Laura - 59/60 - teachmetotalk.com

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

February 17, 2008 by Laura 9 Comments

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... [Read more...]

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

February 12, 2008 by Laura 4 Comments

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. Teach a Child to... [Read more...]

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

February 12, 2008 by Laura 16 Comments

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... [Read more...]

Talking Before Speaking? Using Sign Language to Increase Communication Skills in Late Talking Toddlers

February 11, 2008 by Laura 13 Comments

Using sign language to help toddlers learn to communicate is the fastest and easiest way I know to reduce frustration in the entire family. When I got my degrees as a speech-language pathologist in the late 80's and early 90's, this was still a new... [Read more...]

Facilitating Words – Moving Beyond Grunting and Pointing

February 9, 2008 by Laura 2 Comments

The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I received from our "Ask the SLP" post. "My son is 18 months old and understands everything we say to him, but he is not talking with words yet. He mostly looks at us, will point to what he wants, and... [Read more...]

Questions about Late Talking

February 9, 2008 by Laura 5 Comments

A reader named Andrea posted this series of questions on Friday. Her questions are so similar to those most parents ask that I thought I should respond for everyone to read. "My 18mo son is not talking as well as my 4yo daughter did at this same... [Read more...]

Are My Child’s Language Skills Normal? Compare your child to the standards listed below.

February 4, 2008 by Laura 9 Comments

Age Ranges Minimal Expectations (If your child cannot perform these skills by the end of the age range, an immediate referral to an early intervention program or speech-language pathologist is warranted.) Typical Expectations (Most... [Read more...]

Parenting Styles to Promote Intellectual Success

February 2, 2008 by Laura 1 Comment

In Lise Eliot's great book What's Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life, she cited studies that uncovered the four features of parenting that most consistently relate to a child's future intellectual and... [Read more...]

Communication Basics

January 30, 2008 by Laura Leave a Comment

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS OF A TODDLER WITH LANGUAGE OR SPEECH DELAY As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I often get referral information for a child with the primary concern listed as “speech delay” or “communication delay.” These... [Read more...]

What Doesn’t Work – Unproductive Strategies For Helping Toddlers Learn To Talk

January 27, 2008 by Laura 11 Comments

Here's what I've learned, the hard way unfortunately, about behaviors that do not help babies and toddlers learn to talk. All of these are helpful for not only parents, but also professionals working with young children. Most of these are common... [Read more...]

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