All posts tagged: childhood speech disorders

Apraxia Monday but on a Talking Tuesday: Leslie Lindsay, Author of Speaking of Apraxia, Narrates Audiobook

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By Leslie Lindsay You guys! May has been a huge month for me. I am so grateful, honored, and humbled to have had the opportunity to record the audio version of Speaking of Apraxia: A Parents’ Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech. A Timeline of SPEAKING OF APRAXIA: When my first-born wasn’t speaking like other children her age, I worried. When her pediatrician said, “I think she might need an assessment from a speech-language pathologist (SLP), I gulped. Really?! Not my kid. Just shy of her third birthday, she was diagnosed with moderate-severe Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). What is CAS? Quick definition: a neurologically-based motor speech disorder in which kids know what they want to say, but have have difficulty organizing the movements needed for speech. It is not something kids outgrow, but requires frequent, intense speech language therapy, often for many years. I wanted a book. Few were available, with the exception of some graduate-level textbooks, a chapter here and there, a mention in parenting or child development book. I wanted a book …

DANA HALL, “apraxia MOM,” author, & THERAPIST talks about her children’s book, BEYOND WORDS, how it was inspired by a tearful trip to the playground, plus mindfulness, modifications, patience, and person-first language

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By Leslie Lindsay  Not every child communicates in spoken words; however, that hardly means they have nothing to say. ~APRAXIA MONDAY|ALWAYS WITH A BOOK~ KIDLIT  Now more than ever, we are leaning toward a changing landscape. Our world must focus more on kindness, inclusion, and acceptance. Because our daily life has shifted in so many ways—in how we socialize, educate our children, and work, it’s so important to be kind, and to show our kindness in ways that don’t always require words. Here, author, ‘apraxia mom’ and therapist, Dana Hall takes us on a journey that showcases the power of friendship, connection, and imagination.  I am so delighted to share this darling book, which just nearly brought tears to my eyes.  BEYOND WORDS is a must-have resource will compliment any home library, school, speech language program, or classroom. Through beautiful illustrations and thoughtful text, we come to understand the inner world of children that have differences others can’t always see. The writing is warm and holistic, supportive, and nurturing. My only complaint is, I wish …

Apraxia Monday: Excerpt from Chapter 8: What you Can do At Home

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By Leslie Lindsay This may very well be the chapter/excerpt you have been waiting for!  Get ready to be inspired to help your child with some fun, and practical speech-inducing exercises at home.  It may be the most fun “homework” session yet.  This comes from Chapter 8 of “Speaking of Apraxia” (Woodbine House, March 2012). This chapter is about learning how to help your child overcome apraxia of speech in a natural environment: your home and community.  Here are a few ideas to get you started:  Have a family game night. Traditional  favorites will do the trick. The speech payoffs here: turn-taking, counting, requesting, being a good sport, and other communication opportunities. Visit your public library. Let your child find some books of interest and then read them to her. Speech payoff: child-directed learning, introduction to new vocabulary, 1:1 time with you in which you are modeling pronunciation and articulation. You might even hear some sounds or word approximations from your child! Experience and connect with nature.  Speech payoff: identify and describe what you see, hear, and smell. Think holistically—this is more than just a walk in the park. …

Apraxia Monday: Chapter 1

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By Leslie Lindsay Welcome to the first installment of a series of excerpts of forthcoming, “Speaking of Apraxia: A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech” (Woodbine House, March 2012).  Here we begin at the beginning: chapter one.  You may have some suspicions that your child isn’t talking like he or she should; maybe you’ve heard of apraxia (CAS), but you just aren’t sure if that is why your little punkin isn’t chatting like all of the other children. Consider these scenarios: “Sarah, age 2, was a puzzle to her parents. She was obviously quite bright and alert. She knew the names of all the birds in her Big Book of Birds and would point to the cardinal, chickadee, etc. when asked. But she struggled to say even the simplest words.” “Jake was an active three-year-old who loved cause and effect, an engineer in the making.  He appeared to be a typically-developing child, with one exception: he was not talking. His grandmother kept saying, “Boys are late to talk–don’t worry.” But his parents were concerned. …