Strait To Speech

Our 2014 Jeep Cherokee with almost 400,000 km on her! Sparkling clean after a very thorough and professional detailing by Allister Gillis of Al’s Detailing in North Grant. Highly recommended if you are looking for a detailing!

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Happy National Daughter’s Day AND World Pharmacist’s Day to this gem 💎
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A very good read about the use of screen time for babies and toddlers from Laura Mize, Pediatrician Speech-Language Pathologist.. I have learned SO much from her!

If you've followed my work for a while, you know that I am not a big proponent of screen time for babies and toddlers. I've seen HUGE improvements in social interaction, language, and play skills for many of my little friends with autism and language delays when their parents pulled the plug.

But now let's talk about the obvious...

No screen time is next to impossible for many families.

As professionals, we need to make sure our recommendations about screen time line up with science and with what's realistic for the families we serve.

I've previously sent out information about The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association's (ASHA's) pdf / handout for parents about screen time. If you missed that, please take a look. It's great for clearing up the often-conflicting recommendations on screen time and technology usage by children. The information focuses on children ages 1 to 3 years who are, as the promotional literature from ASHA says, “in a unique developmental period during which they build the foundational language, learning, literacy, and social–emotional skills they’ll need for life. This is also a time when many children begin to use tablets, smartphones, and other screens—which can interrupt their healthy development.”

There are a couple of wonderful quotes I want to share with you from the press release about the handout.

“Managing screen time can be one of the more vexing challenges families face—and screen usage contributes to a lot of parental anxiety, guilt, stress, and frustration,” said Dipesh Navsaria, MPH, MSLIS, MD. Dr. Navsaria is a pediatrician, an early literacy advocate, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s (UWM) School of Medicine and Public Health, and an associate professor of human development and family studies at UWM’s School of Human Ecology. Dr. Navsaria helped develop Be Tech Wise With Toddler!

He continued: “The pandemic has only heightened this challenge, as parents and caregivers are stretched so thin. So, to help parents balance the very real needs in their life while still protecting and promoting the healthy development of their children, we’re trying to educate families about why screen-free time is so critical. Despite advertiser claims, young children don’t benefit from electronic devices, apps, or technology-enabled toys. And while screens may seem to solve a temper tantrum or other behavioral issue in the moment, they are just that: a temporary solution. They can make life more difficult in the long run as children increasingly demand them—and lose their ability to self-soothe and work through their own emotions in the process. These are skills they will need for life. This resource offers a frame for families to consider as they parent their children at their best moments, worst moments, and every time in between.”

Again, amen!

The handout also contains the most recent screentime recommendations for families from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Under 18 months: No screen time except for video chatting with loved ones.
• 18–24 months: A small amount, at most, of high-quality programming, if you choose.
• 2–5 years: A maximum of 1 hour per day. “Co-view” (watch together) rather than have young children (of any age) use screens while alone.

Before you think I’m sounding pretty hardline about this, please know that as a mom, I violated this big-time with my own children. For a long time, the TV was on in my house 24/7. I'm not kidding. If I had it to do over again, the TV would be on much less.

Now as a grandmother to four (ages 14 months, 2, 3 and 7 years), I admire my own children's commitment to offering screen time in limited doses.

As we all know, complete elimination isn’t always realistic, as the ASHA brochure points out, and using the guidelines above may be the “happy medium” solution many families are looking for.

For toddlers, short stints of high quality programming is what professionals should recommend along with these guidelines summarized at The Informed SLP:
Choose screen time with FACES and real people rather than all cartoons.
Choose screen time focused on FAMILIAR ROUTINES featuring things children already do like bath time, bedtime routines, using gentle hands, and even pretend play with toys.
Choose screen time that's SLOWER PACE and REPETITIVE since repetition is how children learn everything. We want to avoid rapid scene changes that are difficult for little brains to process.
Choose screen time that's INTERACTIVE and CO-VIEW so that you're providing cues to help a child process what she's seeing and hearing. Talk about the show as your child watches so it's not a total 'zone out.' Sing along with the songs. Act out the scenes yourself -- one of my favorite therapy activities to do with a child who loves screens.
Choose screen time that includes topics you can CARRY OVER to real life. Duplicate the activities your child sees so that what your child learned 'carries over' to real life. What good is it if a child only uses a new word while he's watching a video? They need real life practice to make that word meaningful.

Today I want to share one very good option for screen time for families of toddlers with language delays. I've sent out her videos twice before, but in case you missed the background, my daughter who is also a speech-language pathologist started a darling YouTube channel called "Hey Macy!" for babies and toddlers a year and a half ago. She was frustrated with the lack of options for her clients and her own baby so she did what I hope I taught her... Do it yourself!

Here's a recent video about cars --- using lots of familiar routines you can duplicate in your own sessions and at home with toddlers. If you're a parent (or a therapist!) who often thinks, I don't know what I should say when I play with a late talker or I wish I had some new play routine ideas, this video is a great example of both.

Just so you know, I am in no way financially connected to her channel and will benefit nothing from this recommendation other than sharing with you a wonderful resource for families who want screen time options.

I hope that you'll watch and recommend her channel to families who are looking for a "good" screen time option that aligns with the EBP guidelines for screen time I listed above. It's called Hey Macy! and it's on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe so you can find it later when you're talking with families.

Since today is National Daughter's Day, it's even more reason I should send it out this afternoon!

Laura
teachmetotalk.com


Psalm 91

First Words! Car

Teach Me To Talk with Laura Mize | Late Talkers | Autism | Apraxia Teach Me To Talk with Laura Mize: Speech Language products and videos for Late Talkers, Autism, and Apraxia. ASHA CEU courses.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Health and Happiness in 2024!

This is a great little video that I have been sharing with some of my students..Here is the unedited version. Highlights the importance of family :)

The Greatest Gift | Sainsbury's Ad | Christmas 2016 Presenting the new Sainsbury’s Christmas Advert – a joyous Christmas musical created in stop frame animation featuring vocals by James Corden. It tells the s...

Family is so much more than biology.. In light of all the posts on Daughter and Son Day, I’d like to highlight three of the best! Emily, Peter and Mairi- We are proud to have you in our family ❤️ xo

Happy first day of summer! So pleased with my sign for STRAIT to Speech! It is promising to be a very busy summer ☀️

Love what you do..Do what you love! Beautiful art from my little students ❤️

STRAIT to Speech is coming up on a second summer of offering speech-language services to children in the Strait area..Here’s my little grandson checking out the playroom!
A few spots are available for the summer but they will fill up quickly! Send me a message if you would like to chat about services..Thanks!
Sheri Lambourne

Murtagh, our Golden Retriever, is a big part of Strait to Speech as she welcomes every family that comes through our door! She is so gentle and quiet that every child loves her ❤️