Show Your Love
Looking back on the past year, many of us may agree that spreading love and appreciation to our friends and family can truly make a difference! We believe “the little things” can truly leave a wonderful impact on others. Heading into this Valentine’s day, the speech therapists at Pediatric Interactions wanted to share some ways you and your family can spread the love and appreciation to those closest to you - all while teaching the meaning behind love and kindness to your little ones…..
Let It Snow...
We’re deep into winter now, and that means lots of snow heading our way! I actually LOVE the snow and there are so many fun and cool activities you can do with snow to help kids engage and learn! For some, you don’t even have to go outside! Here are some of our speech-language pathologists’ favorite snow activities….
Get Rid of Sippy Cups…Are You Kidding?
A sippy cup is usually the first cup parents use to transition their child off the bottle. Don’t get me wrong, the thought of “no spills,” my child drinking early by herself, and the convenience of traveling with a cup is a dream come true. That’s why sippy cups were invented and marketed to parents, not kids.
Winning Mealtime Battles
For many of us, mealtime is a battle, one often we as parents lose. Young children have very little control in their lives, and unfortunately, two aspects they can control is what goes in and what comes out (potty training is a whole separate battle). Feeding; however, doesn’t have to be a struggle.
6 Steps to Transition Your Child to be More Independent
It’s never too early to start teaching your child to be more independent.
Tips And Activities To Work On Your Child's Speech
o celebrate Better Hearing & Speech Month, we will be explaining what it means to have a speech delay/disorder and sharing some of our favorite SPEECH strategies and activities you can use to work with your kiddos at home!
Reading with your Child
Language And Early Literacy Tips From A Speech Therapist
Did you know that March 2nd is Read Across America Day? Started by the National Education Association (NEA) in 1998, this day encourages children across the country to develop a love for books and, of course to read!
10 Things To Do With Your Kids This Winter Instead Of Screentime
By Anne Chapman MA CCC-SLP
Winter: beautiful snow, cozy sweaters, Hallmark movies, hot chocolate, holidays, and family. But it's also dark and cold, and everyone is starting to get cabin fever! It is sooo easy to default to screens.
This is true not only during the winter, but something that we do regularly. We are seeing more and more studies coming out about how screentime affects our children. The general amount of screentime recommended for kids above the age of two is 2 hours. And our little ones under the age of two should have extremely limited exposure to screens.
10 Classic Toys You Need On Your Holiday Gift Lists
“What should I get my kid for Christmas?” “What toys do you recommend for speech/language development?” “Do you think my kid needs.....?” Early Intervention therapists get these questions every year during the holiday season. You can promote speech and language with just about any toy (watch for an upcoming blog), but most of my favorites are the “classics"... These are toys I keep coming back to time after time. Make sure you have these in your toy box! Keep this list in mind as you shop this year or share it with family members who may need some guidance! You can find language opportunities everywhere and with so many toys. These are just a few that I use on a regular basis. Hopefully this gives you some fun, new toys to add to your kid's wish list or give you fresh ideas to play with toys you already have!
Brainstorming Ideas for Using Toys to Promote Development
Pediatric Interactions has partnered with Brainstorm, a local store to get gifts, specialty toys and teach supplies. Families often come into the store and ask for recommendations for toys that will promote their child’s development. Here’s some suggestions we’ve shared at the store.
November is Prematurity Awareness Month
November is Prematurity Awareness Month. Help Sarah and other families who have had children born early celebrate….
Celebrating Halloween and Pumpkins of Many Colors
October Monkey News: Halloween can be a fun time for our little ghosts and goblins. It’s also become an “Awareness” holiday.
Living with Food Allergies
Parents share their experiences and resources for living with a child(ren) with food allergies.
Dear Doctor Mom...
You have the most honored educational award, you are “your child’s expert”. It is your job to advocate and ask questions for your child.
How do Speech/Language Pathologists work with Dentists?
Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborate and work closely with a number of other professionals. While many are familiar with SLPs working with occupational or physical therapists, you might not think of dentists as someone we might work with. There are a number of reasons we might work together….
Game On...
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays over, I don't know about you, but I am enjoying a slower pace! Don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with family and friends and making special memories with my kids, but I also love the start of the new year and the "freshness" of it. What are your goals, resolutions, and/or word for this year? Remember last year I picked a single word for my year- SIMPLIFY. Overall, I would say 2018 was a success in simplifying different areas of my life. For 2019 I have decided that my word is CONNECT. I am hoping to spend more quality time with people, make time for more 1-on-1 time with each of my kids, prioritize date night, disconnect from technology more often and work on improving/maintaining the relationships with the people that matter most to me.
Building Language with Hot Cocoa
Fun winter activities are a great way to build your child’s language skills and build memories! With a single activity you can work on building vocabulary, following directions and target sounds.
What do I do when my child turns 3?!?!
Early Intervention (EI) services end the day of your child's 3rd birthday. Your child's service coordinator should have sent paperwork to your school district to start the transition. This process includes a transition meeting, evaluations and a meeting to develop an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) if your child's delays may potentially impact his/her education. Your child's EI therapists can help you with transition, participating in the meetings with you. Families can download the resource, "A Guide to the Individualized Education Program".