In the last blog post, I talked about early intervention techniques which can help young children with ASD communicate, when speech and language are delayed. Most children with autism will develop spoken language, however they may experience a delay of a number of years. This causes frustration and emotional distress for both themselves and their […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 006 / Segment: Super Special Question] A mother recently asked me the following question: “My son is 18 months old, but when I call my child’s name, he doesn’t respond. Shall I be worried?” To anybody else having this concern, I would first point out […]
Hello, and welcome to my latest post, where I’m sharing expert advice around the importance of playfulness training. I have been sharing posts about the importance of playfulness and using a theme inspired by, and rooted in, your child’s interests when playing with them. What is systematic planning? Systematic planning is a cornerstone in an […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 005 / Segment: Arghh] Many of my blog posts are based on questions or concerns that parents share with me about their children. But today, I want to focus on a subject that is just as important, but that’s often neglected: parents. The parents […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 005 / Segment: Special Q] The other day a mum asked me “Why has my son become so upset at seeing an unfamiliar adult? What strategies can I use to combat this?”. This question isn’t uncommon and I think the suggestions below are really useful […]
There is a significant difference between talking and communication. As most of us know, the inability to use speech does not preclude the ability to be understood by others. Sign language, body language, pictures, all facilitate non-verbal communication and these can provide an opportunity to work towards increasing and encouraging vocalization in toddlers with ASD. […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 005 / Segment: Super Special Topic] In the simplest of terms, speech is the way in which a person produces and pronounces language. For some special children however, all this talking can just seem like a whole lot of noise that they cannot decipher. When […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 004 / Segment: Special Q] Case study in autism and parenting: I worked with a family where the husband and their two boys were all autistic. All three of them really liked watching a particular video of a plane take off and land. The mother […]
Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids & Cake Podcast [Episode 004 / Segment: Super Special Topic] If you have a child with ASD, you may find yourself overwhelmed with the number of different types of professionals and the work that they do. However, when it comes to intervention, remember that although a professional is an […]
It’s quite incredible what silence can offer. As therapists and teachers, we are trained to both listen and to speak with impeccability. We are taught to be aware of not just what we are saying but also how we are saying it and to be good role models for those we teach. In my years […]
