Why Consistent Attendance in Speech Therapy is So Important

In Speech-Language Therapy, the frequency and duration of visits is always dependent on the child and their particular needs. It’s the therapist’s duty to set these expectations, but it is up to the parent to impress their follow-through. Some parents don’t understand this about the practice, so I feel it my duty to expand on the reasons why consistency in this type of therapy is so important. 

Routine therapy is best for both the child and the therapist. If a child misses out frequently, they may be regressing much rather than progressing. This regression has consequences. If a child takes a backward step in therapy, the SLP must then spend valuable time re-teaching certain language skills. 

A lot of children who see speech-language pathologists are still in their developmental period. Their brains are continuously being filled with unfamiliar stimuli. Place yourself in their shoes. Do you really think you’d be able to learn anything inconsistently, while a myriad of new and exciting experiences pass you by. Some children with speech difficulties don’t understand the importance of speech language pathology. Consistency can help with this too: it’s a reminder and a goal-oriented experience. It’s important not to let a child lose their ground in speech-language therapy.

There will come a point when a child has improved to a certain level. At this point, the SLP may reduce the amounts of visits, say, from twice a week to once a week. This is all dependent on the amount of mental work the child puts into therapy and the consistency as well. At home practice, as you may know, is crucial in reaching this level, until the only place it is practiced is at home.

And this is probably the most important part: after therapy. For speech-language therapy to be most successful, parent involvement is an important factor even after therapy. Speech therapy takes setting goals and practicing toward perfecting them; much like any other activity of this caliber, it can diminish. All the wonderful skills a child has learned during therapy can cease to exist, be forgotten if parents don’t continue to impress these skills. So, if your child is in speech therapy, and you want to get the most of their potential, continue to practice at home. Bring the success your child learns at speech therapy and guide them in continuing it at home.

Resources

Stuckey, Kevin M.E.d., CCC-SLP, Super Duper Handy Handouts (2001):  "Consistent Attendance in Speech/Language Sessions - It's Important for Children and Their Communication!

Childhood Apraxia: Understanding It and Treating It

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a specific speech disorder which involves a difficulty in planning and consistently producing sequences of speech using the tongue, lips, jaw and palates. This difficulty can prevent a child from producing intelligible speech. It is not a weakness of these structures that produces this difficult; rather, the difficulty originates in the brain. A child with CAS has trouble putting these structures to use properly in order to form comprehensive statements or sounds.

When we communicate, an idea first forms in our brain as to what we want to say. Our brain thinks about the words it needs to recall and produce as well as the order in which these words should be produced to correctly verbalize our ideas. This information than translates into highly coordinated movements of the tongue, lips, jaw and soft palate, AKA the "articulators". The brain tells the muscles that control articulators the exact order and timing of movements to produce intelligible speech. Children with CAS may not be able to accurately and consistently produce these plans, due to neurological impairments or developmental disabilities.

When a child receives a diagnosis of CAS, he/she needs to begin speech therapy. This type of therapy varies for children according to the severity of their diagnosis. Experienced therapists may attempt different therapies, since there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to treatment and all children are motivated differently. They may need frequent one-on-one therapy, lots of repetitive practice with sounds, sequences, and movement patterns in order to be able to automatically incorporate them into their speech normally and intelligibly. Overcoming apraxia of speech can be tedious, but it is well worth it. Practicing at home is crucial in just about any speech and language program; this one especially.

Many therapist recommend the use of sign language, picture communication systems, and other augmentative or alternative communications. Combined therapies (sign and vocal word attempt) may enhance the chance that the listener will be able to understand the child. This will help with their self-esteem, which will help with their motivation in speech therapy and overcoming apraxia.

Young children recognize their speech difficulties, and any successful communication experience will encourage them to work harder. This is why various therapies and a continuous aim is highly encouraged by therapists. For some children, visual cues (ie. pointing to lips to insinuate a "b" sound) can aid in learning to use their articulators to produce a desired word. When a word and sign are consistent, children begin to associate the visual image of the sign with the placement of the articulators.  It's a very complex form of treatment for a very complicated disorder, but it works if a child works it.

If you notice speech delays or difficulties with your child's production or problems with his/her communication skills, please contact your physician or consult a speech-language pathologist in your area.

Resources

Spivey, Becky, M.ED. Super Duper Handy Handouts (2001):  Tongue Thrust, Dental Problems and Lisps

Oral Motor Development: The Baby Steps

What is oral motor development? 
Oral motor development simply involves the use of lips, the tongue, the jaw, the teeth and the hard and soft palates. Proper movement and coordination of these structures are crucial in speech production, safe swallowing, and consuming different food textures. Consistent oral motor activity begins prior to birth and continues beyond age three. By age four, most children can safely consume solid and liquid food without choking.

The milestones I'm about to list are typical, they are not strict by any means and all infants develop at their own rates. Use these milestones as a guide in monitoring your child's progress toward oral motor and swallowing development. It is suggested you consult your pediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby.

Before birth, the baby begins to develop sucking reflexes (around 36 weeks).

From birth to 3 months old, a baby will:

• Demonstrate many reflexes to protect his/her airway
• Respond to stimulation in and around the mouth
• Turn his/her head toward the nipple when a caregiver strokes his/her cheek (this is a sign for "I'm hungry")
• Consume breast milk or formula using a nipple
• Coordinate his/her breathing with two to three sucks of liquid before swallowing and breathing

From 3 to 6 months, the baby will:

• Bring both hands up to clasp the bottle, but may need assistance holding it
• Consumes rice cereal or pureed fruit and pureed vegetable baby foods
• Eats from a small infant/toddler spoon during feeding

From 6 to 9 months, the baby will:

• Hold the bottle independently
• Clean the spoon with their upper lip (get the whole airplane up in there)
• Eat pureed meats and a variety of pureed baby foods (pureed is a strangely spelled word)

From 9 to 12 months, the baby will:

• Show lip closure when swallowing liquids and soft solids
• Begin to self-feed by using his/her fingers to grab small food. The baby may attempt this with small, soft and easily dissolvable foods. Now I want Cheerios -_-
• Begin experimenting with a sippy cup
• Begin to consume mashed table foods
• Drink from the sippy cup and attempts to hold the handle by his/herself
• Drink through a straw

At 12 to 18 months, the baby will:

• Coordinate his/her sucking, swallowing, and breathing patterns for longer sequences
• Eat finely chopped table foods
• Bite through crunchy foods, like cookies or crackers
• Move the food in her/her mouth from side to side as they chew

At 18 to 24 months, the little one will feed him/herself using a spoon, but still may need assistance with this.

At 24 to 36 months, the medium one will:

• Eat and drink a variety of solids and liquids through a straw and open mouth cups
• Use a spoon to scoop soft foods while feeding him/herself 
• Independently move toward find tuning all feeding skills

At 36 to 5 years, the large one will:

• Progress toward chewing and swallowing more advanced textures such as meats, fried foods, whole fruits, etc. with close supervision by a caregiver
• Begin to use a fork to stab food (also, with supervision)
• Drink from an open mouth cup with no assistance

If this sounds like a lot to coordinate, look forward to the little things. Like catching this candid face on camera:

Resources

Richmond, Megan-Lynette. Super Duper Handy Handouts (2016): "Oral Motor Development Milestones"

The Lisp, The Tongue Thrust and their Subsequent Dental Problems

The lisp is a speech disorder known amongst, well, just about everybody. Everyone has heard someone with a lisp, and plenty have had a lisp of their own which diminished with age. What some people don't know is that their are two different types of lisps: "interdental" and "bilateral".

Interdental lisps are most commonly occurring. Sylvester suffers from an interdental lisp. While making an "S" sound, Sylvester pushes his tongue through his front teeth, create a "th" sound where a "s" sound should be.

Then, there's the bilateral lisp; a little less common. This occurs when air is pushed through the sides of the mouth because the tongue lies flat when it should be curling during pronunciation of the "s". Think about Sid the Sloth from Ice Age when you're picturing a bilateral lisp. Cartoon characters never catch a break. These two can't even get their names right. 

Oh Sid. You're the reason everyone suddenly loves sloths. But there you have it. There are actually two different types of lisps, in case you didn't already know. Both treatable at the Suffolk Center for Speech. 

The Tongue Thrust, also known as a "reverse swallow," is very common in young, school aged children. Babies use this "reverse swallow" at birth in order to protect their airway. But, as a child grows, they develop a better pattern, and the tongue thrust action should cease. For those whose tongue thrust does not cease, there can be a few well-regarded contributing factors. Developmental delays, hereditary factors, premature loss of teeth, thumb sucking, respiratory difficulties, and even prolonged bottle feeding are all possible causes of the tongue thrust problem. 

To help you visualize the tongue thrust, you can compare the normal swallow to the deviant swallow of a "tongue thruster". 

During a normal swallow:

• teeth and lips are sealed, relaxed and firm
• the tongue tip presses up against the top teeth
• the anterior of the tongue slopes downward to push food into the throat
• a negative inter-oral pressure forces the tongue into a wave like motion

During a deviant swallow:

• sides of the tongue press against the inside of the front teeth
• the front of the tongue pushes upward and the tip of the tongue thrusts forward, sometimes through the teeth and lips
• the lips are pursed, the jaw is open
• food is pushed back with a "positive pressure"

The Dental Problems

The continual thrusting movement against the front teeth causes a Class II Malocclusion: an overbite. Orthodontists give children with these overbites a set of braces with an anterior cage. Significant spacing between the front teeth is another problem often ensued by the tongue thrust. 

Why Speech Therapy?

Research into the tongue thrust problem suggests that it results in a lisp with secondary orthodontic features. Braces cannot cure the problem without "myofunctional therapy". The lisp also requires "myofunctional therapy" for remediation. 

Children who present these problems often see speech therapists in school, or privately. Therapy consists of a combination of strengthening the tongue, repositioning it, and practice with producing the correct "s" sound. An orthodontist and speech therapist paired will confer on an appropriate time to fit braces and start therapy. Children who still bare intrusion of the tooth fairy every so often may not be ready for this. But, some children who are still losing teeth get the therapy anyways because of poor speech intelligibility in the classroom.  Lisps and the tongue thrust problem should not be ignored based on the importance of applying good dental health (braces, a retainer, etc.). Most often, these treatments alone will not fix the underlying tongue thrust problem, and so myofunctional therapy is crucial for young tongue thrusters. If you suspect your child is a tongue thruster or is exhibiting a lisp, and likewise if you are a teacher and suspect this of a child, bring the child to a speech therapist or fill out a speech referral form.

Resources

Merket-Piccini, Robyn, M.A. CCC-SLP. Super Duper Handy Handouts (2001):  Tongue Thrust, Dental Problems and Lisps: A perfect combin

Ten Surefire Ways to Teach Good Manners

I'm 23, and I'm still, well, mannered. See what I did there? But I am, when I have to be especially. Teaching good manners is extremely important, and whether or not your standards meet those of the world, it's still important to teach your child to mind their matters. It's expected from a lot of the world to maintain good manners, so best start early. Here are some sure-fire ways to teach your child good manners that will be a pleasure for both you and your child.

1. Model good behavior. Be their shining example. Use good manners when talking with them and use good manners when talking with others. In their youngest years, their behavior usually emulates a child's behavior. So take this one seriously if you want to see your child mind his matters.
2. Teach polite words. "I'm sorry" "please" and "thank you" are winners. "May I" is trending. Explain what these words mean to them, and how important they are to use. And of course, always make sure they use them .
3. Watch children's TV shows with them. A lot of children's shows teach good manners, and they're a great way to do so because children enjoy them. Try and find one that they truly enjoy and laugh at, or just express emotion over. More emotion probably means they're placing a significance on the show and it's messages or motifs. Address when they should model good behavior they see on the show. 
4. Role play good manners. I already said model it, but role play it too. What goes on at home is much different than what goes on outside, so make sure your child is prepared to be well mannered in the world by role playing scenarios like them. Don't over-complicate brainstorming for scenarios. Base your scenarios on times in which you believe your child should use the "polite words" I listed above.
5. Read books about good manners. I wish I had a list for you, but I don't remember much of the first books I ever read. The reasons this is successful mimic those of #3.
6. Praise good manner. And I mean always. Or at least when it's most plausible: at home. You don't have to praise it right away, so long as you tell them that their good manners at such-and-such event earned them a day of lazer-tag. Positive reinforcement will increase the chances of good manners sticking.
7. Give replacement behaviors. When you see your child display bad behaviors, explain to them why the behavior was bad. But, additionally give them a replacement behavior, something they should have done instead of what they did do, or what they did say. 
8. Play in good manner games. What are those I know. A good example is picking a "well-mannered word" of the day. Have them count how many times they heard said word and inform you at the end of the day. The game should take you approximately 2 minutes  (to hear out a scenario or two), and them all day. 
9. Make rules and set expectations. The younger the better. When children grow older it's difficult for them to understand reasoning behind new rules and often rebel against house rules, so make them early and stick to them!
10. Enroll your children in etiquette class. Check to see if your school has it, and if they do, why not. Enroll them. It's a life skill outside their career that's most important. Putting them in a learning setting can help them when it comes to applying it in real life. 

Teaching good manners can be a long road for some, but it's for the best. Trust me, they'll thank you later. 

Helping Your Child Develop Social Skills through "Scripting"

So what is "scripting". It's simply a different term for role-playing. In this case, it's role-playing social scenarios and situations. And it can truly prepare your child for a world that's continuously socially demanding. If you help your child develop their social skills early, it will help them maintain friendships and important relationships throughout high school and college. Not only is social acceptance in large correlation with happiness and well-being, it's a known recipe for financial success (in the future). Teaching your child social skills is a long and tedious road, but this suggestion can really help out. Make it a weekly task, and make it game-like. Sit down and write out scenarios (ie: you had trouble on your homework and couldn't complete it, how should you tell your teacher tomorrow morning and should you ask for her help after school?). I hope that spawns a myriad of ideas through your head, because simple play-time task can truly help your child in a lot of ways.

• Thinking about their behavior before, during, or after acting or speaking
• Using appropriate eye contact, voice, tone, expression
• Respecting others' personal space
• Learning to participate appropriately in groups
• Being assertive without being pushy
• Handling peer pressure
• Being in control of their feelings
• Give and responding to criticism, constructive and not-so-constructive
• Disagreeing with others
• Settling conflict and mediating it
• Compromising and negotiating
• Dealing with failure or being left out (Mayo 1)

This sort of thing is applicable to all students, and I for one suggest it. That is, unless you know for sure your child is a sociable person already. But it is especially a great practice with students on the autism spectrum or with ADD, anxiety or depression. It can help them address their aggression, fear, and anxieties. At first, children will probably come off awkward during scripts. They are scripts, and it's hard to get a script down to begin with but eventually, your child will get the hang of it and become more spontaneous and comfortable. I'm not saying they'll become an actor, but this will help them find themselves, be themselves, and bring this ability to school and life. 

Who needs scripting?

Children who don't seem to fit in with others in class and school are easily identifiable by peers and teachers and may be isolated because of what they do or do not do. School can be a jungle for children like this, and this isolation could continue throughout their lifetime, causing grief and possibly maladjustment in school, delinquency, and problems as adults (Mayo 1). Socially different is a term that refers to students who have trouble maintaining social acceptance. They may have trouble with close encounters with unfamiliar others, poor eye contact, creating or closing conversations, and even self-control. Students with social skill deficits have a lack of knowledge, a lack of practice or feedback, a lack of cues or opportunities, a lack of reinforcement, and the presence of interfering behavior. Four components in training students with scripting include: modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, and transfer and training (Mayo 2).

What can a typical lesson provide?

Scripts should match life experience at home and in school. Discretely ask your teacher about your child's social behavior if you're worried and suspect them of having social difficulties. Find out what they are, and go over them during scripts. Basic social abilities, such as greeting someone or starting a conversation, are a great place to start off. Steady eye contact, conversation starting/stopping, and respecting personal space are all recommended to be taught in every script/role-play. Encourage your child to be open about their experiences so you can focus your scripts on bettering the future for them; help them understand how scripting will help them, even if it starts off strange. Keep pushing on with it if you feel it important. Be humorous in your scripts: this will help keep the child interested. The world loves humor, and your child will probably have a humor that mimics yours in some ways.

Resources

Mayo, Patty. Waldo, Patti. Spivey, Becky L. Super Duper Handy Handouts (2013):  http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/366%20Scripting.pdf

Teaching Time Management Early On

I remember my first semester in college, I was forced to take a class on "time management". It was a crucial skill to have throughout your college years, so on and so forth. At the end of the class, I remember thinking "wow this would have been helpful 10 years ago." I kid you not. Time management is especially difficult when you're young, yet it's so important in terms of getting your homework done, long-term projects, following a routine and number one: making your parents proud.

There's a great amount of children who have time management skills down, but also a great amount who don't. And it's imperative that time management is taught early on. It boggles me that it's not in early curricular, because it truly is that important. But I'm not here to convince you of how important it is. If you have a child, you probably know. They spend seven hours a day at school, absorbing as much knowledge as they can (probably more per day than you have to), and after that it's on to extra-curricular activities: another few hours. When they're finally ready to settle, it's homework time! You might think back on your school days with a smile, but it's up to you to make sure your child does too. And a great way to do this is by teaching them how to manage their time effectively, to succeed in and out of school. And so we move on to the juice. I've got some great tips for teaching time management skills to early learners and highly suggest you consider implementing them into your child's life.

It's important that time management skills transition from school to home. The following strategies should be utilized to help young ones learn time management and apply it to their own lives successfully:

• It's important that children learn to view time as an important thing, to be highly valued. A good practice is to associate it with a real object so your child can see time as it passes. Get them a colorful clock or visual timer, perhaps an hour glass, and assist them in organizing the time in their day. Seeing time pass with their own eyes will instill a sense of temporal significance, which won't hurt (as long as you don't bear down on them for not grasping it right away). 
• Give them a break before homework time. Provide them a healthy snack, like fruit or raw vegetables with their favorite dressing. It will restore their brain after a long day of learning, and help them apply their energy toward homework time. 
• Associate increments of time to your child, teaching them to understand how long things should take. ("It should take you thirty minutes to finish this assignment. That's as much time as it takes for us to drive to your Aunt Josie's house").
• Set aside an area in your house for your child to sit up and do his/her homework, with lots of light, little-to-no extra stimuli (such as a TV in the room or one blaring in the next). Make sure you keep their visual timer close, but if you sense that it is causing them stress and effecting their attention span, give them more time on the clock. 
• Monitor their daily homework activity. Help them to schedule their more difficult assignments first, the ones that will take more time and thought. If your child is in an Individualized Education Program (IEP), their teacher may sometimes have input on how much time particular homework assignments of theirs should take. There's no harm in asking. Encourage your child to inquire themselves. One day, they'll have to, and it's best you get them acclimated to proper and helpful student-teacher rapport early on. 
• Be involved. Don't assume you annoy your child's teacher by being involved in their education. Most actually enjoy a parent's involvement, and sometimes it's of assistance. Have your child's teacher suggest amounts of time to finish particular assignments based on your child's performance in school. Again, time management skills should carry over from school to home. So keep expectations consistent. 

 Resource

Spivey, Becky L., M. E.d. "Teaching Time Management at Home" Handy Handouts (2013): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/334_Teaching_Time_Mgmt_at_Home.pdf

Helping Your Child Understand Emotions

Sometimes, emotions hit you like a tidal wave. One moment you're feeling dull, the next you feel on top of the world. Or, on bottom. Being overwhelmingly happy or sad is not necessarily a good thing. A lot of us ride the emotional roller coaster, and it's not a ride that usually ends well. This is why it's so imperative that parents teach their children, at a young age when they begin to express emotions, how to handle them properly. Children learn how to react to their emotions vicariously through the significant adults in their life: their teachers, their coaches, their aunts and uncles, and you, the parent. So, before you flip the lid for any given reason, even if the neighbor knocked your fence down and it'll most likely take hundreds to repair, remember this: your child will emulate this behavior. As their number 1 teacher in childhood, it's important you know ways to approach them when they themselves are unsure of how to handle their emotions.

Parents can help children handle their emotions by identifying them by names (sadness, anger, etc.) and discussing the result of how they handle said emotion. A lot of parents think it is wise to tell their little one to "calm down" or "go to their room" when they are throwing a temper tantrum. Now, put yourself in their little shoes. You were there once before. You're yelling and screaming because you can't get your homework done.You don't understand what is being asked of you, and your teacher didn't have enough time toward the end of the day to discuss fully what was expected. You don't know how to handle this emotion of frustration, so, it boils up and you start to yell. You don't want to yell, you don't want to cause a scene, but it's what is happening and you don't quite understand it. You're in a realm of confusion and frustration, and your parent tells you to "go to your room until you calm down." Now, you're even more confused. You're being punished? What for? You were just expressing how you felt. It may not have been the best way to express it, but it was the reaction your body naturally elicited.

Instead of telling a child to calm down, removing them from the situation to either punish them or simply to stop them, a parent should practice discussing these emotions with their child. Punishment will not fix their irrationality, nor will it be very effective in stopping them from acting out like that again. You're better off offering them your empathy, a soothing voice and helping them to calm down. Once they're calm, you can ask them what triggered the emotional meltdown. They need to understand that everybody feels the urge to have a meltdown from time to time. Everyone experiences these same emotions, under different circumstances, but they pass. They're fleeting, and that's truly something everyone, child or adult, must remember why they find themselves overwhelmed. It's only momentary.

You must teach your child that it's important for social standards to conduct themselves properly even when they feel emotions arise too quickly. They can remove themselves from the situation creating the stir, environmentally and emotionally. They can close their eyes, take deep breaths and count to five. They'll open their eyes to a different perspective; it works every time.

Recognizing the emotions of others is also extremely important early in life. It creates empathy, an attribute so crucial to social skills that I reiterate it almost every blog post. Watch family TV shows, you know, those ones that always have some sappy message by the end. Those sappy messages can be pretty solid life lessons. Discuss with your child what goes on in school, with their friends and acquaintances. Do they witness other children handling emotions well, or throwing temper tantrums? If they do, discuss how those individuals could have handled their emotions better. Even more so, and this is for your child just as much as it is for you...if you find yourself yelling or bugging out in front of your child (it doesn't matter what the cause was; did yelling solve it?), have a sit-down with them later on (when you're calm) and discuss how YOU could have handled the situation better. Remember, they learn a lot about handling their own emotions through you and your behavior.

Here are some tips for helping your child develop their emotional and social skills. Take the time to:

• Notice and praise their positive behavior
• Listen to the stories they tell you (and be interested! even if your day dragged on)
• Praise their accomplishments, big and small
• Be patient when they make mistakes, keep pushing them (with positivity) until they succeed (they'll have to learn to positively push themselves one day...it starts with you)
• Encourage their talents and interests, even if they aren't your own
• Show consideration for their feelings, even if they are being overly dramatic
• Show them unconditional love (a given) because they need your support more than anyone's

Emotions shape everything we are and everything we become. We are emotionally driven beings. We learn better when emotions are involved, and emotionally stable individuals have a much better chance at becoming successful in their careers than those who are unstable. Start building that stability early. Parents take the time to teach their children how to make their own breakfast, how to ride a bike, how to write cursive...but a lot of parents don't realize how important it is to teach them emotional stability. It's totally understandable that parents who work long hours find it difficult confronting their child's over-emotionality at night. But, being a parent is a job, one that comes first and should never be forgotten.

Dealing with positive emotions is A LOT easier than dealing with negative emotions. So here is a list of children's books that tackle the subject of negative emotions. They're great to read with your children, and can teach them a lot if you guide them in applying their own life to these short stories ("Have you ever been in this situation?")

• When I'm Angry - Aaron, J
• Dealing with Hurt Feelings - Adams, L
• Mean Soup - Everitt, B
• It's Hard to be Five - Curtis, Jamie L.
• Being Angry - Johnson, J.
• Annie Bananie - Komaiko, Leah
• Let's Talk About Being Afraid - Kreiner, A.
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day - Viorst, J. (one of my favorites)
• I Was So Mad - Mayer, J.
• Ira Sleeps Over - Waber, Bernard
• Can't You Sleep, Little Bear - Waddell, Martin
• How To Take the Grrr Out of Anger - Verdick, Elizabeth

 Resource

Spivey, Becky L., M. E.d. "Helping Children Understand and Deal with Emotions" Handy Handouts (2013): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/390_UnderstandFeelings.pdf

Speech Development in the Early Ages

It's important for every parents to know the norm of speech development in infants. No infant will develop their speech-language skills at the same rate. It all depends on environmental and genetic factors. So, as it is important to know if your little one is on the right track when it comes to the earliest of speech and language development, use this post only as a guideline. And remember, you're their first and most important vocal teachers. These developments may naturally occur, or you may want to impress them by practicing speech with them as a daily routine.

Ages 1-6 months old...
At this point in an infant's life, he/she will only be able to communicate through gestures or crying. During these months, a child begins to understand receptive language (can perceive certain, simple language) and by the end of it should be able to learn and pronounce phonemes (the smallest parts of speech).

Crying is a way for infants to express what they may want or need. They may use varying pitches to distinguish their want/need. This is where motherly instincts kick in, I suppose. It might take a while, but eventually I think a lot of mothers acquire a feel for what their child needs by the way they cry.

Gesturing is another way for infants to express their wants and needs, non-verbally. An infant may throw up his/her arms, turn their head, smile, shake their hands to express excitement, etc. This is usually too cute to handle.

You should see your infant begin to understand receptive language during this period. A child should become familiar with the human voice, and understand how tone or pitch might be distinct with mood or emotion. An infant should be able to tell if someone is angry by the sound of their voice. So, if you feel the need to holler, try not to do it around them, even if they do it around you a decent amount.

During this stage, phoneme development begins. This usually occurs late in this stage. First, an infant might learn to make vowel sounds. You may begin to hear consonant sounds produced from the back of the mouth, such as "k" or "g". You might also begin to hear your infant combine vowel and consonant sounds.

Ages 7-12 months old...
There's a lot of development taking place during this stage. A baby's gestures become more meaningful, babbling increases, so does imitation. Crying is still a primary means of expressing needs, but at this age crying is usually coupled with a particular gesture (crying and throwing hands up and down, smiling and giggling).

Babbling becomes meaningful. Children will start to make sounds that seem like words and attach them to physical objects. It might make you laugh and wonder, but it's a step in the right direction.

Receptive language continues to develop, and strong. Children will attach sounds and gestures to objects. They'll rely heavily on tone or pitch of voice to understand cues and what people are trying to say to them. The child should start to understand his/her name and respond to it.

Phonemic development increases during this stage as well. You'll begin to hear your infant make more consonants, some that are produced with the front of the mouth (like "b" "p" "m" and "w") combined with vowel sounds. Children will also "vocal play", combining consonants and vowels in repetitive nature (Spielvogle, 1).

Ages 13-36 months
This is where speech and language development starts to rapidly grow. Their babbles become meaningful words, their phonemes continue to develop, and their receptive language development grows strong.

Babbling is mixed with meaningful words that the child is just beginning to learn. He/she may speak something, but include jargon. Not to worry. By the end of this stage, a child's vocabulary should expand by up to 200 words. They'll be able to pair few words together to construct meaningful phrases.

Receptive language continues to develop rapidly. In the beginning of this stage, a child should be able to attach common words to common objects when asked to. During this stage an infant's receptive language develops rapidly, but their expressive language (verbalizing meaning) develops slowly until they reach the ages of 3 or 4.

Phonemic development continues to develop at a rapid pace. A lot of children have trouble developing the "r" sound, and can't help but use a "w" sound instead. It's pretty common, so don't let it frustrate you unless it lasts well into development.

So, though this is only a guideline, it's a great piece to refer to while impressing language development on an infant. It's can be one of the most tedious, yet wonderful jobs to have as a parent. It's teaching your child to express itself, and one day it will all pay off.

Help Your Child Master the Art of Acing Standardized Tests

Standardized tests, usually multiple choice, true or false, whether you agree they're benefiting your child or not, will probably remain for years to come. So, it's best that you, as a parent, learn how to maximize your child's standardized test taking abilities early on.

First and foremost, I cannot personally stress how important being a good English student is when it comes to standardized testing. I was an English minor in college. I was also a Psychology major, and ALL of the tests in my Psychology classes were standardized. I've become such a gifted reader and writer that when I read a question, its key words pop out at me, and the answer becomes obvious right away. My gift of information recall is pretty impeccable, and I think that's because I place such a heavy meaning on words and associations. So my number one tip for parents is to help their children in English. It might not seem like the most important subject, but believe me, strong writing, reading and communicating abilities will take anyone very far in life. I haven't read one job posting that didn't boldly state that "strong writing and communicating skills is a must." So, English skills are important far beyond the classroom.

There are some things to teach your child early on to help them tackle the infamous standardized test, where creativity is thrown out the window and memory recall is held most highly in regard. Can't stand the rigidity, more of a creative person myself. So, here you go:

Homework: Make sure your child keeps up-to-date with all of his/her homework, jotting notes on key messages of each assignment (which may be discussed next day in class). Standardized tests usually cover what is handed out as homework during a semester's lesson plan.

Testing Accommodations: Some students with learning disabilities are eligible for testing accommodations. If your child is eligible, they might be able to take their tests differently than other students, eliminating the barriers that might exacerbate their test-taking difficulties. For example, a teacher may read out questions to such student. The student can then verbalize their response which the teacher will write down. Or, a child with learning disabilities may be placed elsewhere when it comes time to take a test.

Sample Tests: Find out if there are sample tests for whatever upcoming standardized test your student may be facing next. Sample tests prepare students for the format of the test, and often cover key topics in different means, helping the child conceptualize subject matter in a distinct light. This will also ease some of the anxiety your child may have about taking the test, anxiety which might deter them from doing their best.

Practice: Homework is a great chance for young students to practice their standardized test taking abilities. Have them practice deductive reasoning. Teach them to skip over questions that stump them, to move on to other questions and have faith that the answer will eventually come to them. Just make sure they keep organized and always check over their work. Time them during their homework. Take a look at the assignment, come up with a reasonable amount of time it should take your child to finish the assignment to his/her best ability. This will prepare them for the time limits that are used during standardized testing.

R&R: Yes I said it, rest and relaxation. Make sure your child is well-rested and especially well-fed before test taking time. You wouldn't believe how important this is for a child's attention span. A hearty breakfast and a good night sleep (especially after studying) will give them brain juice and optimize their memory recall.

Ask Questions: Not you, your child. Prepare them to listen to all directions an instructor might give before a test. If your child has difficulty hearing and processing information the first time they hear it, this tips for you. Make sure they're okay with asking the instructor to rephrase their directions, and not just repeat them. If your child didn't understand the first time, chances are the instructor simply reiterating the details won't help.

All of these simple steps can truly help your child when it comes time for those huge and even small standardized tests. They'll be taking them into their twenties, so it's best they learn better techniques now.

Resources

Kjesbo,, Rynette, M.S. CCC-SLP "Standardized Test Preparation" Handy Handouts (2009): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/292_StandardizedTestPrep.pdf

Top Ten Homework Tips for Parents

Homework can be extremely difficult for all kids, especially those with learning difficulties. Half the day at school can be draining enough as it is, and a lot of children have trouble spanning their attention across the full day. Some children struggle with organization, leaving their assignments at school. It's often frustrating for some getting homework done at home, and the frustration just makes it worst.

So here are ten great tips for guiding your child with their homework.

1) Have your child do their homework in the same place every night. It may take some getting used to, but even in college maintaining the same lesson and test taking environment is said to do wonders. This can really help your child keep his or her attention. Make sure it has plenty of light and is far enough away from other stimuli (sounds, the television).

2) Every school year, assist your child in creating a school supply list. Especially if your child is disorganized; they may need help or guidance early on. Get them a calendar book with large spaces to write assignments in (those small ones can be annoying to use, I personally never had small hand writing). Then can use this in leu of the agendas most schools hand out, and if you let them design it chances are they'll use it.

3) Consistency can't be stressed enough. Make sure your child is doing their homework at the same time every night. Don't let up on this. It has to be a time with no distractions, no interaction and no TVs blaring in the room. This is something you might have to impress for a while, but it's worth it.

4) A way to help your child keep organized is to have them keep an index card for the front pocket of their bag with everything written down that they'll need that day for homework. Make sure they pack up their bags the night before school, and another great tip is to color code

5) Mnemonic phrases are a sure fire way to help your kids remember concepts. For example, students remember the notes on a music staff by reciting the mnemonic phrase "All Good Boys Do Fine".

6) If your child often gets fatigued during their homework section, short breaks are completely fine and can help if kept in check.

7) This tip is referred to as "chunking", it's not waiting until Thursday night to do Friday's assignment. If it's a large assignment, assist your child early on in completing it in increments and they should catch on to how much easier it is than to cramp.

8)  Praise your child for finishing their homework, and doing a good job, either verbally or with a hug or high five.

9) Have them write a contract. "I, Jayden, will do my homework at 5pm every night, and after I finish I can watch TV." If they write it, they'll feel ownership over it, which is good to instill in children early on. And hopefully they won't break it because they wrote it.

10) Purchase an hour glass for them. It will give them a concrete sense of time (if it isn't a distraction). They can see how much time they have left, which can often get them back on track if they dose off.

Teaching Pragmatism to a Child

While your child is learning to speak, it's important instill a sense of pragmatism, or, realism, in them. A good practice to instill this early is to teach them to value objects, be independent thinkers, and to learn self-respect as well.

I hope you like some arts and crafts. This is a great exercise to instill these traits. Help them build and decorate a "treasure box", a place for them to keep their favorite belongings. Speak with them about why it's so important to keep these objects safe, and to know where they are. This will help to instill a sense of value to objects in a child.

Let them create it, let them do what they want with it. This will foster independent thinking. Arts and crafts are a great exercise for young parents to practice with their early speakers and they work wonders for their creativity as well as their self-esteem. You can purchase tiny boxes or even larger shoe boxes at about any dollar store, as well as crafts for your and your child to play with.

Your child will remember his box and what it taught him. Understanding the value of objects, self-esteem and independence are crucial during development. So make it fun. The funner you make it, the more your child will remember it. 

How to Promote Healthy Self-Esteem in Your Child

A lot of children, for one reason or another, lack self-esteem and aren't sure how to build it. Raising one's self-esteem comes through realizing one's self-concept (a person's perspective of themself). Children with disabilities especially lack self-esteem, struggling academically, physically, and socially. It's imperative that parents of children with disabilities know how to promote self-esteem in them. In fact, all parents can benefit from reading this post and learning ways to promote self-esteem in their children - disabled or not. If a child grows up lacking self-esteem, it is likely they will find trouble in producing this self-esteem later on in life. It's a parent's job to instill a positive self-concept in their child, no matter their amount of "faults". Here are some tips for parents to help promote self-esteem in their children. They seem self-explanatory and obvious, but a lot of parents are so busy and wrapped up in their careers that they forget how important this is.

Tell them they're special. Children need to feel special at an early age, to feel that they have worth for the world before they're blindly thrown into it and expected to shine. The world can be a harsh place, and research suggests that having at least 1 caring parent helps a child become resilient (Prince, 1). What are your child's strengths? Focus on them, dwell on their strengths as opposed to their weaknesses. Of course, don't forget to help your child overcome their weaknesses, and teach them to be proud of such accomplishments. But showing a child how special it is to have said strengths will push them to follow their drives and goals: a crucial attribute (being true to one's drive) in every individual. Children who lack a path or a drive in life often feel conflicted, as if they're being pulled by society to be one thing and by themselves to be another. This inner-dissonance can cause such feelings as anxiety and depression. So, make sure you verbally praise your child for their strengths, and make sure they know they're special.

Teach them to cope. Self-esteem correlates with problem-solving skills. Firstly, it's important that you, as a parent, not always be a "parent". Be your child's confidant when they need one. As kids grow older, they face situations that parents dread. But just because you dread your child dating doesn't mean they won't. Don't show your child your natural fear. Don't tell them "you'll understand when you're a parent." Teaching a child to cope with his or her own problems is like cutting the umbilical chord way late in life, but it must be done. A good way to do this is to role play with your child. Create a dilemma (ie: your child's new popular friend smokes and offers him/her a cigarette, they don't want to take it but at the same time, they don't want their friend to think they're "uncool"). Then, brainstorm ways to get out of the situation (ie: "I'd rather not smoke, I don't like the taste. But thanks for the offer" - your child may want to maintain the friendship and their lungs simultaneously). Role-playing and practicing sets them up for the real world.

Watch what you say to them. "You need to try harder." Think about how a child hears this phrase in comparison to this: "We need to find a better way to help you learn." Every child is still in the making, and your help means the world to them. Be positive and helpful with the ways in which you push them. You can't be afraid to push your child in the right direction, but make sure you don't hurt their feelings in the attempt. This will only create negative feelings and/or a negative self-concept, which will only exacerbate the issue and not help your cause at all. I know, all children reach that dreaded age where they don't want any help at all from their parents. But showing them you're authentic interest in solving their problems early on will show them that you are a confidant and outlet for help while it's in demand.

Show that you care. It can be frustrating for parents to work with a child who has a learning disability, but frustration on your end only creates frustration on theirs as well. Show them how much you care, not through frustration, but through empathy. If you show them that you understand what he/she is going through, they are much more likely to keep trying.

Give them some control. Avoid power struggles with your child by giving them options for completing tasks. For example, provide them different options for places at home or at school where they can do their work. This will give your child a sense of control over their academic success, so they'll be proud when they succeed.

Leave your comparisons at the door please. Especially within the household. Don't compare your youngest to your oldest, your oldest to your youngest, or your child to another. Comparisons create envy in children, which isn't a particularly healthy way of encouraging betterment. A child should strive to succeed for themselves, not for someone else's benefit or to upstage another.

Emphasize the positives. Children with learning disabilities often feel that they cannot get anything right. So, it's imperative that parents and teachers take every chance they can get to emphasize a child's strengths and successes, no matter how trivial they may be. Positive reinforcement is scientifically proven to aid in success as opposed to punishment (emphasizing the negative).

Involve them in charitable work. Helping others, seeing what you can really do in terms of bettering someone else's life is a great way to build self-esteem. So, try to get your child involved in charitable work; teach them about important causes; find out which causes truly influence your child and take advantage of that. For example, if your child loves animals, get them involved in voluntary fund-raising events for animals.

These tips are not just important for parents of children with disabilities: all parents should follow these tips. Society is extremely pressing. Children are expected to find their niche at an early age, and even worst, many parents push their child into a niche only because it's what THEY want. Parents who push their children into activities they know their children dislike need to evaluate the positives and negatives of their actions. Childhood is meant for self-discovery, and attempting to mold and control every part of your child's development, as opposed to simply guiding it toward the right direction, can be a large mistake. Your child's happiness comes first, and if your child has yet to figure out what makes them happy, bring them around town. Help them figure it out. Don't sit back, but don't hover over. Don't squeeze the dove to death. Be a parent and a friend. Be a mentor and an authority figure. Find a balance, and have faith that your child will thank you later in life.

Resources

Prince, Audrey, M. E.d. "The Impact of Self-Esteem" Handy Handouts (2009): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/154_Self%20Esteem.pdf

Learning Social Skills Early On

For some children, social skills come naturally. They learn them vicariously through others: first, their parents and siblings, and later on, their peers. The umbrella phrase "social skills" includes a child's ability to communicate, problem-solving skills, decision-making skills, self-management and control, and relationships. Difficulties with social skills have several negative implications in one's life and can interfere with school, work, and life in general.

 

Poor social skills are very common in children with learning disabilities and especially nonverbal learning disabilities. Children who present serious difficulty with their social skills may have what is referred to as "pragmatic communication deficits". This develops with age. Early on, children with pragmatic communication deficits may display difficulties with physical communication; subsequently, they display verbal difficulties later on in life.

 

There are many red flags to determine if you should have your child evaluated for pragmatic communication skills. Physical difficulties include: poor eye contact (usually the first sign of a communication disorder), an inability or miscomprehension of socially appropriate conversational distance, body language that does not match speech (either too enthusiastic or no body language at all to facilitate context), or facial expressions that do not match speech (forgetting to smile, nod for approval). You can envision how this might make social relationships difficult. A dissonance between body language and context throws off the listener, which might deter a friendship in-the-making. It causes discomfort and confusion in the listener.

 

Verbal difficulties may include: an inclination to constantly talk about random topics, entirely irrelevant to a given conversation, a miscomprehension of when or how it is appropriate to interrupt someone else who is speaking, TMI (too much information) during initial encounters
(which might make the listener uncomfortable), trouble relating volume of voice to context, trouble receiving compliments or often insulting others without intent, trouble introducing one's self, avoiding groups and acknowledging others when entering a room.

 

Thinking difficulties may include: an inability to take into account another's emotional state before speaking (Can I see where you buried your dog today?), taking jokes or sarcasm literally, laughing or talking at inappropriate times or places, inability to pick up on cues to continue conversation, and an inability to "think" before "saying", which may result in insult to another or to one's self. (Spivey, 2)

 

Children with pragmatic communication deficits may have very little empathy: an attribute that is CRUCIAL to successful communication. Parents or caregivers can be the greatest role models for children if they work hard to be. They must learn to talk about behaviors and expectations. Here is a list of social skills that are imperative in a young one's life and are perfect for a parent to practice impressing on a young child they believe might be having difficulty in developing good communication skills...

•  Teach your child the importance of saying "please" and "thank you" while making appropriate eye contact
• Teach your child to deal with frustration appropriately, without yelling or acting out (be a role model on this one especially: if you get easily frustrated and act out, either learn to stay calm or be prepared for your child to do the same)
• Teach your child how to ask questions appropriately regarding touchy issues (How did your dog die?)
• Teach your child to accept responsibility for his/her own mistakes (it's also important to be a good role model for this one: if you are wrong, proudly admit it, and promptly)
• Teach your child ways to start or facilitate conversation appropriately, without interrupting
• Teach your child to accept "no" for an answer
• Teach your child to accept praise from others without "gloating"
• Teach your child how to greet others (familiar and unfamiliar) appropriately, with eye contact
• Teach your child the importance of following simple directions
• Teach your child about empathy, sympathy, and giving compliments
• Teach your child to seek attention when it's appropriate
• Teach your child to listen, respect the opinion of others even if they are different from their own or offensive to them, and finally, how to make and keep friends (Spivey, 2)

 

You were a child once before. You know how difficult it can be, but how EASY it can be at the same time to make new friends. It all depends on your own self-esteem, the way you communicate, and your hobbies. YOU are the biggest factor in aiding your child in developing successful social skills, and the earlier, the better.  



Resources

Spivey, Becky, M. E.d. "Why Is It Hard for Some Children to Learn Social Skills?" Handy Handouts (2009): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/144_Teaching_Social_Skills_to_Children.pdf



Laugh Your Way to College

Short blog today, but informative nonetheless! Humor is a great tool to integrate into your teaching stratagem: it teaches children to understand and use inferences and sarcasm, and helps them learn cause and effect. It also teaches them to think "outside the box" and not to perceive things so literally. Using humor around a child is a positive.

When children learn to integrate humor into the little, but growing language set they've already attained, this opens up a whole new world of fun and motivation to learn new, funny words and phrases. It's pretty simple. People love to laugh, and they especially love to make others laugh. Children feel a sense of reward when they make others laugh with them (not at them, as I'm sure you're well aware of).

And so, this sense of reward can be utilized to facilitate learning and strengthening memory. Try teaching a lesson in a humorous way. I bet they'll remember the lesson and be able to recall it easier than if you had taught them the lesson in a dry, humorless manner.

Using humor in speech therapy is also a great tool. If you're practicing articulation, try using funny tongue twisters. Quick repetition can create silly speech, making the child laugh and the lesson more memorable. If your child is just learning to read, pick out a book that's funny. As they learn to read it, they'll learn to practice narrative skills. They'll also pick up on the notion that fluency creates a greater comical response than dis-fluency, which will motivate them to practice their fluency. Another great practice is to teach kids words and phrases by pairing them with funny pictures. Again, a laugh creates a strong memory, and so this will strengthen word and picture association, facilitating memory of meaning.

Watching your child grow and develop into a little adult can be the funniest time period of your life. Utilize the humor in ways that foster learning and development! Thank me later.

Resources

Stuckey, Kevin, M. E.d., CCC-SLP. "Humor as a Learning Tool" Handy Handouts (2009): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/230_HumorandLearning.pdf



What YOU Can Do To Stop Bullying!

Bullying is becoming more and more a serious issue that needs to be tackled at every angle to stop. Teachers, parents, and children themselves all have the ability to discourage bullying, in school and out of school. We can agree to disagree that a long time ago, bullying was "the norm". Some parents thought their child being bullied was literally a part of their development. "It'll toughen him up," said Dad. This is so far from the truth it's disturbing. Being bullied can be seriously detrimental to one's health.

I have a friend who was bullied in High School. Why? She kissed a boy the other girls had hypothetically stamped as their own. The other girls would throw things at her, scream hateful words at her across the hall, pull her hair as she walked by...the works. It was horrid, and no one did anything about it. Six years have passed, and she's still dealing with the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Depersonalization Disorder she was diagnosed with after the year long ordeal of being bullied. She has identity issues and confides in almost no one about it (aside from her therapist and I). Granted, she would be happy I'm referring to her story, as long as it prompts parents to do something to stop this behavior in school.

Now, bullying has taken on a whole new form: over the internet. Children are cyberbullying each other, verbally threatening or insulting one another on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr...you name it. This is a form of bullying that might have even worst implications than direct bullying, since information posted on these social media outlets are available for the world to see.

When teenage suicide has risen almost threefold within the past few decades, then we know it's time to make our best effort to stomp out bullying once and for all. This week, everyone at Suffolk Center for Speech is sporting their "Bee" Nice T-Shirts and wrist bands, promoting a "Stop Bullying" campaign. I find it appropriate that I'm currently writing such a relevant blog post. Whether your child is being bullied, your child IS a bully, or your child witnesses bullying, all of this can negatively impact their growth and emotional development.

So, why do children bully each other? A common answer, and a pretty solid one in my opinion, is that bullies lack self-esteem. Bullying is simply a defense mechanism: it protects them from being bullied and empowers them (in a negative way; being feared by others does not make you special). If you suspect your child of bullying others, it's time you reevaluate just how you pose yourself as a role model. They may be taking after you. Or, they may not feel loved, and so, they believe it's easier to be feared. For a child, either or creates a feeling of empowerment, and it's a parent's job to teach their child right from wrong, with every chance they get. Don't let your child be a bully or be bullied. Don't let your child witness bullying and do nothing about it.



What Can You Do?

Communicate with your child on a regular basis. Find out about their social life: who they go to lunch with, who they spend recess with, who their friends are in the neighborhood and what they do "for fun". Use your parental intuition too. Frequent communication with your child will create a comfortable rapport for them to open up to you if they are having a run in with a bully, are bullying or seeing others be bullied. Act interested, not as if you MUST HAVE this information because you WILL DO something about it. Barreling down on your child for information will not get you anywhere, but displaying a simple interest in their daily activities will. Sit down while talking with them: make them feel like you're trying to be on their level, simply to get to know them and be involved in their life.

 

Be aware of the signs. They're pretty typical. Frequent complaints of headaches or stomachaches ("I can't go to school today, I don't feel well"), frequent losses of personal belongings, unexplained bruises, depression or anxiety, fear of school or the bus, avoidance of recess or school activities, bullying of siblings, difficulty sleeping or a decrease in academic grades (or a verbalized disinterest in their academics) are all very clear signs of a child who is being bullied. If you child is displaying these signs, or trying to hide them, get the truth. By any means necessary, get the truth. Call the school if need be; reach their teachers.

 

Be a role model for your child. Show them how you treat others. Point out to them how positive interactions beget positive reactions. Just don't use the word "beget." Children who look up to their parents are sure to emulate their positive behavior. Likewise, children who look up to their parents are sure to emulate their negative behavior as well (ie. bullying). You can even role-play with your child, creating a scenario in which they or one of their friends is being bullied. Brainstorm ways to face these situations head-on, without letting them boil over into violence. A child who is being bullied needs to show that they are not afraid (even if they are). Ignoring a bully might ward them off. Just make sure your child knows that a bully's words should leave no remark on their self-esteem, because the bully most likely doesn't know a thing about them. If the bully is violent, it's time for the school administrators to intervene and stop it at once.

 

Build confidence in your child. Get them involved in a club, or sports, to help them build their self-esteem. Encourage them to make friends at an early age. It's much easier to make friends the first day of school (while all the children are in the same boat) than it is later on, so before summer ends, teach them to make friends. Discussing common interests and allowing your child to invite others over is a great way for them to make friends. All children are looking for something to do after school aside from homework. So, if you have an extreme compulsion to keep everything white, as if you're living in a Lyscol commercial, GET OVER IT (mommy issues are coming out of me now). And make sure you tell your child how much you love them (but don't spill your love all over them in front of their new friends). When a child is young, they need to hear this frequently. It's imperative for their self-esteem. Point out their positives. If they're creative, tell them, if they're super smart, praise them, and if they're athletic, let them know how proud you are. When a child is young, their parents' opinions of them are held very high.

 

Involve the school if need be. Members of the school staff, such as the principal, guidance counselor, social workers, and teachers are there to make the environment safe for children to learn and grow in. They've most likely dealt with bullying in the past and have working strategies to stop a particular bullying situation and prevent future reoccurance. You can't be there for your child if they're being bullied, so make sure the school is, and don't stop until you're certain that the school is providing a safe place for your child. No child should have to deal with bullying on their own. If your child is being cyberbullied, screen-shot or print out what has been written on the web and bring it to the principal's attention. They will find a way to make it stop.

 

By all means necassary, don't let your child become a victim OR be a bully. This problem has yet to cease, and it's time we tackle it from every possible angle.

Resources

Hodgson, Amber, M.A., CCC-SLP. "Beat Bullying!" Handy Handouts (2010): http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/280_Bullying.pdf