Monthly Archives: August 2015

Our Children May Lose Their Hearing Before Us!

Category : Blog

CCC.FB.Ruby.EarbudsThis is REAL. Our children may be the first generation to lose their hearing before us, their parents! This is not new information & I have been sharing for many, many years. BUT now, it is being reported more often and with mainstream coverage!

FACTS: Prolonged exposure to noises LOUDER than 85 decibels can result in a PERMANENT hearing loss! No matter the device being used, if your child is using earbuds there is an increased risk of hearing loss as the sound is directly in their ear.

Did you know? Children are expected to learn by listening at least 60% of the time in elementary school & 90% of the time in secondary school. We must preserve their hearing! Based on this TODAY SHOW report, 4 children in every class of 20 students has an unidentified hearing loss. This is more than 1 BILLION “young people” at risk for hearing loss.

What can we do? Experts say the best way to protect young ears is to apply the “60/60” rule: Keep the volume on the MP3 player under 60 percent and only listen for a maximum of 60 minutes a day. When using headphones in a noisy environment consider headphones that cover your ears or have a noise cancellation feature rather than turning the sound louder to block out the noise with your earbuds.

Learn more & visit this page with links developed for parents, teachers and children:  http://www.asha.org/aud/HearingConservationChildren/  and be sure to visit “It’s a Noisy Planet” and “Listen to Your Buds“!

AND, read the World Health Organization’s report:  http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/ASHA/Buds/WHO-Make-Listening-Safe-Campaign-Factsheet.pdf#search=%22what%22

To Watch the video from the Today Show 08/31/15 and read the story: http://www.today.com/health/generation-deaf-doctors-warn-dangers-ear-buds-t41496

If you suspect your child or any family member has a hearing loss, speak to your primary care physician and discuss the benefits or an evaluation with a certified and licensed Audiologist as well as an ENT physician. Consider including a Speech-Language Pathologist into the team as hearing loss can affect various aspects of speech, language, learning and communication.

Contact us for more information!


The Most Anticipated Moment…

Anticipated Moment.newsletter pic

The Most Anticipated Moment from my personal-professional collection, circa early 1980s

The Most Anticipated Moment…

The most anticipated moment for a parent is the sound of a child’s first words. But what if the words are delayed, jumbled or seem as if they will never come at all? Even young children should be able to communicate their needs & wants. Although the stages they pass through in the development of speech & language are very consistent, the exact age when they hit these milestones varies from child to child. 

Speech & language are different & can be affected alone or together. Simply, speech is how we speak (intelligibility) using our speech sounds, voice & fluency. Language is what we understand & express through communication (meaning) with socially shared rules regarding vocabulary, grammar & conversation. Almost 10% of young children have a noticeable speech articulation disorder. Speech sound production development is interwoven with oral language, early reading skills, social interaction & self-esteem. Learn more about each developmental stage in our Language, Literacy & Learning blogs. 

Children’s “conversation” should be understood by an unfamiliar listener:
50% of the time by age 2
75% of the time by age 3
90+% of the time by age 4

“No child is too young or a concern too small that an evaluation or consultation would not be beneficial if a Speech-Language Pathology or related problem appears present.” ~ Lori Savage Grayson, Founder of Children’s Communication Center, Inc. 

Contact Us for more information regarding concerns you may have AND to learn about the Parent-Child “Show & Tell” groups focusing on early communication!


The Silent Child & Selective Mutism

Category : Blog

Selective Mutism affects at least one child in every elementary school, usually begins between the ages of 3 to 5, and can impede academic achievement. It may restrict social communication interaction, thereby, leaving the child isolated from peers and limiting opportunities for childhood events, such as playground play or birthday parties. NEW intensive week-long programs are now available and in addition to the Child Mind Institute’s Brave Buddies program highlighted in the post, there is one at the Florida International University’s Center for Children and Families in Miami, Florida. ~ During my SLP career, I have had the opportunity to successfully work with young children experiencing selective mutism. Please learn more and seek early identification and intervention if you suspect your child is experiencing any communication challenges. Lori 

For more information on the programs at Child Mind Institute or Florida International University read more here:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/when-a-child-doesnt-speak-treating-selective-mutism-1439859076

http://nyti.ms/1Ph5RbW

For information in your local area, contact your primary care physician to begin exploring the best route for your child. 

Contact us for information on how to find help in the Tallahassee Area!

 

 

 


Calling All Alum Families, Staff & Friends!

Category : Blog

Bracelet.cropThe Center’s new web page is launched and I am gathering stories, quotes, words of wisdom, advice, ah-ha moments, trials and tribulations, and more (all which can be anonymous if you prefer) from parents, siblings, grandparents, other relatives, children who visited the Center when they were younger and are now teens or grown, volunteers, interns, Clinical Fellows, SLPs, staff/employees, and my supportive family and friends who have traveled this road with me since 1993, and for some since 1979 when I entered the profession of Speech-Language Pathology. .

Take a look at the site and consider penning a story, memory, ah-ha moment, or other contribution for the Compliments, Endorsements, Thank Yous & Recommendations, The Quotables, or the Parent Perspective. I am in the process of adding a new section which would house Perspective writings from the children themselves (dictated to parents, or those old enough to submit on their own) and my family and friends.

PLEASE email me, (grayson@childrenscommunication.com) your story, memory, quote, words of wisdom…and I will add it. If you have a year to associate with the text that would be great. Please provide signed and dated permission for text or photos you submit.

AND, for all of you who have successfully maneuvered the maze of finding services, school, camps, etc. any advice or ideas to help guide new parents just beginning would be greatly appreciated! Including, Tally community activities so please share with me successes and that which was not successful and I will pass the information along.

I would be thrilled if you would contribute! Thank you for adding to the “historical archives” of Children’s Communication Center and all your continued friendships!

Please share this post so we can reach as many alum families and friends as possible! For questions or more information, contact us!

Thank you,
Lori


Celebrating TWO years on Facebook and the LAUNCH of the new web page as this Center enters year #23!

Category : Blog

August 11, 2015: Today’s Facebook Memories remind me that I launched the Children’s Communication Center’s Facebook page two years ago…time for a post! 

In understanding some of what parents, children & families experience when they are receiving SLP services, please read this post and hear from the parents, many who have stayed in touch for more than 20 years! I am the proud SLP of successful communicators ranging from toddlers to adults, who met me as unhappy, frustrated children, adolescents and young adults challenged by difficulties in communication. As it goes, there are new friends who are just beginning with me. AND, for all of this, I remain grateful that I found where I am supposed to be!

I am honored to have the opportunity to work with amazing children, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family pets, and educational & medical professionals. Grateful for the volunteers, interns, clinical fellows, SLPs, and staff. And fortunate to have dedicated advisors and friends. Thank you all for supporting this Center’s Mission and Philosophy.

I appreciate your kind thoughts and am grateful that we are connected for a lifetime! If you haven’t already, please share (through the review section on FB, messaging or email) a memory, a thought, a perspective on how SLP services at this Center impacted your family or someone you know, the positive changes for your child, where your child is now, and words of wisdom to parents who are at the start of their journey. I am gathering a history of sorts and value the addition you will contribute! PLEASE use initials, no names of children are needed!

Thank you,

Lori


Schools Can No Longer Deny Access to Speech-Language Pathology Services for Children with Autism!

Category : Autism , Back to School , Blog

The Department of Education’s NEW Guidance Will Ensure Speech-Language Pathology & Other Services are Available to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder Under IDEA, Parts B & C

This Center is pleased to share this important information from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) which recently “…issued a new guidance to school systems nationwide recognizing the importance of speech-language pathology services and the necessary role of a speech-language pathologist in both evaluation and treatment of children with [Autism Spectrum Disorder] ASD.” This guidance was issued as there was growing concern that Speech-Language Pathologist and other professionals were not routinely included on the team serving children who were being tested to determine eligibility or at the meetings where the”… individualized education plan (IEP) or individualized family service plan (IFSP) as required under IDEA, Parts B and C, respectively. Part C ensures that eligible infants and toddlers with a disability have access to early intervention services that are designed to meet their developmental needs.” In fact, the Dept. of Education states that applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapists may have been included exclusively and to the EXclusion of Speech-Language Pathologists or other professionals who should/could be on the team contributing and meeting the needs of the children with ASD.

Judith L. Page, PhD, CCC-SLP, 2015 president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) stated, “We very much appreciate this guidance and believe that it will serve to ensure that children receive the appropriate treatment they deserve based on their individual needs…The specialized education, training and experience of speech-language pathologists make them a key part of the team that evaluates and treats a child with autism spectrum disorder.”

Lorri Unumb, Esq., Autism Speaks Vice President for State Government Affairs stated, “Autism Speaks is pleased to see the Department of Education embrace and confirm its commitment to a collaborative model of treatment for individuals with autism…In the same way that Autism Speaks has, for the last ten years, been actively pursuing insurance reimbursement for a variety of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, we believe that IEP teams also need to consider the full range of needs for each child, including speech-language services.  Many children with autism, including my son, suffer speech difficulties such as apraxia in addition to autism, and a comprehensive intervention program is needed to address these difficulties, with various professionals consulting and interacting with each other. From a policy standpoint, we continue working to ensure that all funding sources, whether through health insurance or the education system, recognize the need for a collaborative approach and appropriately cover the services of all needed professionals.”

To Learn More: 

ASHA: http://www.asha.org/About/news/Press-Releases/2015/New-Department-of-Education-Guidance-Issued-to-Ensure-Access-to-SLP-Services-for-Children-With-Autism.htm

Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/autism-speaks-applauds-dept-education-guidance-speech-therapy

Florida Department of Education: http://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/ese-eligibility/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd.stml