DLD

The term Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is used for children where.... 

1.  The child has language difficulties that create barriers to communication or learning in everyday life  

2.   The child’s language problems are unlikely to be resolved by five years of age

3. The problems are not associated with a condition such as brain injury, neurodegenerative conditions or chromosome disorders

Up to 2 children in every classroom of 30 has this condition and yet most people have never heard of it.   

Children with DLD often struggle at school.  This is because so much learning depends on being able to understand and use language.  Children with DLD won’t just “pick up” language.  They need to be specifically taught language.   These children can do well given the right support. 

If you have concerns about your child’s speech, language and communication skills contact:

- local speech and language therapy service

- call ICAN enquiry service 0207 843 2544 or email help@ican.org.uk

- independent speech and language therapist (ASLTIP website, help with talking) 

Sarah Winstanley 

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

#DLDABC    #devlangdis  

Promote Communication

How can we support and develop each child’s communication skills at home, nursery and at school.

The best way to PROMOTE communication is to:

Presume competence Just because a child is non-verbal it does not mean they have nothing to say.  It is important to give these children access to alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) systems.  For example: objects, pictures, photos, gestures, signs, symbols, written word.  

Respond to your child’s speech attempts.  If your child says “oar” and holds out their hand to request more, then interpret their speech attempt as “more”.

Observe what your child is interested in.  Follow you child’s lead.  Be interested in what they are interested in.  

Model  Provide your child with the correct speech model .  For example: child “tar”; adult “yes it’s a car”.  Provide a good language model.  Expand and add to their utterances.  For example: Child “car”; adult “mummy’s car”,  “wash car”, “red car”.

Opportunities to Communicate  If everything is available for your child then they have no need to communicate.  Children need a reason to communicate.  Try not to predict what they want instead offer choices, keep desirable items out of reach or in a container they can’t open. 

Time   Give your child time to respond.  Count to 10 once you have asked them a question, given an instruction, made a comment.  This allows for processing time to interpret what you have said and respond to it. Try not to repeat the question or phrase as now your child is processing two pieces of information. 

Engage children in conversations about things that interest them. 

By Sarah Winstanley  

Speech and Language Therapist

Stamford, Peterborough and surrounding areas

The Power of Words

What are your “super power” words?

These superheros have power words like POW BOOM! ZAP!

A child’s SUPER POWER WORDS are related to what they are interested in. When you are thinking about helping a child to communicate who has little or no words think SUPERPOWER WORDS. Power words are words that help your child get what they want.

Start by observing your child and write a list of their favourite toys, food/ snack, activities, songs, etc. Then try to create as many opportunities as possible for your child to use these words throughout the day.

Try to include some functional words that can be used across situations like “more”/ “again”, “no”, “go”, “stop”, “bye”, “all gone”

To tempt your child to communicate and use their POWER WORDS

• put items in a container that they cannot open. Model the word open as you open the bag, jar, box

• give them one raisin, grape, chocolate button, crisp at a time. This will allow for lots of opportunities to request “more”

• Put an item in sight but out of reach

What words might be highly motivating and powerful for our child to use? For example: “door”, “out”, “car”, “ball”, “bubbles”, “more”

WORDS have the POWER to give your child a voice

by Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Back to School

Don't forget to get that compulsory #BackToSchool photo.  

Preparing for school

Summer is almost at an end and next few days are all about preparing for the start of a new school year.  

A lady and child in the sea

Goodbye August 

Support you child with visuals to help them know 

- key staff names 

- the school (photos of the school)

- what they will wear  

- what they need to pack  

- final countdown (how many days till they start) 

- how they will get to school (car, bus, taxi) 

By Sarah Winstanley  

Coming Home to Autism

This is an easy to read practical guide for families who are in the process or have recently received a diagnosis of ASD.  It is perfect for dipping in and out of to obtain advice on a particular concern without having to read it from cover to cover.

The book is jam packed with practical advice and strategies, which will benefit all families.  It provides a wealth of knowledge and information on resources and further reading to develop knowledge, understanding and ideas to support a child throughout their home environment and out in the wider community.   

Sarah Winstanley

Schools Out

Today is the end of another academic year and almost a year since we moved to Stamford, Lincs.

Looking forward to the summer holidays spending time with family and friends and exploring the local area.

Have a great summer holiday 😎 

SaLT sessions will resume week commencing 3rd September 2018. 

By Sarah Winstanley @SaLTStamford  

Fun in the Sun

Unscheduled, unsupervised, playtime is one of the most valuable educational opportunities we give our children. 

Research shows that play is vital to a child’s development.  Engaging in play helps develop:

-      Cognitive skills

-      physical skills

-      social skills

-      emotional skills

Play offers an ideal opportunity to engage with others, to develop communication, work as a team, take risks, problem solve and develop negotiation skills.  Play supports our children in to become more resilient to life’s challenges.

So let's make more time for free play.  Let your child take the lead.  This is not just an opportunity to let kids be kids but as something, that sparks the fire for a child’s development. 

Let them be:

a creator of forts, cars, Lego models..

an explorer  (climb a tree, find some bugs…)

the superhero

In our fast changing world, with the continual growth of technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning means that children starting school today will be working in jobs that are yet to exist.  The importance of the skills play promotes in the face of our changing world has never been higher.

The more our children play today, the more prepared future generations will be. Play is needed to provide us with people who can resolve conflict, problem solve, build socially connected communities and inspire society to flourish.

Empower your child to grow and learn so they are prepared for their future.

Go have Fun in the Sun

By Sarah Winstanley 

The Importance of Gesture

Speakers in all cultures and ages use gesture as they speak.  

Gesture is an important part of communication development which takes place before a child says their first word.  Iconic gestures can support a child in expressing their needs before they can verbalise.

By promoting their use of gesture you will develop your child's communication development.

For example:  

- hands up to request being lifted

- wave bye

- blow to request blow bubbles/ blow up a balloon

Use natural gestures and the word together

Lost Voice Guy

A massive congratulations to Lost Voice Guy for winning Britain's Got Talent 2018.  Lee Ridley is a stand up comedian from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England who has been touring since 2012.  He has a neurological condition, Cerebral Palsy, which affects his ability to speak.  Lee uses a Lightwriter for daily communication.    He is the first stand up comedian to use a communication aid.

Communication  - more than just talking.  For more information on different ways of communicating #AAC  Communication Matters 

Watch Lost Voice Guy 

The Final 

The Audition 

Sarah Winstanley 

Social Thinking

Over the next few days I will be immersing myself in the world of Social Thinking.  

The journey starts with a plane journey to Cork...  

Feeling saturated.  So much to take in.   My take away thoughts: 

- Check social attention no matter how verbally/ cognitively able the child may appear.   

- If a child cannot attend they cannot interpret

- We can teach “hidden (unspoken) rules by talking about expected v unexpected behaviours in a given situation

- There are virtually no standardised test to assess a child’s social competencies involving verbal and non-verbal communication in the moment of interaction

- Joint attention is the doorway to social engagement 

- We socially grow from social comparison

- Talking is not always a ‘data’ exchange

- If you do things that are unexpected you make people uncomfortable or have ‘weird’ thoughts

Looking forward to supporting my clients in developing their Social Thinking..... 

By Sarah Winstanley  

The power of Body Language

At many workshops for parents/ carers or during therapy sessions I talk to parents about the need to get Face to Face with their child.   

We try several scenarios to help explain why Face to Face is best

1. Try to have a conversation where one adult sits behind the other.  This is the classic position of when we are pushing our child along in their buggy or when we are sitting in the car.  It is sometimes a necessity but it doesn't support communication skills.  

2. Try to have a conversation where one adult stands and the other sits.  It's quite intimidating and once again does not support communication.  (solution - we need to get down to our child's level) 

3.  Sit facing each other but have loud noises in the background (music, banging, slamming doors).  It's hard to concentrate.  Young children have not learnt the skills to filter out background noise so switching off the phone, TV, computer or radio is best when we are playing or reading to our child.  

If we sit Face to Face or even slightly below our child's eye level we help to create a relaxed atmosphere ready for connecting and engaging and communicating with each other.  

If our child is upset then getting below the child's eye level is perfect for supporting them in calming down and regulating themselves.  If we stand then in the child's eyes we are seen as  aggressive and threatening and the situation is likely to escalate.  Getting down to their level  helps us both remain calm.  

  Face to Face...       Connecting....  Engaging.... Communicating 

By Sarah Winstanley 

Orchard Toys

This is a service I have used several times over the years both as a parent and as a Speech and Language Therapist.

Orchard Toys Free Parts and Replacement service. So if your little one has posted a game piece through the floor boards/ decking or flushed a dice down the toilet, or lost it in a hide and seek game, don't worry...
Find out more about the service here:  Orchard Toys Free Parts and Replacement service

Here a few of my favourite Orchard Toys games...   

By Sarah Winstanley 

Too Much Information

Unexpected changes can be overwhelming for autistic people.  

Watch the following film Diverted to gain a greater understanding of the difficulties that many autistic people face everyday.  These include loud noises, bright flashing lights, unexpected changes (cancellations, diversions, delays), claustrophobic spaces, limited personal space.

The National Autistic Society are challenging us to make a pledge to reduce the overload for those with autism.   Sometimes the smallest positive change can make all the difference. 

What small change could you make? 

Bercow10

We are asking the UK government to implement the #Bercow10 recommendations. Our desire is "To ensure all children and young people have access to the Speech and Language Therapy support they need."   More than 1.4 million children in the UK have Speech, Language and Communication Needs.   Please give your support by signing the following petition.  

Autism Show 2018

The Autism show returns..  why not book in for a day of talks, clinics, workshops and interactive sessions around the topic of autism.  

World Down’s Syndrome Day 2018 #WDSD18

Down’s syndrome is a genetic condition which occurs when a person has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. 

Let us each do our part to enable those children, young people and adults with Down syndrome are given the support needed to be included in our society. 

“Carpool Karaoke” 50 Mums/ 50 Kids/ 1 extra chromosome 

MAKATON uses signs and symbols to support and develop language and communication skills. 

At Speech Therapy Matters, we can offer Formal Courses or a bespoke course for your setting.   Previous training includes Brighton and Hove Museum staff, Drusillas Zoo Keepers and respite and care homes.   Rebecca Bryant is an approved, licensed tutor.  

By Sarah Winstanley

Art Activity

Such a simple but great way to make a flower painting using a cut celery stem.  You can use it for decorating wrapping paper, a Mothers Day card, a birthday or thank you card.  All you need is paint, celery, knife, an elastic band and a piece of card or paper, wrapping paper.   

Watch:  "How to print roses with celery"  thanks to the Imagination Tree

The Imagination Tree

What is AAC?

Children, Young People and adults who have a severe speech and or language difficulties experience communication difficulties.  Those with little or no functional speech are likely to benefit from Augmentative or Alternative Communication (AAC) to support their communication.  AAC is the tools we use to get our message understood.  Having access to the right AAC can ensure that those with communication difficulties can participate and engage in the activities and communities of their choice.  It is important that all individuals are provided with the tools they need to be able to effectively communicate.  

We all use some AAC in our daily lives, e.g. gestures, writing, drawing, emoji’s…

Many individuals with communication needs rely on AAC as their primary or sole means of communication.  

Types of AAC include picture boards, alphabet board, pointing, signing (e.g. MAKATON, BSL), an object of reference, symbols, single message switch, and voice output device.  None of these are better than another just different.  

Communication is a basic human right

By Sarah Winstanley 

Examples of AAC in action 

• Jonathan using an alphabet board - available on iPlayer till 7th March 18
• Lost Voice Guy using a voice output device
• The Silent Child   This short film is about a profoundly deaf child  living in a world of silence 

World Book Day

Whether you are at home or school don't let the weather stop you!

Share a book

Dress up

Design a scene from your favourite book - in Lego, in a shoe box, on a tile

Decorate a boiled egg or potato or a stone as your favourite character

Willy Wonka & Mr Twit 

Potato Penguin