This post originally appeared in September 2020. We are reposting it here for those who may be considering speech therapy for their older children. 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 …
With Cochlear Implant, Struggling Tot Now Thrives in Kindergarten
The Orange Effect Foundation has funded speech therapy for children who receive cochlear implants. Auditory-based therapy is essential for optimizing a cochlear implant recipient's speech, language, and listening skills. Learn more about cochlear implants and one child's journey from hearing loss to empowered speech and communication skills in this article reposted with permission from the …
Orange Effect Board Member Spotlight: Monica Gordon Pershey, Ed.D., CCC-SLP
Today's spotlight is on Orange Effect Foundation Board Member Monica Gordon Pershey, Ed.D., CCC-SLP. What do you do for your day job? I’m a professor at Cleveland State University in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I teach courses that prepare future speech-language pathologists, and I conduct research and write professional articles and books, mostly about children’s language and …
Dear Parents: Your Child With Autism Is Perfect
This thoughtful and very beautiful letter was written by New York Times journalist Madeleine Ryan. She shines a light on the wonderful responsibility it is to parent a child with autism. Writing that, "those on the spectrum are here to reclaim what it means to be authentic and truthful," Ryan conveys that autism offers so many lessons, including "what it means to be authentic and truthful." You …
Coming Soon to a Phone Near You
A new wave of accessibility tools Google and Apple have plans to make phones more accessible to people with disabilities. Tools for the vision impaired. Features for those with hearing loss or impairment. Learn more from this article in The Washington Post. …
Boy Overcomes Challenges of Being Diagnosed With Autism During Pandemic
Reposted with permission from the Cleveland Clinic. Smiling from ear to ear, 4-year-old Carter Smith loves making a grand entrance during his three time weekly visits to the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. He calls caregivers in the facility’s Center for Autism by name and greets them with a hug. “Carter is so entertaining and has such a joyful …
Here’s How You Can Help My Son
He needs more than 'awareness' about autism. This article appeared in The Washington Post on April 7, 2022. Jackie Spinner is an associate professor at Columbia College Chicago and a former staff writer for The Post. At dinner last week, I told my 10-year-old son that his school would celebrate World Autism Awareness Day. My son was excited, mostly because he loves a party, …
How To Help Your Child With Autism Overcome a Speech Delay
Speech delays are common symptoms of autism. Reports from Spectrum reveal that about 40% of children with autism experience some difficulties with speech. Recent research found that most 4-year-old children with autism were unable to string together more than two words. That said, while scientific findings show that speech delay frequently manifests in autism, each child’s experience of …
Medical Necessity for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Services
This article is provided courtesy of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Health plans, both …
The Orange Effect Foundation Announces First Quarter Grants for 2022
CLEVELAND - March 11, 2022 - PRLog -- Today, the Board of Directors of the Orange Effect Foundation approved grants to 15 children totaling more than $21,000. These grants advance the Foundation's mission to empower children with speech disorders by providing funds for summer speech camp, dedicated speech devices, and weekly speech therapy. "We've seen families who are …
What Is a Speech Impediment?
This article is provided courtesy of the Cleveland Clinic. A speech impediment happens when your child’s mouth, jaw, tongue and vocal tract can’t work together to produce recognizable words. Left untreated, a speech impediment can make it difficult for children to learn to read and write. Speech therapy can make a significant difference for children whose speech impediment isn't related to …
Writing Excellent SOAP Notes for Speech Therapy: 5 Steps
Working with children and adults with a speech impairment is a noble endeavor. You can help hundreds of people overcome their speech disabilities if you dedicate your career to the cause. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 5-10% of Americans have some form of communication disorder, with nearly 7% experiencing language impairment, aphasia being most …
