When children are referred for speech language evaluations, the usual concern is that the child is not using as many words as would be expected. There are, however, many other valid ways to communicate, and the development of gestures, signs, facial expressions, and tone are all equally as important. 

In our fast-paced world, I make a case for using a pause as a strategy to enhance receptive and expressive language skills. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I reference this book/program in the podcast:

It Takes Two To Talk – Hanen Workshop for Speech-Language Pathologists

I run down a list of several multi-sensory opportunities for learning in your city or town. If you're new to your city, start with the Chamber of Commerce.

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I go into depth about neurons, synapses, and myelinization, synaptic pruning, and how screen use can affect this process in the brain in the time of peak development.

In this episode, I describe what functions of the brain recent research indicates is being affected by screen use. 

References from Seminar:

▪ Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., Horowitz- Kraus, T., DeWitt, T., & Holland, S. K. (2020).  Associations between screen - based media use and brain white matter integrity in  preschool - aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1).  

▪ MacMullin JA, Lunsky Y, Weiss JA. Plugged in: electronics use in youth and young adults  with autism spectrum disorder. Autism. (2016)  

▪ Radesky, J., Miller, A. L., Rosenblum, K. L., Appugliese , D., Kaciroti , N., & Lumeng , J. C.  (2015). Maternal mobile device use during a structured parent – child interaction task.  Academic Pediatrics, 15(2), 238 – 244.  

▪ Yousef S, Eapen V, Zoubeidi T, Mabrouk A. Behavioral correlation with television  watching and videogame playing among children in the United Arab  Emirates. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice. (2014)

The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines for screen time in 2021 in response to the COVID pandemic and research studies that addressed the impact of screen use on brain development. Screen use, in particular, mobile screens that we can use wherever we go, have only been widely used for about 15 years. I review current guidelines in this episode and will address the "why" in future episodes.

Screen time and children: How to guide your child - Mayo Clinic

I go into depth about language modeling for kiddos who have reached the 2-3 word mark for communication, and how to further advance their skills. 

Daycares often require children to be potty trained before moving up to classrooms for older children. What are some of the reasons why children might not be ready to potty train? I give a few tips to help make the process easier.

Just a quick episode as a reminder that children are all unique and develop in their own ways, and meeting them where they are and encouraging them to do more is more important than meeting any specific goal on a developmental milestone chart! I discuss reasons why a child might follow a different path developmentally. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

Sometimes using a screen is unavoidable. What apps can you choose that will be more educational and useful for language building? I give several recommendations for free and low-cost apps that I like to use. They won't be as high-motivation as watching a YouTube video or playing some of the fast-movement games, and that's actually a good thing- high use of screens in young children has an effect on their brain development- so much so that the guidelines for screen time were updated in 2021. I will be covering those guidelines as well as recent research about screen time to help make sense of why certain types of screen use can be better for younger children. 

Apps I cover: Toddler Flash Cards, Joy Doodle, Autism iPlay, Card Talk, Snap Scene Lite, Sensory Light Box, and Peekaboo Barn. 

Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.