Monthly Archives: June 2020

Building Key Words in the Early Years


 

In response to a request following our recent questionnaire, here are a few ideas of key words and strategies you can use to develop early communication at home.

Building Knowledge of Key Words in the Early Years

There is also a bit of information on Objects of Reference and a few tips on how to choose objects. objects_of_reference_docx_ald_version

At the back of the booklet, there is a number of Speech and Language Therapy Links.

Just a little reminder, that your Speech and Language Therapist is still available to offer support and advice over the phone if you require it.  If you are unable to reach you Speech and Language Therapist for any reason the NHS ‘Lets Talk’ Advice Phone Line is available on:

07866219181

Tuesdays & Thursdays 9am – 5pm and Wednesdays 9am – 11.30am

Sensory Diets

 

We have begun to explore how Sensory Processing needs can often be been seen through some of the repetitive behaviours you see in your child’s everyday behaviours.  Most often, we tend to notice these behaviours because they can be challenging to manage e.g pushing, pulling, throwing, climbing, bouncing, running etc.  If you need a few more tips to know what sort of things you are looking for, click here: sensory-checklist

Sensory Diets can provide regular sensory input to begin to address you child’s sensory needs.  Doing this can help to ‘feed the need’ in your child, freeing them up to offer increased attention and focus to other things throughout the day – to help them in other areas of their learning!

This SWAY offers some introductory information and short video clips that begin to explain Sensory Diets and identify some things to try at home.   There is a number of videos: some short, some long, some from parents, some professionals; so you can ‘tap in and out’ to find out as much or little as you like.

As always however, if you find this is an issue for your child, please seek professional advice from your child’s Occupational Therapist who will be able to professionally assess and offer advice specific to your child’s needs.

If your child does not have an Occupational Therapist, please speak to your GP, Health Visitor, Child Develop Clinic or Pre-School Home Teaching Key-Worker who will be able to offer some advice on possible next steps.

Have fun feeding those Sensory Needs and watching your child grow!

ELC Transition Tips

Transition Booklet

Planning for Successful Transitions  for little ones starting an Early Learning Centre (ELC) for the first time can cause mixed emotions for all parents – this can be particularly the case for families with a child  who has a disability, additional support need or a delay in their development.  Many parents like to be organised well in advance and feel they have done everything they can to prepare their child .  Given the circumstances this year, it can be difficult at this time to predict what  the new school /ELC year will look .  This however does not stop you as a parent, starting to think about what you can do at home to begin to prepare both you and your child for their time  at ELC.  The PSHTS Transition Booklet will offer a few suggestions to get you started.  Your Key Worker is also on the end of the phone if they can be of any help and if you have any ideas that other parents could benefit from, we would love to share them! 

Before The Talking Starts – The Importance of Play in Building Pre-Verbal Skills

 

Building Pre-Verbal Skills

There are a number of building blocks that have to be in place before young children begin to  talk and use language.   That  doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say – we just have to look a bit closer and listen a bit better to the  ‘Pre-Verbal’ messages that children are  attempting to communicatie!   Play can be really important to support the development of pre-verbal skills and learn about how specific children communicate their messages non-verbally.  Some children, with the right support, can do this really successfully.  With the current  Social Distancing measures and our increased use of gesture  and expression to communicate, maybe our little ones can teach us a thing or two!!!

Home Teaching – Building a new virtual home together

 

Given the current situation with Covid 19 and Social Distancing, we are currently reviewing our services to ensure we can continue to offer the best possible support to the children and families we work with.

We would appreciate if you could take a few minutes to advise us on what services would be useful for your child and family in the future. If you have any other suggestion on how we could adapt or change to best meet your child/families needs – we would love to hear them!!!

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