It doesn’t look much like Christmas these days, but the magic of the season is definitely upon us! All of us at London Speech wish you and your family every joy and blessing over the holidays and into the New Year.

Thank you for helping to make 1998 a time of innovation and growth at London Speech. Your input has been instrumental in encouraging us to launch new literacy and social development programs to address the unmet needs of our community. Thank you for being a part of our success!

Our new programs are described below along with a summary of the latest research on preschool communication development, learning disabilities, stuttering and brain injury rehabilitation. If you would like to contribute information or announcements to this newsletter, please do not hesitate to call me. I am always happy to hear from you!

What’s New:

"Speak For Success" Groups:

London Speech is proud to join the distinguished team of learning disabilities experts at Fanshawe College’s Millennium Project. We will be offering social and communication training groups called "Speak for Success" to special needs students in the new year.

"Speak for Success" is a unique eight week program featuring discrete skill training, small group discussion, video-taped feedback and daily progress evaluations. We will be offering a group for teenagers with traumatic brain injuries in Kincardine in March, 1999. We are also accepting referrals for adolescents with social interaction difficulties for a group to start at our London clinic in the February, 1999.

Kid’s Club Literacy Groups:

Kid’s Club started up this Fall, and has been popular with parents and kids alike! We are delighted to welcome Bertha McGregor to our Kid’s Club and in-home tutoring staff. Bertha is a retired teacher with a Master’s in Special Education, specialist designations in reading and special education and forty years of teaching experience! She will be taking over the leadership of our Kid’s Club program. Kid’s Club registrations are being accepted for the next session to start the week of January 18, 1999 at the clinic. Only four children are accepted into each group. Children receive two hours of instruction per week for an 8 week period. Fees are lower than those of large learning centres. Group levels:

• Primary Kid’s Club: 3-5 year developmental age
• Intermediate Kid’s Club: 6-8 year dev. age
• Senior Kid’s Club: 9-12 year dev. Age

Free Workshops:

Upcoming parent workshops:

1. "Cracking the Code": teaches parents strategies for promoting literacy skills in children six years of age or younger. Two hour sessions (6-8 p.m.) held at the Centre on Jan.26, Feb.23, Mar.23 and Apr.27, 1999.

2. "More than Just Talking": alerts parents to red flags for speech and language problems, and provides tips on how to help children at home. Offered at Chapters Book store Jan 21/ 99 7:30-9:00 p.m. Also offered at the Centre, 6-8 p.m. Feb. 16, Mar.16, Apr.20/ 99.

3. "The Tangled Tongue": learn why children stutter and how to help them. Offered at the Centre, 6-8 p.m., Jan 12, Feb. 9, Mar. 9 and Apr. 13/ 99.

Pre-register is required for all workshops. Please call Bonnie Riddolls at the office. Registration is limited.

"Talk It Up" Saturday Program:

Now accepting registrations for the eight week session beginning January 9, 1999. Communicatively impaired children aged 3-8 years qualify for this exciting program.

Kid’s Corner: Speech and Language Development

A small percentage of children born with developmental disabilities will never learn to talk. How does one predict which children these will be? A recent study discovered a small set of variables that determined which pre-linguistic children would become functional speakers within a year. These variable included: an expressive and receptive vocabulary ratio; the number of vocalizations that contained a least one true consonant and vowel; and the number of communication attempts geared at sharing affect or experience with an adult (without trying to get the adult to do anything).

Source: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, November, 1998

Ask the Expert: Answers to Your Questions

Question: How can the public be sure about the competency and qualifications of a speech-language pathologist?

Answer: Speech-Language Pathology is a regulated health profession, meaning that practitioners must follow strict College guidelines designed to ensure quality care and public safety. In order to practice, speech-language pathologists must have a recognized Master’s degree in the field and be registered in good standing with the College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists of Ontario (CASLPO). Practitioners must also accumulate continuing education credits in order to maintain college registration. In short, make sure that you have someone with the title Speech-Language Pathologist, and that they are registered in good standing with CASLPO.

Lost for Words: Language-based Learning Disabilities

A recent study from Arizona highlighted the importance of targeting peer-related social competency among children with specific language impairment. The researchers argue that social competency is regarded as one of the most important accomplishments of early childhood, and that language impaired children develop slowly in this area. They suggest that speech-language pathologists do more communication therapy in natural peer group contexts (e.g. preschool and school classrooms) with a focus on building social competency.

Source: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, November, 1998

The Tangled Tongue: Stuttering

Speech-language pathologists have long known that choral reading is effective in reducing stuttering. A new study demonstrated its utility across a large subject pool, and over time. In addition to recommending choral reading in therapy, it was advised for use in classroom and audience situations since it can reduce the level of difficulty for the individual who stutters, while allowing them to more actively participate in challenging speaking situations.

Source: Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, September, 1998

The Hidden Hurt: Traumatic Brain Injury

Researchers from New York city evaluated perceived quality of life among three groups: individuals without disabilities, those with spinal cord injuries and those with traumatic brain injuries. All groups rated four areas as highest in unmet needs: work, learning, significant other and parenting. In the TBI group, unique unmet needs included: self-expression, close friends and socializing. The TBI group had more areas of challenge than either of the other two groups and their perceived quality of life did not improve over time (unlike the other two groups). Among the TBI group, individuals with the most mild injuries expressed the most negative effects, prompting the researchers to conclude that more effort and attention should be aimed at those who have the least severe injuries.

Source: The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, August, 1998

Thought for the Day:

"I think naming things helps us hold the world together, almost literally. Without naming I think it would all fall apart. Names are the sub-atomic glue of the human world"

Writer Don de Lillo, commenting on Helen Keller’s story