Unbabbled

The second of our 2-part series on coronavirus resources, we look at ways to encourage and continue learning at home during a school closure or extended break. The Parish School’s Director of Elementary, Amy Richard, and Director of Early Childhood, Anne Powers, speak on keeping a regular routine, activities of daily living that have language and math built in, the power of reading aloud to build literacy and language skills, and the importance of staying active. Amy and Anne also provide digital resources for parents including Epic, Libby and Pinterest.

About Anne and Amy
Amy Richard, MS, CCC-SLP/CALT is the Director of Elementary at The Parish School. She has 20 years of experience working with school-age children with language and learning disabilities, with extensive training in dyslexia and reading therapy. Amy is also a mother who implements hands-on multi-sensory activities at home.

Anne Powers, MS, CCC-SLP is the Director of Early Childhood at The Parish School with a background in drama and early intervention. She is a Hanen-Certified trainer who is passionate about providing families with practical methods for building language, literacy and social skills at home.

Links:

• Epic Reading
• Libby App to read Library Books at home
• Pinterest
• Scholastic Books Learn at Home Lessons
• Freckle Math Games 
• Prodigy Math Game

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This is a bonus episode recorded on March 12, 2020 with pediatrician Rob Crowe, MD, in response to the recent concerns around the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. In this episode, Meredith Krimmel and guest co-host Amy Tanner speak with Dr. Crowe about COVID-19, how it differs from other viruses, and ways to keep your family healthy and safe.

About Dr. Rob Crowe
Dr. Crowe has been a pediatrician for 20 years, spending eight of those years with the army. For the last three years, he has also practiced functional medicine. Dr. Crowe recently opened a new practice in Houston called Zenith Health.

Links

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization (WHO) – COVID-19 
• The Parish School COVID-19 Updates

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Dr. Kia Johnson discusses childhood fluency disorders, including stuttering and cluttering. Dr. Johnson explains the differences between typical disfluencies and stuttering behaviors, provides examples of stuttering behaviors, and indications that a child may be stuttering. She also talks about the importance of receiving an evaluation and therapy from a speech-language pathologist with a high level of familiarity with fluency disorders.

About Dr. Johnson
Kia Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an associate professor with the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Houston where she specializes in fluency disorders, with a specific focus on young children who stutter. Her current research interest is in the examination of speech disfluencies in culturally and linguistically diverse children. Aside from teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses, she presents her research at local, national and international scholarly conferences and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH).

Links

• Dr. Kia Johnson's Faculty Page
• American Institute for Stuttering
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing

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Do you have a child who tries hard to follow instructions, concentrate and do well in school, yet despite their best efforts, continues to struggle and fall behind? This child may have a learning disability/disorder, which affects how they receive and process information. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1 in 10 school children are affected by a learning disorder.

Learning disabilities and some associated diagnoses include:

• Auditory Processing Disorder (ADP)
• Dyscalculia
• Dysgraphia
• Dyslexia
• Language Processing Disorder
• Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities
• Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit
• Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This episode, we speak with veteran educator, Libby Hall, to discuss the basics of learning disabilities. During our chat, Libby helps us understand what a learning disability is, lists the different types of LD diagnoses, and provides common warning signs that parents and educators can look for. Additionally, she gives advice on what parents can do if they have concerns and offers at-home activities to promote early learning.

About Libby:
Libby Hall, MEd, CALP is a veteran educator of more two decades. She has worked in special education, gifted, English Language Learning, early childhood and general elementary classrooms. She has completed extensive coursework in treating children with dyslexia. Libby is currently a lead teacher at The Parish School, where she specializes in children who have communication delays and learning differences. Libby has partnered with Children’s Learning Institute in Houston to develop educator trainings and is a regionally recognized speaker.

Links:

• Red Flags for Language and Learning Disorders
• Houston Child Find

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Heather Hillery discusses how she integrates canine assistance and companion dogs into her special education classroom. Learn about the process of training an assistance dog, the research-based benefits of having a therapeutic dog, and why Heather feels so passionately about volunteering to raise them. Also hear examples of how having the puppies in classrooms has positively impacted her students.

Heather Hillery, MSEd, CCC-SLP holds a BS in Economics and went back to school after raising her family to complete her Master’s in Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She has experience working with adolescents and adults with cognitive impairments in achieving their goals for education, life skills and job opportunities. Additionally, she has worked at the university level as an adjunct professor teaching undergraduate and graduate classes while providing direct clinical supervision. Heather is currently a lead educator in an elementary classroom at The Parish School and is raising her third puppy on The Parish School campus for Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that provides assistance dogs free of charge to adults, children and veterans with disabilities. She recently presented on both inquiry-based learning and the benefits of raising a service dog in a school setting at SXSW-EDU and at the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association's annual convention.

Helpful Links: 

Canine Companions for Independence

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According to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, an estimated 1 in 59 children in the U.S. have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (1 in 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls). While the prevalence of autism has increased over the past decade, it’s still a confusing, overwhelming and unfamiliar diagnosis for many families. In this episode, we speak with Cathy Guttentag, PhD, to learn what ASD is, common misconceptions, and the red flags for identification. Additionally, Cathy shares resources for parents, including where to obtain an evaluation, what to expect during the evaluation process, and which services/therapies are often recommended for children on the autism spectrum. 

Dr. Guttentag is a licensed Clinical Child Psychologist and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical child psychology from Pennsylvania State University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital. She specializes in providing diagnostic and developmental evaluations to infants and children with possible or diagnosed autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Guttentag has expertise in testing very young children and works collaboratively with parents to determine the most appropriate intervention plans and approaches to emotional and behavioral issues.

Helpful Links: 

• Red Flags for Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Know Before You Go: Advice for Parents Who Have Concerns About ASD
• Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
• Research-Based Information on Vaccines and Autism
• Children's Learning Institute 

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It’s December and for many that means the start of a very busy holiday season. From travel, to major changes in schedules, to unfamiliar holiday traditions, this can be a difficult season for children to navigate. However, there are a few simple strategies parents can use to take some stress out of the holidays for the whole family. 

In this episode, our hosts Meredith and Stephanie discuss a number of tried and tested tips to help parents prepare for the challenges the holiday season may bring. While these tips were provided with children who have language and social challenges in mind, they are still excellent for trying with all children.

Resources
The Parish School Blog Post: Navigating The Holidays

American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Blog Post: Help Parents of Children With Feeding Disorders Prepare for Holiday Gatherings

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Research shows that children as young as elementary school are having experiences with drugs, alcohol, suicide and bullying, with cyber bullying peaking in sixth and seventh grades. However, there are strategies parents and educators can implement to help children avoid engaging in these high-risk behaviors. 

In this episode, Crystal Collier, PhD, LPC-S discusses high-risk behaviors in children and teenagers. She gives concrete and practical tips on how to talk with children about these difficult topics in a simple and easily understood manner, and explains how bringing these topics up at an early age can reduce the chance of engaging in these high-risk behaviors down the line.

Topics mentioned are important for all families to consider and discuss with their children in a developmentally appropriate manner. However, this episode is geared toward adult listeners and contains mature content. Listener discretion is advised.

About Dr. Collier
Dr. Collier has worked with individuals suffering from mental, behavioral and substance use disorders since 1991. Her areas of expertise include adolescent brain development, parent coaching and prevention programming. She created a comprehensive prevention model to teach the neurodevelopmental effects of risky behavior to children, teens and parents. In 2018, Dr. Collier was awarded a research fellowship from the Hope and Healing Center & Institute. Her upcoming book, The Neuro Whereabouts Guide, will be available in spring 2020. 

Additionally, Dr. Collier will be presenting an adult education session at The Parish School on Thursday, May 14, 2020. Save the date!

Resources

• Dr. Collier’s website: https://drcrystalcollier.com/
• Hope and Healing Center & Institute: https://hopeandhealingcenter.org/
• The Ned Show Upstander Video: http://www.allforkidz.com.au/upstander.html

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Recorded live from an adult education session held at The Parish School, this episode features return Unbabbled guest, author, professor and speaker, Jordan Shapiro, PhD.

In this episode, Jordan delivers his presentation: “The Digital Sandbox: What Grown-Ups Need to Know About the New Childhood." He discusses the fear associated with screen time; children’s use of videogames, smart phones and social media; the concept of educational technology (aka ed tech) versus traditional learning; and then opens it up to questions from the audience.

This was an evening full of learning, community and thoughtful conversation. We hope you enjoy our very first recording with a live audience, and we look forward to interacting with our listeners at future events!

About Jordan
Jordan Shapiro, PhD, is a senior fellow for the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and Nonresident Fellow in the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. Jordan also teaches at Temple University in the Intellectual Heritage Program. Jordan draws on cutting-edge research in science, philosophy, economics and psychology to show we've let fear and nostalgia stand in the way of our children's best interests. He offers optimistic, inspiring and practical advice to help adults navigate the new, digital frontier of childhood. He reframes gaming, social media and smartphones in historical context, providing a fresh, evidence-based perspective that will change the way you think about today’s connected kids. 

Related Links

• Jordan Shapiro’s website: https://www.jordanshapiro.org/
• Unbabbled Episode #12: Navigating the Digital Age of Childhood with Jordan Shapiro
• The Parish School’s Adult Education Series: The Parish School Calendar

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My 18-month-old isn’t walking... My 2-year-old only says a few words... My gut tells me something’s wrong, but my pediatrician says we can wait and see. My Mom told me, “your cousin didn’t talk until 3 and she’s fine.” My friend says, “he’ll talk when he’s ready.” 

Who do I listen to and where do I go for help?? If any of this sounds familiar, this episode is for you!

In this episode, Anne Powers, a speech-language pathologist and Director of Early Childhood at The Parish School discusses the importance of early intervention. During our chat, Anne touches on the importance of receiving services early, what age range is considered early intervention, and how parents can get an evaluation and find services. Additionally, she gives parents and educators a few simple methods for supporting their child’s early language development. We also asked our listeners on social media to submit their questions for Anne and received several fantastic responses that added to the conversation.

Anne Powers, MA, CCC-SLP, Director of Early Childhood at The Parish School, is passionate about helping children find their voices and believes that all children have the right to learn to communicate. Anne is a Hanen-certified trainer for Learning Language and Loving It™, a program designed to provide early childhood educators with practical strategies for helping children in the classroom to build language, literacy and social skills. She also has experience partnering with public and private schools, daycares and community centers in Pennsylvania and Texas to detect early signs of communication disorders and provide treatment for young children who have language delays.

Resources

• How to Spot a Language/Learning Disorder Early
  
  
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association:
  • Identifying Signs of Communication Disorder
  • Find a Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist
• Early Intervention Services in Texas:
  • Texas Early Childhood Intervention Birth to 3 Services
  • Houston Independent School District Child Find (3-21 years)

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