Run, Run as fast as you can…

A sea of red @BurghleyHouse as all the Santa’s joined in the #StamfordSantaFunRun

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas….

The elves joined in and completed all 5kms!

This is such a fun, well organised event. Some run, some walk and some of us just stroll along having a chat. ……And there’s even mulled wine and mince pies at the end.
A big thank you to all those who organise and help to run this each year

The word of the day has to be:

Santa 🎅

by Sarah Winstanley

Communication Lincs Ltd ……because Speech Therapy Matters

Uh oh….

Uh oh…. the elves have found the chocolates. Let’s create some opportunities for them to use their language…

We can teach them useful words like: “open”, “help” and “more”.

We can ADD and EXPAND on their utterances. For example:

Elves: “more”

Adult: “more chocolate”

Elves: “chocolate”

Adult: “eat chocolate”; “more chocolate”; “yummy chocolate”

We can give them one chocolate at a time so we create lots of back and forth communication opportunities.

Have FUN eating chocolate and TALKING!

Communication Lincs Ltd ……because Speech Therapy Matters

1st December 2019

The elves are excited to open day one on the advent calendar. Yummy chocolate, shame it’s only one chocolate a day 😋

Half Term

Living in the smallest county in England means that I get to work in four counties (sometimes all in one day!) The downside is that everyone has different holidays. So to all my clients:

Have a great half term. Whether that’s this week, next week or both weeks.

Sessions will start again on the week commencing Monday 4th November.

Home grown pumpkins from last years seeds. Not all pumpkins are round.

A fun morning carving pumpkins. If I use this years seeds what shape will my pumpkins be next year?

By Sarah Winstanley

Speech and Language Therapist

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Anxiety

At any stage in the school year and at any age, children can find going to school difficult.

Signs may include feeling sick or complaining about stomachaches or headaches. They may get angry or upset. They may refuse to get dressed and ready for school.

Not all children will outwardly display their anxieties in the school environment.

Some of the reasons a child might be anxious include:

• Sensory, e.g. noisy classes, light, smells

• Unstructured times, e.g. playground, break and lunch

• Bullying/ peer pressure/ problems with friends

• Struggling with school work. For example: A child may be experiencing learning difficulties such as dyslexia which make them feel like they are no good at school. This can lead to behaviour that says: “it’s better to mess about and have fun rather than be shown up for finding schoolwork difficult”.

• Transition periods, e.g. starting a new class, school, lesson/ activity, leaving the home environment

Avoiding things that make your child anxious

Some parents find their children’s distress at going to school so hard to bear they keep them at home, to avoid daily upsets. It may seem like a solution, but doing this will confirm your child’s fears about school and can make the problems much worse. It is really important to address these issues with the school and work together.

In the short term avoiding things that make your child anxious will make your child feel better but is not a long term solution.

Here are some things that can really help: 

1. Tackle it early – the longer anxiety about school persists, the deeper it becomes. Seek professional help from your GP. 

2. Talk to your child, listen to their fears and respect their feelings. Acknowledge how they are feeling.

3. Try out practical strategies that help them to be in control of their anxiety. For example:

   • make a ‘worry box’ where at a certain time each day they write down their worry, post it in the box, close the lid and don't worry any more about it that day.

   • Use ‘worry dolls’

   • Support the child in engaging in anxiety-reducing activities like sports, a creative hobby or a club.

   • Model appropriate ways to tackle anxieties and stresses in your life.

4. Talk to the school – make them aware of what is going on and agree on strategies to make things easier. This could include things like a flexible start time, being greeted by a familiar adult, a buddy, and regular check-ins on progress. 

5. Try to reduce your child’s fear of failure and disappointment. Help them to have realistic expectations and to recognise that failure, mistakes and disappointments happen to everyone and it’s ok. Highlight your own mistakes and errors.

6. Address their learning needs and access appropriate support.

7. Make sure their routines are consistent, including time for regular meals, homework, bedtime and fun.

The goal is not to eliminate anxiety but to help your child manage their anxiety.

Guide to anxiety in autism

https://www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/466039/Anxiety-in-Autism-A5-guide.pdf

#anxiety in school

#anxiety in autism

Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd …. because Speech Therapy Matters

School Photo

No doubt over the past week or two you have seen numerous photos of children standing by the front door ready for the new term.

For some the start of a new school year does not bring joy and excitement.

The image of an empty door is posted on behalf of those families who did not get to share a photo of their child at the front door.

• For the children who who had to be in hospital for check ups, procedures and operations, instead of celebrating a new school year with friends.

• For the families who grieve for a child who is no longer with them.

• For the SEN children who don’t have a school place because there isn’t a suitable school placement for their child.

• For the children with high levels of anxiety who are sick with worry about the prospect of going to school.

• For those children with sensory issues who can’t bear the feeling of the school uniform on their skin.

• For those families attending endless meetings fighting to ensure that their child’s needs are met and ensuring they have a robust Educational and Health Care Plan ( EHCP).

Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Back to School 2019

Wow the holidays do fly by. It is hard to believe it is September already. Some of you may be excited at starting a new chapter in your life. I know my niece was counting down the number of sleeps till her first day in P1 (Reception). For others you might be feeling a little sad at the prospect of the summer holidays ending. A great word from 400 years ago for describing this feeling is “mubble fubbles”.

Thanks to @theweekjunior for introducing us to this fabulous expression. I might be using it this week!

Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Our brains are tuned to hear music

In normal, everyday speech adults generally race along at a very fast pace. Babies tend not to react when an adult talks to a baby in a normal voice and plain sentences. When we use a high pitched sing song voice we see babies smiling, giggling and turning towards us. Babies are naturally drawn towards music and rhythm rather than the plain speech

Over articulation that exaggerates the sounds contained in words, animated facial expressions and rhythmic voice are what characterise ‘Parentese’. Using Parentese can help your baby learn language. By talking and communicating with babies using parentese we are playing a vital role in supporting early communication skills.

To support early communication:

• Use proper words, but elongate the vowels

• Use high pitched voice and rhythmic tone

• Face to Face

• Pause

• Use shorter sentences

• Speak slowly

• Use exaggerated facial expressions

• Talk to your baby as much as you can

Humans respond significantly more to sounds with musical pitch. Humans prefer these sounds to sounds without a pitch. In humans our auditory cortex lights up more brightly when tones were played compared to noises (sounds without pitch).

Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Summer Holidays

Have a fantastic summer holiday. I shall be spending time with family and friends over the summer break.

Speech Therapy sessions will resume on week commencing 2nd September. Sessions in schools will resume on week commencing 9th September.

Speech Therapy Matters

Hungry Little Minds

The DfE have launched Hungry Little Minds. This website contains ideas to support children’s communication in the early years. This is a fantastic three year initiative which helps raise awareness of the importance of communication.

To find out more click on the image below:

Tiny Happy People

Across the UK 20% of children are starting school with a language delay.  In some areas the number is greater.

BBC Education is launching in early 2020 an initiative to support parents and carers in talking to children from the start .... 

Included is lots of great advice and video clips that can be used in training sessions or watched at home by parents/ carers.  What a great way to help us all support the Tiny Happy People in our lives. 

BBC Tiny Happy People

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/kTc8zRX170dsn9byrlCk18

By following the advice in these clips you too can help support language development at home, at preschool and/ or out and about.   

Please share with any settings, parents, colleagues, friends and/ or family that would find this beneficial.   

#BBCEducation #SpeechTherapyMatters #SpeechTherapy  #EarlyLanguage

Sarah Winstanley

@SaLTStamford  

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Can you see me?

You know you are reading a book that is making an impact on people’s lives when a complete stranger approaches you to tell you how great the book is.  

Based on real life experiences we get to peek at the diary entries of 11 year old Tally as she navigates the transition from primary to secondary school. Tally is autistic but she tries to hide it as much as she can. Girls (and boys) with autism are often excellent at masking their difficulties. This book gives a real insight into the daily challenges that are going on from an insiders perspective.

There are many important messages throughout the book including:

1. Rules: “the ones that really matter aren’t written down anywhere”

2. This isn’t home. At school you have to pretend to be normal.

3. Don't join an argument instead calm it down / offer them a way out.

4. Everything is far less scary if you know what to expect.

A big thanks to Libby @BlogLibby and Rebecca @WestcottWriter for helping develop a greater understanding of autism.  

This book is a brilliant resource for those with a diagnosis of autism, their siblings and all those who support these children.     

Buy it, read it and pass it on..... 

#Autism  

Sarah Winstanley, SaLT  

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

A Celebration for all Women

To those who gave birth this year – we celebrate with you

To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you

To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, still births, failed adoptions, running away, illness – we mourn with you

To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears and disappointment – we walk with you

To those who are foster mums, mentor mums and spiritual mums – we need you

To those who have lost their mothers – we grieve with you

To those who have experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience

To those who have lived through medical tests, illnesses and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst

To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you

To those who are pregnant with new life both expected and surprising – we anticipate with you

This Mother’s Day we walk with you

Mothering is not for the fainthearted - we remember you all

Picture by Charlie  

Reluctant Talkers

 What is a reluctant talker?  A reluctant talker is someone who....

·     WANTS to speak but is unable to

·     Becomes afraid of speaking and people hearing their voices

·     Becomes increasingly wary of any form of communication which could lead to an expectation to speak

·     Over time learns to avoid anxiety by avoiding communication

Talking Pressures

·     Size of audience and familiarity

·     Being overheard by others as starting to talk

·     Adults watching, expecting eye contact

·     Time-pressure to give response

·     Fear of consequences of speaking

·     Complexity/length of response needed

How can we help?

·     Understand what these children are feeling and why

·     Make changes to the environment to reduce pressure (provide a symbols/ sign / voice activated button to use instead of talking)

·     Help the child understand their feelings

·     Build the child’s confidence and independence at home and in their educational setting

Change the environment

Remove pressure to speak:

·     Provide opportunities but not expectation

·     Bribes and persuasion increases pressure

·     Never remove the need to communicate

·     Comment on what is going on rather than ask questions

Be positive:

·     Never let the child hear you say “they won’t talk”

·     Set positive expectations e.g. “Once you feel relaxed you’ll be able to tell me”  “when you’re ready to talk” – reassures the child that the worry will go away

Build positive relationships:

·     Consistent relationships with key people

·     Rapport building opportunities in relaxed activities e.g. with a key worker or the class teacher

·     Show positive relationships between family and setting staff by letting child see family and staff talking freely

Use family and friends to facilitate communication: 

·     Sit child with their friends

·     Invite parents into class as helpers

·     Staff ask family to ask child questions, rather than directly ask child

·      I know you would like to talk and you will when you are ready

Help the child understand their feelings

Nobody will mind if you don’t talk straightaway

You’re not alone, other children worry about things

I want to help you to get rid of the worry feelings

It won’t always be like this, once you get used to it the feeling will go away 

Build Confidence

Praise child for trying e.g. “I know it was scary at first but you (stayed for x minutes/pointed to…/sat and watched)”

Using instruments in music

Participation in physical activities e.g. throwing balls, jumping, dance – to reduce a child’s physical tension

Having jobs or responsibilities, they can do well

Desensitisation e.g. communication cards, voice activated toys, talking tiles

For further advice:  

- Maggie Johnston, Selective Mutism Resource Manual is invaluable 

- speak to a Speech and Language Therapist  

 Sarah Winstanley, SaLT

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

Pancake Day

Cooking is an excellent way to support your child’s speech and language skills.  

Collect all the ingredients (use ounces rather than grams with young children to support them in learning and using early numbers)

Take turns putting the ingredients in the bowl.  

Encourage your child to listen to what they need to do next  

Use action words: pour, crack, weigh, mix, cook, throw/ toss, catch, cut, decorate

Make a face - talk about eyes, nose, mouth

Make an animal  - talk about different animals and where you find them.  How many animals can they think of?

Take photos (3-5 pictures) of each stage in making the pancakes.  Print the pictures and encourage your child to sequence the pictures in the correct order.  

Encourage them to retell the activity to another adult.   Can they predict what next at the various stages in the sequence?  

Have FUN making pancakes  

How was school today?

How many times have you asked this question and got a grunt or a one word answer.  

Here are some questions you can ask which hopefully will result in some interesting discussions.....

1.  If you were the teacher for the day what would you do? 

2.  Who would you like to sit next to at school? 

3.  What was the best thing that happened at school today?

4.  What was the worst thing about today?  

5. Who is the funniest person in your class?  

6.  What lesson do you wish you had that you don’t have at school?

7. How did your friends feel about school today?

8.  When did you use a pencil today? 

10.  What did you do at playtime? 

11.  What was the most boring part of school?  

12.  Who did you play with today?  

13.  Where is your favourite place at school?  

14.  What snack does your friend have that you wish you had?   

15.   Who helped you today?  What did they do to help you? 

Lost Voice

We often forget that one of our most important tools is our voice.

Most people have had difficulties with their voice at some time.  Maybe you had a cold and “lost” your voice.  Maybe you cheered too much for your team and had a hoarse voice for a few days after. 

If you have to speak for long periods, in large spaces, in a noisy environment and to big groups, the effort may put pressure on your voice and cause strain. If the strain is too great voice problems may develop and make the voice less effective.

Breath is the power for your voice.

To prevent problem avoid:

- Excessive consumption of alcohol,   caffeinated tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, orange juice.  All of these drinks can dry out your throat

- Medicated lozenges that kill pain. Pain can be a good thing as it is your body’s way of telling you to stop.  Instead suck non-medicated pastilles.

- Heavy/spicy meals last can cause indigestion and acid reflux.  This will inflame the vocal folds

- Dairy products, which can cause over-production of mucous around vocal folds

- Talking above background noise or yelling in excitement, causes strain

- Talking in a whisper when your voice starts to go.  When you whisper the folds are held in tension and the problem is made worse.

- Talking in a character voice or squeaky voice  

 - Smoking.  Try to reduce or eliminate exposure to smoke or smokey environments.

Signs of a voice problem may include:

- Breaks in the voice (sudden stoppages)

- Unexpected changes of pitch (voice all over the place)

- Changes in vocal quality (hoarseness)

- Changes in the body (sore throat)

- Increased effort to talk (voice tires easily)

- Regular loss of voice

- Sensation of lump in the throat.

What can you do?

- Voice rest. Easier said than done.  Try to have periods of complete vocal rest.  Do something that you can do silently. 

- Body rest.  Relax, take steamy baths/ showers

- Steam inhalations to moisten the back of the throat and ease pain

 - Gargle with boiled, then cooled salty water to reduce pain and fight infection

- Hydrate by drinking lots of water (1.5 litres/day)

- Early nights.  It is important to get enough sleep 

- Take time off to allow inflammation or swelling of the vocal folds to subside.

- Breathing Exercises

- Improve your posture when sitting and standing

Where to seek help for yourself

Talk to your GP if you are concerned that you have a persistent voice problem and would like further support. Your GP will be able to refer you to other services, including Adult Speech and Language Therapy services, if they feel it is necessary.

 Speech and Language Therapy for Children and Young People

- Contact your local NHS Speech and Language Therapy service

- Contact an Independent Speech and Language Therapist, via ASLTIP website  “help with talking”

By Sarah Winstanley

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist  

Communication Lincs Ltd because Speech Therapy Matters

All I want for Christmas is you .....

Children love toys.  Don’t they?  We spend so much money especially at this time of the year buying so many big, brightly coloured all singing all dancing toys... and then our children completely ignore these and play with the empty boxes.

Sometimes the best toys are not toys at all.  They did not come from the toy shop, it did not come wrapped in pretty packaging, and did not promise any kind of “educational” benefit to your child.  These “non-toys” are sometimes what your child will play with for a much longer period of time, use in more creative ways, and cost you much less money!  These are the toys that allow your child to explore and be curious. 

Engaging your child using their interests is the best way to teach communication skills.  The “toy” in the play can be anything – including YOU!  Your child may be interested in balls, bubbles, bricks, cars, trains, food, sticks, or empty boxes.  These interests can be used to teach things like imitation, joint attention, turn taking, requesting objects and actions, learning to communicate….

Here’s a few ideas of how to use everyday items in play....

Empty boxes and containers:  Boxes are a firm favourite for lots of children.  Anything you can push, pull, fill and dump.   Empty boxes and containers fulfill ALL of these requirements.  Think plastic food containers, toy boxes, tissue boxes, water bottles, laundry basket and plastic bins of any sort.  

Bucket with a handle for collecting “treasures” while you’re at the park, woods, the beach or in the garden.

Boxes from all your Christmas deliveries can be turned into castles, cars, boats....  the possibilities are endless.

 Kitchen roll, tin foil tubes or wrapping paper tubes: ..items for the recycling bin can FIRST be used as....  binoculars, telescopes, logs for a campfire, ramps and tunnels for small balls and cars.  Attach a few tubes together for a marble/ ball run.  Use them as oars in your empty box boats or attach them to the back of the “boat” and make a sail or flagpole.

Plastic cups:  Stack it, decorate it, use it for target practice with bean bags, or wear it as a hat… the plastic cup could be your favorite non-toy toy.

Use it as a pull toy – Punch a hole in the bottom, pull a string through that hold and tie it up in a big knot so it doesn’t come back out.  For extra noise making fun, fasten a small bell to the knot inside the cup and you have instant pull toy your little one can create noise with all over your house!  Ready, set, GO!

Hearing your own voice as an echo is pretty fun and can be motivating for little ones to practice lots of sounds when they hear their own voice – amplified! 

Sort items into the cups by colour, category, shape, initial sound, etc.

Torches:  Turn the lights off, or just dim them, and get out a torch!  Make shadow puppets or just shine the light around the room and let your child see their toys and familiar surroundings in a whole new way!  Name what you find and wonder aloud what you might find next.  Hide favourite items or pictures around the room and play hide and seek games.  Put the light on the floor and have your toddler try to “stamp” on it before the light moves away.

Cushions and pillows: for soft landing zones, for obstacle courses, for fort building, as stepping stones or for a game of peek a boo. 

Junk mail or catalogues:  cut out pictures of interest.  Make a collage, play posting games, sort pictures by category, initial sound...

Or best of all..  when it comes to early communication – YOU are the number one toy.  Your time is the best gift you can give your child.   Have fun interacting and engaging with your child this Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🥳 

There She Goes

One to watch: There She Goes, Drama series on BBC 4.  

Https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06qcc32 

Great that @BBCRadio4, Women’s Hour have been discussing this programme.   

This drama is a hard hitting honest portrayal about the day to day life of bringing up a child with disabilities.  It highlights the strain that disabilities can put on families, relationships and siblings.  If it is possible it is funny and painful at the same time.  

#ThereSheGoes  #BBC4  

Sarah Winstanley

Speech and Language Therapist  

@SaLTStamford