Working memory is defined as the function that allows us to hold information in our head while dealing with additional information. Who knew that a deficit in working memory can look much like ADHD. There is a debate over whether weak working memory can be improved, and whether or not some diagnosed with ADHD perhaps […]
I love TED Talks, and of course, I was interested in a talk by Amy Cuddle titled “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are? At the age of 19 Ms. Cuddle was in an extremely serious car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Afterward she was told that her IQ was lowered by 2 standard deviations. […]
“Could you please load up my reusable grocery bags? Heavy bags are fine.” These are the direction I often give the bagger at my local grocery store. Today, I was pleasantly surprised when I was handed my bag with a smile. I thanked the young woman, and walked away thinking, “ I hope that young […]
Severe tantrums in kids can be the result of a variety of reasons from lack of bonding to inadequate communication often seen in kids with poor communication skills like those with many forms of autism or severe langauge disabilities. There are a number of resources to work from and if your child has autism or […]
A chair comes flying down the stairs. No,” screams a child from the top, another tantrum.
As a speech therapist, becoming a mom has been the second greatest learning experience of my career. Motherhood helped me understand, the far reaching impact of poor verbal expression and the role of speech therapy. It’s not just about whether you acquire vocabulary, but about learning to use language in a flexible way in order […]
Recently I worked with client on the autism spectrum who received A-and B’s on his papers at his traditional high school. In his papers his vocabulary was redundant, he had little sentence variety, and at times the content of his papers mirrored, the model provided so closely that it had little original thought. This student […]
What do clients need to bring to speech-language therapy in order to have the greatest success? First, they need to be able to build a trusting relationship and be capable of being motivated to make a change. The ability to explore both their strengths and weakness is helpful. They also must be able to work […]
During my observations I noticed once my daughter began to scream she was no longer able to think. Unexpected transitions set her off, and even though she has a very good vocabulary during times of anger she used few words. Rewards, time out, punishments hugs, natural consequences didn’t work. Anticipating situations that caused the rages […]
Problems with time management is one element of executive function, other elements include predicting, organizing, and planning. We all occasionally lose our keys. I know I do, but I once had a client that was constantly late to every appointment because they could not find their keys or pocketbook. For most of us a few […]