Speech What You Preach

10/18/2021

Pumpkins are the JACK-O-ALL TRADES this week in speech therapy.
Love this idea shared on her page! Today all my clients from all ages loved this idea. Let me share some ways we used the pumpkins!

🎃 I wrote articulation targets and we practiced. (Sometimes I wrote in my pumpkin and let them write it to help with engagement).
🎃 Attention to task (I was amazed at how many loved and was so attentive to this task).
🎃 Body part identification
🎃 Rhyming words (good visual)
🎃 Sentence formulation (I wrote the target and they formulated)
🎃 Direction following (allow them to draw)
🎃 Letter, number, and shape identification
🎃 Vocabulary building activities (great for older kids and my AAC users)

Just use a dry erase marker to write and anything wet to wipe off (Lysol, baby, or make up wipes.)

You can also give “homework” to practice with their own pumpkin!

10/08/2021

Let‘a talk “functional play.” Today one of my clients came straight into my room, opened my container of blocks, and just started playing. The blocks on the right are theirs and mine is to the left. Now, for those who are not in the therapy world, many times we see or write goals stating, “client will engage in functional play 3x a session, blah blah.” Or it may sound like “client will use a toy functionally 3x a session.” In our neurotypical brains these goals mean playing with a toy the way it “should be” played with. Blocks are supposed to be used to build with. I built a wall the way they were intended to be used where they latch together, but my client also built a wall. This client typically never plays, so me making them do it the “right” way seemed silly. Blocks are for building, we both functionally built a wall, they just look different. As therapists we stress play therapy, but when it comes to autistic children we suddenly try to teach compliance and functionality. I’m over it honestly. Therapy should never be based off of compliance. Also whose to say the rings on a ring stacker can’t be flying saucers or an instrument. Maybe the shape sorter is now a house and the shapes are people spinning around. We want kids to pretend play and expand their language, yet sometimes I find myself writing goals where imagination and creativity are smashed. I strive everyday to be better and do better as a speech therapist. This client will never know how much this moment impacted me.

10/02/2021

Let’s face it, many of us are consumed by our career/job. I love being a speech therapist and am very passionate about my kids and the services I provide, but I am more than just a speech therapist. I am a daughter, wife, aunt, children’s minister, minister, missionary, worship team member, bass guitar player, vision impairment advocate, church camp director, and the list could go on. What you do as your job is part of you, but it’s not all of you. I do spend time “off the clock” researching, taking classes, and investing in my career. With that being said I also have learned I have to take time to have a life outside of work. I praise the a lord daily for leading me in a career path where who I am can encompass his ministry through me. 💛

09/15/2021

08/18/2021

Yes!!!

Someone (a speech pathologist 😬) recently said this to me and I literally wanted to scream and pull out my hair! Instead, I simply responded by saying, “I DO want to give a child AAC because not only do I want them to have a way to communicate RIGHT NOW, but also I DO want them to be able to rely on it in the future”.

There are SO many positives to using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication- such as pictures or a high or low tech device) and it breaks my heart when I hear people trying to avoid its use for any reason (it’ll be a crutch, it’ll stop them from speaking, it is less than verbal speech- none of which are true!).

If you have a child who is not talking or has less than 50 words after 2/2.5 years of age- I would definitely recommend talking to a SLP about AAC!

08/09/2021

Let’s talk TRASH!
This past week I started with a new client and they requested to make Forky during the session. I chuckled on the inside because all I could think about was Forky shouting, “TRASH” (if you haven’t seen Toy Story 4, you must). Little did this client know my week and spirit felt like garbage. This craft became the therapy activity of the week where directions, sequencing, articulation, and all goals were targeted.

As I prepared for children’s church Forky kept popping in my head. Isiah 64:6, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Without Jesus in our lives, righteousness can not be achieved and we are no doubt unclean. All of those sinful acts need to be tossed in the trash so we can be made clean. I had the kids write all of those negative things and sins in our life keeping us from getting closer to the Lord, and we wadded them up and trashed them all.

Are you allowed to have bad days, absolutely. Are we suppose to dwell in our trash and filth, absolutely not. This week I am praying for not only a cleaner more picked up life, but one I can find joy even in the mess!

04/22/2021

Today I worked with a kiddo who was working on following directions and we were completing an earth day color by number activity. The picture was simply a set of hands holding the earth. The directions stated, “color 6: skin color.” I watched the child go through every single marker I owned in the container. When I asked if they needed helped they responded, “there’s no marker named skin color.” This particular child is very literal, but in this moment I found a great life lesson teaching moment. I grabbed this set of markers and presented them. I explained all of these were types of skin colors and they are all equally okay to use in their picture. They decided to use a different color for each finger which I thought was very creative. I love when the Lord allows me to not only do speech therapy, but teach big life lessons. ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

04/20/2021

Let’s talk language! I’m only 4 years out of graduate school and I remember people first language being the standard. I also remember getting VERY upset when someone referred to an individual as autistic. You’re not alone in this learning process, but things have changed so let me share some knowledge.

People first language: a child/adult with autism.

Identify first language: autistic child/adult

Autistic adults have emphasized they prefer identity first language, so we should listen. They have expressed that “a person with autism,” sounds like baggage they are carrying around. We cannot change the neurology of autistic individuals, it’s time to learn and accept. ♾

04/19/2021

“It can’t be autism, they are TOO SOCIAL”
True or false?
FALSE!!! So many people think socialization is like a light switch - it’s either off or on, you’re either social or you’re not. And that’s just not how it works. Plenty of autistic kids are social, want friends, have friends- all the things. And in fact, many autistic kids are viewed as a little TOO social or too friendly- because they enjoy socializing while not recognizing the unwritten social rules. This can also put autistic kids at risk of abuse and being taken advantage of because they crave social attention, over share personal information, and are often too trusting of strangers/adults in general. So next time someone mentions the word autism- just remember “too social for autism” isn’t a thing 🌈❤️♾

04/18/2021

Let’s talk puzzle pieces. I have completed a deep cleaning of tossing out all my puzzle piece apparel and accessories. It may sound excessive to some, but when I listen and know better I try to taken action and do better. Within the last 3 months I have been DEEP into social media accounts of autistic adults. I wanted to share what I have learned.

The puzzle piece is typically used to promote autism awareness. Autistic adults are wanting people to move past awareness and move toward acceptance.

The puzzle piece and phrase, “till all the pieces fit,” are frowned upon in the autism community. They have stated they are not something to be solved or “fixed.”

The infinity symbol is used to signify the spectrum is not linear. It signifies acceptance.

I am not autistic, but am trying my best to serve as an advocate. I still have a ton to learn. With this statement, if an autistic individual wants to use the puzzle piece this is 100% okay and acceptable. They get the final say in their lives, we don’t. It’s our job to listen, learn, and not get stuck in our “typical/normal” ways.

04/06/2021

Let’s talk neurodiversity! Neurodiversity can be applied to autism, ADHD, OCD, dyslexia, etc. Since this month is autism acceptance month I wanted to focus on this term because I firmly believe just because someone is different doesn’t mean we should teach or try to make an individual “more normal,” whatever normal is these days. Neurodiversity helps to focus on inclusion and emphasis the concept of individuals may need support or accommodations; however, they do not need to be “cured” or made “neurotypical.” Let’s continue to celebrate everyone’s differences!

04/02/2021

April kicks off autism ACCEPTANCE month! Yes, of course awareness is important;however, accepting the autism community is long overdue. I will be sharing all kinds of information throughout this month that I have learned through trainings and listening to the autistic community. ♾

Just for clarification, I am a speech therapist trying to help advocate and become a bridge for others to gain knowledge that is always changing. My goal is to spread acceptance, love, and kindness. 💛♾