All Entries in the "Expressive" Category

Beyond Colors, Letters, and Numbers….. Expanding Your Child’s Vocabulary

I recently read on a parenting board that I frequently visit that a child’s SLP advised a mother not to praise her child for knowing his shapes, colors, letters, and numbers.  This mom was bewildered because #1, they had spent lots of time learning those things when she was pregnant and on bedrest with twins and couldn’t do lots of physical [...]

A Little Frustration CAN Go A Long Way …..Using Sabotage And Withholding Effectively to Entice Your Toddler To Talk

As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to see your child suffer when he’s frustrated.  This seems to be especially true when that frustration revolves around communication, or the lack of it.  
However, as an SLP, I sometimes want a child to be frustrated.  I often purposefully set up situations like this during therapy sessions because I think it might make a kid try a little harder.  Actually I know it [...]

Using “Shortened Speech” with Toddlers in Daycare

Last week I received an e-mail from a reader and would like to share her question and my response.

“…….. I work at a child care center… I am hoping you can help me or give me some direction on finding tips for talking with toddlers.  I am trying to help the teachers in the toddler room realize how [...]

Using Sippy Cups and Pacifiers- Will They Help or Hurt My Late Talking Toddler?

This topic was originally written at the end of another post, but the questions and comments I’ve received via -email warrant a more lengthy discussion.  (By the way - If you’d rather send me an e-mail with a question or comment rather than post it on the site, the address is laura@teachmetotalk.com.)    
When I’m in a social setting and people [...]

Ear Infections & Hearing Assessments in Toddlers

One of the standard recommendations during the diagnostic process for a late talking toddler is an audiological or hearing assessment.  If a baby can’t hear, he’s not going to learn to talk.  Now with universal hearing tests mandatory at birth in the United States, very few children with significant hearing losses are missed at birth. 
However, your child’s ability [...]

Working Toward Intelligible Speech in Toddlers

“Now that my baby is finally talking, I can’t understand a word he’s saying!”  First we want them to talk, then once that happens, we complain that we can’t understand them.  This is a big concern among parents of toddlers, especially when you’ve waited longer than you expected for those first words.    
“Isn’t it normal not to understand what [...]

Making the Leap from Words to Phrases…. Tips for Helping Your Toddler Learn to Combine Words

Research tells us that toddlers with typically developing language possess a single word spontaneous vocabulary of 35-50 words before they begin to combine words into two-word phrases.  We should use this same guideline when deciding when to target phrases with children who are late talkers,  those with language disorders, and especially in children with apraxia, [...]

Successful Speech Therapy Strategies for Working with Toddlers with Apraxia and Other Speech-Language Difficulties

FOR TEACH ME TO TALK - THE DVD - STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS TO HELP TEACH TODDLERS TO TALK - CLICK HERE
I have received many questions about therapy techniques for toddlers (that is under age 3) with apraxia. Before I give you ideas that are specific to treating children with apraxia, I want to first outline what I [...]

Teaching Toddlers to Use the Words They Know to Change Their Worlds

“How many words can your baby say?”  To the parent of a late talker, this seemingly innocent question is the most hurtful thing anyone could ask.  New parents are often on a quest to see whose baby ”knows” the most. 
Many times expressive language is equated with intelligence.  As a parent of a late talker, you likely know that this is not true since many children [...]

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 [...]