Children's Communication Center, Inc. ♦ Lori Savage Grayson, MMSc, CCC-SLP, FSL ♦ Practicing Speech-Language Pathology Since 1979 ♦ Founder ♦ Director ♦ Owner
Category : Blog , Mindfulness & Our Children
TANTRUMS AND MELTDOWNS ARE NOT THE SAME ~ Learn how to distinguish between a tantrum (angry/frustrated) and a meltdown (reaction to feeling overwhelmed) by reviewing the chart. The KEY is learning to identify the “triggers and signs” and intervene BEFORE your child starts reacting & help him/her move toward a more positive resolution. To Learn More Read the Full Article from Understood.
Category : Blog
PETS ARE NON-JUDGEMENTAL… are considered good listeners and easy to talk to, easier it seems than siblings. Earlier studies have demonstrated that pets can help children with autism develop important social skills, especially when the pet is a dog. Studies show that children who have consistent experience interacting with dogs are more likely to succeed at introducing themselves and responding to social cues and prompts. If that is not enough, pets appear to facilitate a child’s compassion & self-esteem and reduce stress. Sora, Max & Gracie, our SLP assisting dogs, agree! As one friend said yesterday as the dogs were greeting her with barks, “Your dogs are cute!” ~ When you decide to add a pet to your family, please consider adoption/rescue! ~ Lori
http://mentalfloss.com/…/640…/science-why-pets-are-good-kids
Max, Sora & Gracie, continue to train to assist with this Center’s SLP services!
Category : Blog , Video Games
A parent’s perspective while watching his children play video games, in this case, Minecraft.
Yes there is irony as he points out “… they don’t actually have to build a farm. They can just walk outside and be part of a real one.”
To that we say, use the two farms together for a complete language experience!
Visit the “real” farm early in the morning and late in the day, and “build” a farm during the peak intensely heated summer hours!
These farms are not mutually exclusive, enjoy both!
Children’s Communication Center is available to see you this summer!
For the complete story, visit here.
Category : Blog , YaYa's in the Kitchen
Key Lime Bars with Shortbread Crust are perfect for these sweltering summer days! Enjoy, YaYa
Category : Blog
CHOOSING A SCHOOL ~ Let the challenge begin. What is best? The neighborhood, charter, magnet, private, virtual or home school? The options continue to grow, this article from Understood.org will help you understand the strengths and concerns for each type/style of educational setting and may make your decision easier. Of course, as your child grows, the venue may need to be reconsidered. ~ Remember, if you child has qualified for a Scholarship and the funds are used for tuition or other school expenses, there may be NO funding left for Speech-Language services or other additional services, which in most cases is how your child qualified for the scholarship. Be sure to consider how the funds will be used to best improve your child’s educational day. Children’s Communication Center is able to provide SLP services to children with McKay & SUFS/PLSA Scholarships with verification & approval by this Center. Contact this Center and speak to Ms. Grayson before school starts to learn more!
Category : Blog , Video Games
Source: LSG Family Collection
July 16, 2015
Do you have a Nintendo product in your home? Maybe a DS or a Wii console? Do your grand/children play video games?
Then, you should know this: Satoru Iwata, President & CEO of Nintendo, passed away this week at the age of 55. His philosophy was summarized in his keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference in 2005: “On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer.” The Farewell Tribute video can be watched at the end of this post.
I find myself saddened by this news, saddened because the industry has clearly lost a talented leader. Saddened because Nintendo has been a part of our home since our son, Adam, then 3 or 4 years old, introduced us to the gaming industry in the early 90s. Adam saw his path from moment one before he could even have a turn (older children not sharing) with the controller or a hand-held, before there were memory cards (hence the frustration of stopping and losing all of one’s efforts, only to have to start over), and way before an MS degree in Interactive Entertainment existed (Thank you FIEA).
Our second son, Zachary, believes he has been playing since his toddler years with the Nintendo playing path paved by Adam. We hosted many a large sleep-over all nighters while our sons played this “new” activity with their friends & we shared in the joys & frustrations of the “boys” winning & losing. The University of Florida’s College of Fine Arts surely did not anticipate Adam’s every project would revolve around, dare I say, video game topics, heavily loaded with Nintendo themes, as he pursued his BFA in Digital Media & co-founded the Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IDEA).
Now, as I spend my days with this Center’s “friends”, I continue to surprise these children, teens and young adults with “video-game knowledge”, limited, but they do not realize that since I have “advisors” who make sure I have the right information. This shared knowledge gives me credibility in their eyes, allowing them to trust and share an interest, and allows us to start off on the right foot. But there is more value in video games than meets the eye.
And, after more than twenty years, this Center will officially begin to use video game consoles within the therapeutic context later in 2015. WAIT, I know what you are thinking, but please hear me out! There are many studies (which have been posted on this site and elsewhere) supporting the benefits of using video games for a wide range of speech, language, learning, social communication & related needs.
I knew this time would come, where the value of the art and technology of video games outside of “gaming” would be supported. I knew it first as a parent, second as an SLP and last as the Director who must approve this idea. To be clear, this “tool” will be just that, another tool used to benefit each “friend’s” communicative needs, and will be used in conjunction with a long and wide range of low-tech and traditional tools. ~ Lori
Thank you, Zachary, this Center’s Social Media Advisor, for sharing this important post. Thank you, Adam, this Center’s Technical Advisor, for sharing your passion of the video game industry with our family. Remember Iwata’s reference to the framed Japanese characters hanging behind him, “Doku-so”, which translated means, “creating something unique.” A goal we can all embrace no matter our path. ~ Mom