CLEVELAND - April 8, 2019 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation (OEF) is proud to announce that more than $50,000 in grants was awarded to children in need during the first quarter 2019 grant cycle. Grants awarded nationwide will pay for summer speech camps, speech therapy, and speech generating devices. OEF empowers children and young adults with speech disorders to …
An Open Letter To My Child’s Speech Therapist
Dear Speech Therapist, You met my daughter, a little pixie of a girl, almost four years ago. She had round cheeks and two tiny, wispy pigtails that you tell me you remember like it was yesterday. Although my little girl had recently turned three years old, she had less than 25 words in her vocabulary when you met. You and my daughter clicked almost instantly and began building the foundation …
Can You Understand Your Child’s Speech?
It’s common for most children to make some mistakes as they learn to say new words. Different sounds are mastered at different ages. Consistent, correct sound production will vary from child to child. When mistakes continue past a certain age, that’s when it's considered a speech sound disorder. Speech sound disorders include problems with articulation (pronouncing sounds correctly) …
Exciting Developments in Accessibility Technology for People with Speech Impairments
In the United States, 20-30% of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are unable to communicate their wants, needs and thoughts verbally according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC). Smart tech can help these children become more independent at home and even at school. What is very exciting about smart tech is that it has potential to help people even if they are …
Shaping Their Voices
When Jacksonville, Florida’s Oak Hill Academy opened in 2016, some of its students ventured into a beautiful new world of communication. Though primarily non-verbal, these students are shaping their unique voices with their families, teachers and therapists leading the way. And Tobii Dynavox Indi speech tablets with Snap + Core First symbol-based AAC software are the main tools moving them along. …
How Reading Dogs Can Open Books For Children With Speech Disorders
How Reading Dogs Can Open Books For Children With Speech Disorders A recent study has shown that man’s best friend may also be a child’s best friend when it comes to reading. The presence of dogs during reading has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve reading performance. With only a third of American students reaching a proficient level in national reading tests, the use of reading …
Valentine’s Day Activities for Speech and Language
It’s almost Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day means telling the people you love how much you care about them and eating lots of chocolate! Here are some fun Valentine’s Day activities you can do with your child to celebrate Valentine’s Day and work on his speech and language skills at the same time. Valentine’s Day Activities #1: Make Valentines: Naming Familiar People, Making Requests, …
Our Journey With Apraxia: This Is What I Have Learned
Many of our grant recipients are challenged by Childhood Apraxia of Speech. We're sharing a great article written by a mom who knows firsthand what parenting a child with apraxia is all about. People often ask me to describe what I’ve learned as the parent of a child with apraxia. It isn’t always easy to put into words. In fact, lately I have been struggling on this journey — and it is a …
How Do I Know if My Child Has Autism?
The short answer from a behavioral psychologist Q: How do I know if my child has autism? A: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. We diagnose it by identifying deficits in two primary areas: Socio-communication, which includes deficits in communication as well as using communication to engage socially. That may involve not using eye contact in a typical manner …
The Future of Digital Voices
The Future Of Digital Voices 46% of Americans use digital voice assistants, allowing them to keep their hands free to talk naturally while typing. It’s a technology that can benefit people with speech impairments, aiding their communication. Speech synthesizer technology has enabled many people to communicate more effectively, but it’s still in its early stages. Several major companies are …
Anticipation: Changing the Way We Think about Stuttering
Many people who stutter are able to identify a moment when they know they are about to trip up on a word or phrase. According to Eric S. Jackson, assistant professor at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, that moment can be characterized as “anticipation” and is largely invisible to other people in conversation with someone who stutters. Jackson has conducted …
AAC Device Guide
Children with severe speech or language disorders may benefit from an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. With so many different types of AAC devices available it can be confusing. Below is a list that will help you learn more. It is by no means exhaustive but will hopefully provide insight into what is available. Special thanks to Ashley Wortman, a Speech and Hearing student …
