CLEVELAND - Sept. 23, 2020 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation is proud to announce that in September, the board of directors awarded $30,000 to needy children to fund speech therapy and speech devices. In the United States, one in nine children needs speech therapy. Unfortunately, many go without because their families simply cannot afford to pay. As board member …
What to Know About Stuttering
After 13-year-old Brayden Harrington's brave speech during the 2020 Democratic National Convention, The New York Times printed this helpful article about stuttering. Learn more about this challenging disorder and ways to overcome it. Read the article here: What to Know About Stuttering …
It’s Never Too Late
Tips to Engage Teens in Speech Therapy This article, by Kim Swon-Lewis, MEd, CCC-SLP, first appeared in Medbridge Education. When I pull up to pick up my teen from school, I’m a little shocked by the scene. The vast majority of peers stand solitary, their faces buried in their phones. It’s not just the students either. Recently, at a conference, while waiting for the speaker to begin, most …
The Kids Are Not All Right
Richard Engel writes, "Kids with special needs are not OK right now. Neither are parents. Let's drop the act that this pandemic affects us all equally." I second that. Checking in my my friends who have special needs kids, it's clear that they're operating in a different stratosphere. It's one thing to keep your preschooler occupied 24-7, but it's another thing entirely to keep your special …
6 Ways to Support Kids’ Mental Health Right Now
I am a big fan of Common Sense Media. I have always found it to be an incredibly useful tool when deciding which family movie to choose. Truth be told, I also use it to read the synopsis of a film I'm too much of a wimp to actually watch. (One word: It.) Commonsense Media is wonderful at providing realistic reviews of movies and other media. Though my kids my groan when they see me researching …
Speech Therapy Tips For Parents to Use at Home
Reid Health System recently shared some helpful advice for parents who wish to practice speech therapy at home. The full article can be read here. Some of their suggestions are: Practice. If your child has trouble saying a certain sound “f” for example encourage him or her to just make that sound all by itself. Once that comes more easily you can incorporate it into syllables like …
Some Autistic People Can’t Tolerate Face Masks
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in sweeping changes to the way we live. While all of this takes considerable adjustment, change is especially challenging for individuals with autism. One challenge involves the use of face masks. For a multitude of reasons, wearing a face mask can be particularly difficult for an individual with neurology that makes them more sensitive to touch and texture. …
Scenes From a Quarantine
So much has changed in just a few short weeks. I now share an office with a sixth grader. We work well together but tensions run higher when my other coworkers, two ravenous high schoolers, stop by our water cooler. A home gym has sprung up in my basement. Grocery shopping feels like an episode of Mission Impossible. I buy food in bulk and food is consumed in bulk. Speed puzzle races are …
Seeing People Wearing Masks
I had a couple of requests for a story about seeing other people wear masks out in public. I had been thinking about writing one because I live in Wisconsin and while many people are wearing masks in stores, not everyone is. Even as an adult, it felt kind of strange and startling to see people wearing masks. I'm SURE that our kids are feeling the same way. Once we talk about it in a non-scary …
Giving Back
April is Autism Awareness Month. We're sharing a story about one individual's support for the autism community. Hello! I’m Dana. I’m a Cleveland native who graduated from Ohio University in 2018. During my years at OU, I was an active member of Alpha Xi Delta Pi Chapter. This chapter inspires women to realize their potential by providing opportunities for sisterhood, leadership, knowledge and …
How to Cope with Disrupted Family Routines During COVID-19
Autism Speaks shares some helpful advice for dealing with the sudden and drastic change in routines that our households are currently experiencing. These changes are especially challenging for children who have autism. Visual daily schedules, increased physical activity, organized family fun. These are just a few ways to return routine to these very disrupted days. If you have a special needs …
Five Steps to Get Started in Telepractice
During this time of physical distancing, in-person speech therapy is not an option. Fortunately, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association offers the following recommendations for establishing tele-therapy with speech therapy patients. For the complete article, please visit ASHA.org Over the last few weeks, many schools and clinics nationwide—well, really worldwide—have been shutting …
