THE BIG PICTURE: Focusing intervention for autism

Gail J. Richard, PhD, CCC-SLP, a former chair, professor emeritus and director of The Autism Center at Eastern Illinois University, emphasizes the importance of incorporating all aspects of development when targeting treatment - including not only the speech profile but also social, sensory, and motor. These separate factors all play different imperative roles throughout the child’s life; roles that may affect how they function in the real world. For example, furthered education may be effected by a decreased ability to perform executive functions tasks (initiate, plan, organize materials, and manage time and academic expectations). As stated by Richard, “their strong intellectual potential cannot be realized without an infrastructure to facilitate their success.” (Richard G.J., 2017). By assessing all aspects of development, therapists can focus their intervention on the big picture and gain the best results possible. At Therapyland, all areas of discipline approach their treatment goals with this theory in mind. Whether it’s physical, occupational, language, speech, feeding or behavioral, the target is consistent with the ‘big picture’ – generalizing skills with each child’s unique ‘real world’ factor in mind. The vast collaboration amongst disciplines further facilitates this objective.

To dive more into this educational read, check out the full article ASHA leader published in their latest magazine: http://leader.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2615520&resultClick=3

Pediatric Feeding News by Krisi Brackett MS CCC/SLP

Check out Krisi Brackett's blog where you can find an abundance of information on pediatric feeding difficulties. Her most recent blog post is about how stress may explain digestive issues in kids with Autism. Carly Morris at Therapyland follows many of her principles and believes in a medical, motor and behavioral approach to feeding. For more questions regarding feeding therapy and what it can do for you, please contact her at carly@therapyland.net.

Pediatric Feeding News

"It's FINE to work on OT skills at home"

5 Simple Ways to Help Kids Develop Fine Motor Skills at Home

http://mamaot.com/5-simple-ways-to-help-kids-develop-fine-motor-skills-at-home/

What is feeding therapy?

 My son doesn’t like green beans.  According to my husband, it is because he is smart.  But what happens when your child doesn’t like any food that is green…or orange…or too soft…or too hard?  Is your child just a picky eater, or could there be a bigger problem?

According to The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association feeding and swallowing disorders are described as “problems gathering food and getting ready to suck, chew, or swallow it.”  Signs and symptoms of feeding or swallowing disorders include failure to accept different textures of food, long feeding times (over 30 minutes), coughing or gagging during meals, less than normal weight gain or growth, and difficulty chewing.  If you notice these symptoms in your child, it might be time to discuss your concerns with your pediatrician. 

What happens next?  If feeding therapy with a speech-language pathologist is recommended, an evaluation is completed to look at movement and strength of muscles used during eating as well as an observation of eating to examine posture, behavior, and oral movements during chewing and swallowing. If therapy is then recommended, treatment may target increasing strength of mouth, increasing lip and tongue movements, improve chewing ability, accepting a variety of foods, and/or improving ability to drink from a cup or straw.

Our goal is to have happy, healthy kids who are able to enjoy the social and nutritional benefits of meals with families without the stress!

Please Welcome Carly Morris, MA CCC-SLP

Carly received her Bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the Pennsylvania State University, followed by a Master of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

As a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, Carly has treated a variety of speech and language disorders and symptoms including autism, Down syndrome, genetic disorders, neuro-motor disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, brain injuries, as well as, stuttering. Carly is P.R.O.M.P.T., Beckman, and Kauffman trained. She is particularly passionate about feeding and swallowing disorders, sensory, behavioral, and oral-motor based disorders. Carly’s experience includes medical management of feeding disorders and coordinating teams to include a gastroenterologist (GI) doctor, nutritionist, dietician, pediatrician, and psychologist to improve oral feeding. She is also an orofacial myofunctional therapist who coordinates care with orthodontists to create programs to eliminate tongue thrust during swallowing.

Carly has over 8 years experience assisting the management of a pediatric private therapy practice. She has proven skills in leadership, management, and mentoring other clinicians in the field. Carly truly enjoys coordinating care with parents and teams to create goals focusing on daily independence and functioning of the child.

Tips for Picking Up Slippery Foods

Tips for Picking Up Slippery Foods by Coach Mel

New York Times-When Do you Worry About a Picky Eater?



Dr. Peri Klass sums up feeding difficulties perfectly in this article. We offer a dynamic team approach to combat feeding difficulties in children. This team includes a speech therapist specializing in feeding, an ABA therapist, a GI doctor, the child's pediatrician and dietitian. For more information, please contact Carly Morris-carly@therapyland.net.