for your toddlers. It’s also a great website for therapists as well with weekly tips for therapy ideas! Links below.
http://teachmetotalk.com/
http://promptinstitute.com/
http://teachmetotalk.com/2011/05/03/cant-vs-wont/
On May 2nd, I attended a TalkTools training! This course was taught by Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson, M.S., CCC-SLP and presented by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte. I left this course with renewed enthusiasm about the field of Speech Language Pathology.
This course focuses on the fact that there is often a physical reason for articulation issues. Sara teaches the importance of using touch to teach as well as on the importance of using resistance and repetitions to improve muscle skills (speech/feeding) through Oral Placement Therapy (OPT).
I came back to to my work at Child and Family Development with new ideas, resources, and a desire to learn MORE! I look foward to attending more TalkTools courses, using my new strategies with my current clients, and educating other professionals and parents about this approach!
To learn more about this approach check out their website at http://www.talktools.com
Child and Family Development therapists recently attended a great two-day course called A Dynamic Base of Support -- The Key To Enhancing Function.
The course was sponsored by Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association™ (NDTA) at Integrative Therapy Concepts near Charlotte.
It offered instruction and information about graded handling techniques and pediatric therapy strategies.
Among the therapists who attended:
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Mary Helen Bailey, Occupational Therapist
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Megan Bevington, Occupational Therapist
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Jessica Hoffarth, Occupational Therapist
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Michelle Pentz, Speech Therapist
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Courtney Stanley, Occupational Therapist
Looking for a social skills group for your child this summer? Check out Social Butterflies Club™ at the South Charlotte office of Child and Family Development!
Social Butterflies Club™, founded in 2004 by Rhonda Osisek M.S., CCC-SLP in Virginia, helps children learn how to interact with peers while having fun with sensory and speech activities combined.
Both an occupational therapist and speech therapist leads this club at CFD. The children in the group may have a variety of diagnoses, such as expressive and/or receptive language problems, sensory processing difficulties, and fine motor deficits. The goal of the Social Butterflies Club™ is to teach the kids how to communicate with peers in a positive way that allows them to thrive outside of therapy.
Each child is screened as part of placement. Clubs are formed based on each child’s communication skills, social ability and age. The Club meets for 1-hour sessions for four consecutive days. Several schedule options are offered this summer.
We will be offering some fun themes including Going on a Picnic, Fourth of July, Under the Sea and Back to School. The club will be led by speech therapist Michelle Pentz, MS, CCC-SLP, and occupational therapist Courtney Stanley, MS, OTR/L.
Contact Michelle Pentz, 704-541-9080 x214, mpentz@childandfamilydevelopment.com to register your child.
Click here for more details about the Social Butterflies Club™.
Click here for more information about the C&FD.
The Charlotte Observer recently highlighted a new resource for children with sensory processing difficulties. The United Cerebral Palsy Children's Center is opening a multi-sensory environment room.
The Multi-Sensory Environment Room, on Marsh Road near South End, is the first of its kind on the East Coast to be opened to all disabled children in the community, officials said.
Charlotte’s Easter Seals United Cerebral Palsy Children’s Center, which built the site with donated money, predicts as many as 300 children will be helped in the first year.
“The room is like being in a place where everything is in slow motion,” said Eric Bryant, a physical therapist assistant at the center. “By slowing things down, we let kids step outside the boundaries that restrict them and focus on one thing at a time.”
To find out more about the Easter Seals UCP Multi-Sensory Environment, please call Jeannine Carrington or Lennie Latham at 704-522-9912, or email lennie.latham@eastersealsucp.com. There is a fee for use of the room.
Click here to read the full article or check out The Observer's video below!
(Photos by Todd Sumlin for The Charlotte Observer)
Is the Multi-Sensory Environment Room something that you would like for your child to experience?
As a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist at Child and Family Development in Charlotte, NC, I work with children to improve many different areas of communication including articulation and phonology, language, fluency or stuttering, and voice.
What is voice?
Voice is the sound that is produced when your vocal cords vibrate together. The vocal cords are small muscles located in your larynx or “voice box.” These muscles open and close to let air in and out of the lungs, protect us from getting foods and liquids into our lungs, and give us voice.
What is a voice disorder?
A voice disorder occurs when there is a change in the quality of our voice. This change in quality is typically due to pathology or behaviors that affect the structure and function of the vocal cords. Children with voice disorders are commonly described as having a “hoarse” or “raspy” voice. A child may also experience periods of aphonia or loss of voicing, similar to laryngitis. If there is a chronic voice problem, these symptoms will typically last greater than 2 to 3 weeks at a time. Many different causes contribute to voice disorders and there may not be only one causal factor. Common causes of childhood voice disorders include:
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Harmful voice habits (e.g., yelling, throat clearing, coughing, screaming, harsh sounds).
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Poor water intake leading to decreased hydration
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Medications
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Infections
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Reflux
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Benign vocal fold lesions (e.g., vocal nodules, polyps, cysts)
Why is identification and treatment important?
Early identification of pediatric voice disorders is advisable because these disorders may progress to lifelong communicative impairments if left untreated. Voice disorders in children may impede their academic performance and their socialization in school. The majority of adult voice disorders are thought to begin during childhood.
How does a Speech Therapist help?
A Speech-Language Pathologist conducts voice evaluations to determine differences in vocal quality, pitch, loudness and other voice characteristics. A consult with an otolaryngologist (ear-nose-throat doctor) with specialty training in childhood voice disorders may be recommended. If a voice disorder is suggested, the Speech Pathologist can provide education on voice production and good vocal hygiene, teach voice exercises to improve vocal functioning and practice easy voicing, and help develop a home plan to improve vocal health and function.
If you have concerns about your child's voice or other communication skills, please contact our office to schedule an evaluation. Mention that you read about voice disorders on our blog.
RELATED POST: Tips on helping your child's speech therapy at home.
Looking for pediatric therapy services near Lancaster, South Carolina?
Child and Family Development has an office in South Charlotte that is less than 5 miles from the border and easily accessible from I-77 and the 485 loop.
Our multi-disciplinary clinic has been helping children and families since 1980. The team of experienced therapists can assess and treat a wide range of childhood concerns, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities or special needs.
We participate in many insurance plans.
The Contact Us tab on our website will link you to our address and Mapquest.
Did you know that Child and Family Development's office in South Charlotte is less than 5 miles from the state line and easily accessible from I-77 and the I-485 loop.
Our multi-disciplinary clinic has been helping children and families since 1980. The team of experienced therapists can assess and treat a wide range of childhood concerns, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities or special needs. We participate in many insurance plans. Also, some of our Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy providers accept South Carolina Medicaid.
The Contact Us tab on our website will link you to our address and Mapquest.
Looking for pediatric therapy services near Gastonia, North Carolina?
Child and Family Development has an office in South Charlotte that is less than 30 miles from there and easily accessible from I-77 and the 485 loop.
Our multi-disciplinary clinic has been helping children and families since 1980. The team of experienced therapists can assess and treat a wide range of childhood concerns, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities or special needs.
The Contact Us tab on our website will link you to our address and Mapquest.
Looking for ways to keep your child more active?
As a pediatric physical therapist, I use many different kinds of scooters to help improve strength, balance, and coordination. One of the more common scooters is the razor scooter, with one foot pedal and a handle. While many children would love to ride a razor scooter, their balance may not quite be ready to balance on one foot. A great alternative option is the Y-Volution Scooter. It provides a wider base of support for a child to rest 2 feet on after they push off with one foot, and can use lateral weight shifting motion to keep the scooter in motion. This scooter also has a handle like the razor scooter, and also has a hand brake like on a bike.
Any dynamic scooter activity can help a child with their balance, coordination, and overall gross motor skills...just remember to always wear a helmet!
If you have questions about if a Y-Volution scooter is appropriate for your child, please contact a physical therapist at Child and Family Development in Charlotte.
Opportunity knocks at the South Charlotte office of Child and Family Development!
We are making room for another pediatric Physical Therapist!
Visit the Careers tab on our website, www.childandfamilydevelopment.com, for more information.
As a Speech-Language Pathologist at Child and Family Development in Charlotte, I am always looking for new commercial games to play in speech therapy that are both fun and educational. Games are also a great way for parents and children to spend time together and practice good speech and language skills at home!
One of my favorite games is Puppy Pals Bingo by Cranium.
Manufacturer’s description: Match colors, shapes, and patterns on the bingo cards to the doghouses on your bingo board. When you make a match, place a puppy in its new home. The first player to line up three happy little pups -- up, across, or diagonally -- wins! It's three ways to match, three ways to learn. What's in the box? Puppy Pals Bingo includes 2 puppy figurines, 6 double-sided bingo cards, 30 game cards, and 18 tokens.
Recommended ages: 3 years and up
Puppy Pals Bingo encourages:
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Basic concepts
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colors
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numbers
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shapes
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patterns
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top, bottom, middle
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Describing
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Word-finding
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Turn taking
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Vocabulary
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Matching
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Memory
In addition to targeting these language skills, turn-taking games are great for motivating articulation practice.
Talk to your therapist about how you can use your games at home to encourage communication skills.
Child and Family Developoment is proud to participate in a Pediatric Spasticity Study with PMG Research of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Neurological Associates.
Please consider being part of this important medical research study evaluating BOTOX for the treatment of upper limb and lower limb spasticity in children between the ages of 2-17 years.
Contact Kerri Roberts, the PMG Clinical Research Coordinator, at 704-527-6672, visit www.pmg-research.com or ask your C&FD Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist for more information.
Child and Family Development has an office in South Charlotte that is under 20 miles from there and easily accessible from the 485 loop.
Our multi-disciplinary practice has been helping children and families since 1980. The team of experienced therapists can assess and treat a wide range of childhood concerns, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disabilities or special needs. Our core services include Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Child Psychology and Education. In addition, we offer specialty services, including aquatic therapy, feeding groups and social skills groups.
The Contact Us tab on our website will link you to our address and Mapquest.
We are just a hop, skip and jump away!
Looking for ways to keep your child more active? 
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