Archive for February, 2008

Teaching Your Toddler to Answer Questions - Receptive and Expressive Language Delay Issues

Many toddlers with language delays have difficulty learning to answer questions.  Common problems include:

Repeating or the last few words of the question rather than answering
Answering incorrectly such as shaking their heads “yes” when you ask them a question with 2 choices 
Giving an off-target response such as answering, “Two,” when you ask, “What’s your name?”
Not responding or ignoring questions

By 30 months of age, [...]

Popularity: 22% [?]

Helping Your Toddler Listen and Obey - Improving Receptive Language Skills in Your Young Child

I have seen many parents and daycare teachers label toddlers as “difficult” or a behavior problem when the real problem is that the child doesn’t understand and process language as well as other children his age.  Parents sometimes overestimate what their child who is not talking is able to understand.  When I was talking about this with a good friend of mine who is a developmental interventionist, [...]

Popularity: 23% [?]

Social Games for Babies and Toddlers

I have received lots of questions lately from mothers of babies who have older siblings with language problems.   They are so concerned about providing the “right” kinds of early activities to target language in their infants and younger babies, hoping to “head off” the difficulties their older children experienced.  This is a valid concern for these parents.  Late talking and other language difficulties do [...]

Popularity: 26% [?]

Is My Child Apraxic? Answers to a Parent’s Questions

Apraxia is a difficult diagnosis to understand. First I’ll tell you the “official” definition, and then I’ll tell you how I explain it to families that are on my caseload. At the end, I’ll give you my best advice for treating apraxia and can send you in the right direction for additional resources.
Apraxia is a [...]

Popularity: 27% [?]

Why Can’t My Child Talk? Common Types of Speech and Language Disorders

There are between 3 and 6 million children in the United States with  speech or language disorders.  As a pediatric speech-language pathologist specializing in early intervention , I work with children between birth and 3 years of age.  When I evaluate a child, after confirming parents’ suspicions that there is a definitive problem, the next question is usually some version [...]

Popularity: 43% [?]

About Autism

The latest statistics are staggering.  1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism.  If you’re a boy, the odds are even greater at 1:99.  As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I work with families everyday whose lives have been changed forever by this diagnosis.   
There are many sites dedicated solely to providing information about autism.  The audience for this site includes families [...]

Popularity: 7% [?]

Early Sign Language Vocabulary

Here are lists of signs that I teach late talking toddlers and their parents.  Remember the following guidelines for choosing signs to teach your toddler:

Choose signs that your toddler can USE to make a difference in his world.  I always teach words for things he already tries to ask for first since knowing what your kid wants when he’s crying, grunting, and pointing [...]

Popularity: 40% [?]

Ditch the Bells, Whistles, Flashing Lights, DVDs, & ABCs! Choosing Toys for Babies and Toddlers

As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I am constantly on a quest for new toys to “WOW” my little friends and keep them engaged in play.  My grown-up friends spend their free time getting manicures, shopping for clothes in quaint boutiques, or scouring antique malls for deals to furnish and accessorize their fabulous homes.  Not me.  I spend most of [...]

Popularity: 23% [?]

Help! My Child Won’t Imitate Words …. Begin with Imitating Movements & Sounds in Play

Learning to imitate sounds and words is a critical skill in a child’s quest to become verbal.  Many children who are apraxic, or who exhibit motor planning problems, have great difficulty learning to repeat words.   Teaching a child to imitate words often begins with teaching him HOW to imitate.  Sometimes it’s easier to start with movements of your body rather than with [...]

Popularity: 12% [?]

First 100 Words - Advancing Your Toddler’s Vocabulary With Words and Signs

Now that your child can say or sign a few common words, you need to begin to expand his vocabulary to include different kinds of words.  Most babies learn nouns, or names of people, places, and things first.  Remember that your baby also needs words for actions (verbs), locations (prepositions), and descriptions (adjectives/adverbs) so that he can combine these [...]

Popularity: 21% [?]