Autism Parenting – The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Halloween without the tears: Supporting children through the Spooky Season

ByLondon Speech and Feeding October 27, 2025October 27, 2025

For many families, Halloween is an exciting time filled with costumes, decorations, and sweets. But for children who are sensory sensitive, whether they’re autistic, have sensory processing differences, or simply find new experiences overwhelming, Halloween can feel like a night of chaos rather than fun.

The bright lights, unexpected noises, strange textures, and social pressure to ‘join in’ can quickly become too much. The good news? With some thoughtful planning and gentle support, you can make Halloween a positive and manageable experience for your child.

Understanding sensory overload

Sensory overload happens when a child’s brain receives more sensory input than it can process. This might mean:

Costumes that itch, squeeze, or feel strange on the skin.
Loud sounds like doorbells, fireworks, or shrieking decorations.
Crowds and unpredictability during trick-or-treating.
Strong smells or tastes from face paint or unfamiliar sweets.

When overloaded, children may cry, cover their ears, hide, run away, or ‘shut down.’ These reactions aren’t ‘bad behaviour’, they’re signs of distress. The goal isn’t to eliminate Halloween fun, but to adjust it to your child’s comfort level.

Step 1: Choose costumes wisely

Costumes are often the biggest trigger. Scratchy fabrics, tight seams, or masks that restrict breathing can be unbearable for some children.

Try these tips:

Go sensory-friendly: Use soft, breathable fabrics and remove tags. Many retailers now sell sensory-safe costumes.
Test it early: Let your child wear the outfit around the house before Halloween. If it’s too much, simplify — maybe themed pyjamas or a favourite T-shirt with Halloween accessories.
Skip the mask: Face paint can be equally challenging, always test on a small patch of skin first. A comfortable headband or hat might be enough to feel ‘in costume.’

Remember, participation doesn’t require perfection. Your child can still ‘be’ their favourite character without a full costume.

Step 2: Plan your Halloween environment

Before the big day, think about what parts of Halloween your child enjoys — and what might overwhelm them.

At home:

Keep decorations minimal and predictable. Avoid motion-activated sounds or flashing lights.
Practise knocking at your own front door or saying ‘trick or treat’ with a trusted adult.
Have a ‘quiet space’ ready, a cosy corner or room where your child can retreat if things get too intense.

If you’re going out:

Choose earlier, quieter times for trick-or-treating.
Visit a few familiar houses instead of the whole street.
Bring ear defenders or noise-cancelling headphones.
Have a clear exit plan if your child needs a break.

Sometimes, watching from the window and handing out sweets can be just as enjoyable! it still offers social participation without sensory overload.

Step 3: Prepare socially and emotionally

Halloween involves a lot of unexpected social interaction: strangers at the door, unfamiliar greetings, and different rules.

Help your child by:

Using visuals or stories: Read picture books about Halloween or make a short social story about what will happen.
Role-playing: Practise saying ‘Trick or treat!’ or handing out sweets in a fun, low-pressure way.
Labelling feelings: Explain that it’s okay to feel nervous or to take a break if something feels ‘too loud’ or ‘too much.’

Children feel safer when they know what to expect. Predictability reduces anxiety and makes participation more enjoyable.

Step 4: Rethink the treats

Not every child enjoys sweets; some dislike sticky textures or strong flavours. Offer non-food alternatives like stickers, glow sticks, or small toys.

If your child has feeding difficulties or oral sensitivities, it’s okay to opt out of the traditional treats entirely. They can still join in by giving treats or decorating treat bags instead.

It’s also helpful to prepare your child that others might offer sweets they don’t want. Practising polite ‘no thank you’ responses can make these moments easier. (check out my symbol download for children who struggle to speak)

Step 5: Celebrate your way

Halloween doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s version. Maybe your family watches a ‘not-too-scary’ film, carves pumpkins, or does a flashlight treasure hunt indoors. The goal is joyful connection, not conformity.

A calm, happy experience, even if it looks simple from the outside builds positive associations your child will carry into future celebrations.

In summary

Halloween can be full of sensory surprises, but with empathy, planning, and flexibility, it doesn’t have to end in tears.

The more you adapt to your child’s sensory needs, the more they learn that they are safe, understood, and included not just at Halloween, but in every celebration.

As with all things in speech and feeding development, progress starts with connection. When children feel regulated and supported, communication and confidence follow.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

2

Autism Therapy · Echolalia · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

How parent coaching turns story time into a communication success

ByLondon Speech and Feeding October 6, 2025October 2, 2025

We often hear from parents who are trying their best to connect with their child, especially when reading books, but are met with frustration. They’ll say, ‘I read the book exactly as it’s written, but my child can’t focus for very long and just runs off!’ or ‘my child just flicks through the pages then turns it upside down and runs off with it’ or similar.

It’s a common story. Traditional reading—going through the text from cover-to-cover—has its place of course, but for little ones with a language delay or autism it can move too quickly and place all the focus on the book’s words, not on the interaction.

But what if I told you that story time could become one of the most fun and productive times for your child’s communication development?

Watch the fantastic little video clip above! You can see the pure joy and connection between this dad and his son. This is the same family who, just a few weeks ago, felt defeated when trying to read a book, with their child quickly losing interest and leaving the reading/book corner.

What changed?

The power of parent coaching and Hanen principles

The difference you see in the video is the direct result of parent interaction therapy, or parent coaching, based on the internationally recognised Hanen principles.

I didn’t ‘fix’ the child. Instead, I coached the parents in a few simple, powerful strategies that completely changed the dynamic of their interaction. Instead of being a time for teaching and instruction, story time became a back-and-forth conversation.

Here are the four major transformations that coaching helped this family achieve:

1. From reader to play partner

Before coaching, the parents felt their job was to read the text and to teach the words in it to their child. Now, their job is to follow their child’s lead. They learned to Observe, Wait, and Listen (OWL). If the child points to the tree or the badger on the page, the parent talks about the tree or the badger.

The result

The child is now initiating and leading the conversation! He is sharing what he finds interesting, which makes him feel powerful and keeps him deeply engaged.

2. Building connection and attention

When parents focus solely on reading, they often forget to make frequent eye contact and use animated facial expressions. The principles taught them to put the text aside and prioritise connection.

The result

Our little boy is looking at his dad more frequently, making great eye contact, and clearly having fun! When the interaction is fun, the child’s attention span naturally lengthens, allowing him to attend to the book and the interaction for a much longer time.

3. Creating opportunities for communication

The parents learned simple ways to prompt communication without pressure. They stopped asking knowledge-based questions (‘What colour is that? Or point to the pig!’), which can feel like a test.

Instead, they learned to use techniques like ‘Saying less and pausing’ or ‘copying their little one’s echolalia ‘, signalling that they are very interested in what he is saying and that his communication matters!

The result

The child is now spontaneously using strings of sounds and gestures to communicate his needs and interests, knowing and enjoying his parents’ enthusiastic responses.

This video is a testament to the fact that you are your child’s best therapist. With the right tools and coaching, you can transform everyday routines, like reading a book, into the most joyful and effective communication sessions.

4. Acknowledging and interpreting echolalia

In the video, you may hear the little boy repeat a phrase from the book or from what his dad just said. This is called echolalia, and for a long time, it was often dismissed or discouraged.

However, a core principle of our parent coaching is that echolalia is communication. For children who are ‘Gestalt Language Processors,’ these memorised phrases (or ‘gestalts’) are their building blocks of language.

The key is not to stop the repetition, but to become a ‘language detective’ and ‘interpreter’!

By modelling the correct, first-person phrase right after the echo, parents/caregivers are teaching a child how to break down the ‘chunk’ and use the individual words functionally. They are showing their child: ‘I heard you. Your communication makes sense to me.’

This strategy is a game-changer because it:

Validates the child’s communication: It honours the child’s natural way of learning language, which boosts their confidence and willingness to communicate.
Facilitates language development: It provides the child with the next step—a meaningful, functional phrase—to move them from repeating language to generating their own spontaneous sentences.

Look at the child’s face again in the video. When his dad acknowledges and interprets his communication, you see that spark of joy and connection—that’s the moment when true, functional language learning happens!

Ready to unlock the potential in your family’s story time? Contact me to learn more about our parent coaching programs.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

2

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

Using AAC in daily life

ByLondon Speech and Feeding September 24, 2025October 2, 2025

Communication is a fundamental human right, a bridge that connects us to the world and each other. For many, spoken language is the primary mode, but for individuals with complex communication needs, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) offers a powerful pathway to expression and connection. This guide will demystify AAC, highlight the crucial role of modelling, and provide practical examples of how low-tech AAC can be seamlessly integrated into everyday activities.

What is AAC in a nutshell?

AAC encompasses a wide range of tools and strategies that supplement or replace spoken language. It’s not about replacing speech, but rather about providing additional ways for individuals to communicate effectively. Think of it as a spectrum:

Unaided AAC: This involves using only your body, such as gestures, facial expressions, body language, and sign language.
Aided AAC: This involves external tools or devices. These can range from low-tech options like picture boards and communication books to high-tech speech-generating devices (SGDs) and apps on tablets.

The beauty of AAC lies in its flexibility and personalisation. It empowers individuals to express their wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings, fostering independence and participation in all aspects of life.

Modelling is KEY: Showing, not just telling

Imagine trying to learn a new language without ever hearing it spoken. It would be incredibly difficult, right? The same principle applies to AAC. Modelling is the single most important strategy for teaching and supporting AAC users. It means actively using the AAC system yourself while talking, demonstrating how to navigate the system and express messages.

Here’s why modelling is so vital:

It’s how we learn language: Typically developing children learn language by hearing it constantly around them. AAC users need the same immersion.
It reduces pressure: When you model, you’re not asking the individual to communicate, you’re just showing them how it’s done. This takes the pressure off and makes learning more enjoyable.
It expands vocabulary and concepts: By modelling a variety of words and phrases, you introduce new vocabulary and demonstrate how to combine symbols to create more complex messages.
It demonstrates purpose: Modelling shows that AAC is a functional and effective way to communicate, not just a set of pictures.

So, how do you model? It’s simple: point to the symbols on the communication board or device as you speak the words. For example, if you say, ‘Time to eat breakfast,’ you might point to ‘time’, ‘eat’, and ‘breakfast’ on the board.

Low-tech AAC in action: Everyday activities

Low-tech AAC, such as communication boards, books, or single-page displays, is incredibly versatile and can be easily incorporated into daily routines. These can be as simple as printed pages with symbols, laminated for durability.

Let’s explore how low-tech AAC can be used throughout a typical day, with examples of symbols:

1. Getting ready for nursery

Mornings can be busy, but they also offer rich communication opportunities. A ‘Getting Ready’ communication board can help sequence activities and offer choices.

Activity example:

‘Time to get up!’ (point to GET UP). ‘What do you want to wear today, the blue shirt or the red shirt?’ (point to GET DRESSED) ‘Then, we brush teeth’ (point to TOOTHBRUSH) and so on.

2. Breakfast Time

Mealtimes are perfect for making choices, expressing preferences, and commenting. A ‘Breakfast’ communication board can focus on food items, actions, and social comments.

Example symbols:

Activity example:

‘What do you want to eat for breakfast?’ (point to EAT). ‘Do you want cereal or toast?’ (point to CEREAL or TOAST). If they finish their milk, you could say, ‘Are you ALL DONE or do you want MORE MILK?’ (point to symbols).

3. Catching the Bus

Even routine transitions like catching the bus can be communication rich. A small, portable ‘Travel’ board can be useful.

Example symbols:

3. Being on the playground

The playground is a dynamic environment perfect for commenting, requesting actions, and engaging in social play.

Activity example:

‘Let’s PLAY!’ (point to PLAY). ‘Do you want to go on the SWING or the SLIDE?’ (point to symbols). If they are on the swing, you can say, ‘Do you want to go FAST or SLOW?’ (point to symbols) and ‘Push AGAIN!’ (point to PUSH) You can also model social language like ‘It’s MY TURN.’

Beyond the symbols: Key takeaways

Consistency is key: Use AAC consistently across all environments and with all communication partners.
Be patient: Learning a new language takes time. Celebrate small successes.
Make it fun: Integrate AAC into play and enjoyable activities.
Follow the individual’s lead: Respond to all communication attempts, even if they are imperfect.

In the video below I model how to integrate AAC into everyday activities with a few more examples and I discuss the difference between AAC and PECS.

If you need some inspiration with using AAC or would like your child assessed for the right type of AAC then please get in touch.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Seeing sounds: How visual gestures boost speech sound learning

ByLondon Speech and Feeding June 18, 2025June 18, 2025

Learning to produce new speech sounds can be a complex process for young children, especially those facing challenges with speech sound disorders or motor planning difficulties. It’s not just about knowing what a sound ‘should’ sound like; it’s about figuring out where to put your tongue, how to shape your lips, and how much air to push out. This is where the power of visual gestures comes in – literally helping children see how to make sounds.

As speech and language therapists, we frequently use visual cues and hand gestures to teach articulation. These techniques are incredibly effective, particularly when a child is struggling with the motor planning aspect of speech production.

In the video clip above you see me teaching

the /SH/ sound: the hand makes a C-shape and moves forward showing both how the lips are positioned and the air flowing forward
the /S/ sound: the index finger shows a snake like movement going forward- also showing the air flow again
the /W/ sound: my right hand moves forward and fingers splay out showing that the lips open up at the end of the sound
the /K/ sound: my finger points to the back of my throat where the tongue needs to raise.

An overview of motor planning for speech – what do we mean by that?

Think about learning to ride a bike or play a musical instrument. You don’t just know how to do it instantly. You have to plan the movements, practise them, and make adjustments. Speaking is similar! Our brains must:

Plan the sequence of movements needed for each sound and word (e.g., /B/ requires lips together, then release, while /T/ requires the tongue tip behind the top teeth, then release).
Execute those plans rapidly and precisely.

For some children, especially those with conditions like Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) or other severe articulation disorders, this motor planning process is disrupted. They know what they want to say, but their brain struggles to send the correct, consistent messages to their articulators (lips, tongue, jaw, velum). This can make speech sound learning incredibly frustrating.

Why use visual gestures?

Visual gestures provide an additional, powerful sensory input that can help bridge the gap between knowing a sound and producing it. Here’s how and why they are so beneficial:

1. Providing a visual map:

How it helps: Many speech sounds are ‘hidden’ inside the mouth. It’s hard for a child to see where their tongue needs to go for a /K/ sound (back of the tongue to the roof of the mouth) or a /T/ sound (tongue tip behind teeth). A simple hand gesture can visually represent this mouth movement. For example, a hand gesture for /K/ might involve sweeping the hand back towards the throat, while for /T/, it might be a tap on the chin.
Why it works: Children are highly visual learners. Seeing a physical representation of an abstract mouth movement gives them a concrete ‘map’ to follow, making the process less mysterious and more manageable.

2. Enhancing motor planning and memory:

How it helps: When a child simultaneously moves their hand (the visual gesture) and attempts to make the sound, they are engaging multiple sensory systems (visual, tactile, proprioceptive – body awareness). This multi-sensory input strengthens the neural pathways associated with that speech sound.
Why it works: This multi-modal learning helps to solidify the motor plan for the sound in the brain. It’s like having more ‘hooks’ to hang the information on, making the sound easier to recall and produce consistently. The gesture becomes a built-in reminder.

3. Reducing cognitive load:

How it helps: Instead of just hearing the sound and trying to figure out the complex motor sequence, the child has a visual cue to guide them. This reduces the mental effort required to decode the sound production.
Why it works: When cognitive load is lower, the child can focus more effectively on the specific motor execution of the sound, leading to faster progress and less frustration.

4. Increasing engagement and success:

How it helps: Gestures can make therapy more interactive and fun! When a child successfully produces a sound with the help of a gesture, it’s a tangible victory.
Why it works: Success is a powerful motivator. When children experience success, they are more likely to stay engaged, participate actively, and feel more confident in their ability to learn new sounds.

5. Supporting self-correction:

How it helps: Once a child learns the gesture associated with a sound, he or she can use it as a self-monitoring tool. If he or she makes an error, he or she can use the gesture to remind himself or herself of the correct mouth position or movement.
Why it works: This promotes independent learning and reduces reliance on constant adult prompting.

Conclusion

The journey of speech development can be challenging, but visual gestures offer a powerful and effective tool for teaching new sounds, especially when motor planning is a factor. By providing a clear visual map, strengthening motor memory, reducing cognitive load, and fostering engagement, these gestures pave the way for clearer communication and greater confidence. If your child is struggling with speech sounds, consider talking to a Speech and Language Therapist to get guidance on how visual gestures might be incorporated into the therapy plan. Because sometimes, seeing truly is believing (and speaking!).

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

The quiet power: Why silence and responsiveness boost communication in children with delays

ByLondon Speech and Feeding June 9, 2025June 9, 2025

As parents and caregivers, our natural instinct when interacting with a child, especially one who struggles with communication, is often to fill every silence. We might ask lots of questions, offer constant commentary, or try to prompt him or her to speak. Our hearts are in the right place. We want to help him or her communicate! However, for children with language delays or those on the autism spectrum, this well-intentioned approach can sometimes inadvertently create more pressure and fewer opportunities for them to truly initiate and develop their own communication skills.

What if I told you that one of the most powerful tools in your communication toolkit is often silence? And that responding to your child, rather than always initiating, can unlock incredible potential?

Let’s explore why these seemingly simple strategies are so profoundly beneficial.

The unspoken benefits of silence

In our fast-paced world, silence can feel awkward, but for a child who is processing language differently, it’s a gift:

Time to process: Children with language delays often need more time to process what they hear and to formulate their own thoughts or responses. When we bombard them with words, we don’t give their brains the crucial milliseconds they need to catch up. A pause of 5–10 seconds can make all the difference.
Reduces pressure: Constant questioning or prompting can feel like a test. Silence removes this pressure, creating a more relaxed environment where the child feels safe to communicate without fear of being ‘wrong’ or rushed.
Creates opportunity to initiate: If you’re always talking, when does your child get a turn to start the conversation? Silence opens up a space for him or her to initiate, whether it’s through a sound, a gesture, eye contact, or a word. This is vital for developing spontaneous communication.
Encourages independent thinking: When a child is given space, he or she is more likely to try to figure things out himself or herself. This fosters problem-solving skills and reduces reliance on adult prompts.
Prevents overwhelm (especially for ASD): Many children on the autism spectrum can be sensitive to auditory input. A constant stream of language can be overwhelming, leading to withdrawal or challenging behaviours. Strategic pauses can help them regulate and engage more effectively.

The power of responding (not just initiating)

Think of a tennis match: if only one person serves, it’s not a game. Communication is a rally, a back-and-forth exchange. When you primarily respond to your child’s communication attempts, you’re teaching him or her the rhythm of conversation:

Follow the child’s lead: This is a cornerstone of effective language intervention, famously championed by programs like Hanen’s ‘It Takes Two to Talk’. When you respond to what your child is already interested in or doing, the interaction becomes immediately relevant and motivating for him or her.
Validates his or her attempts: Every sound, gesture, glance, or partial word your child offers is a communication attempt. By responding to it, you’re telling him or her, ‘I see you. I hear you. Your communication matters.’ This builds immense confidence and encourages him or her to try again.
Builds confidence and motivation: When a child feels understood and successful in his or her communication, he or she are more likely to communicate more often. It’s a positive feedback loop.
Teaches turn-taking naturally: By taking your turn after his or hers, you model the natural flow of conversation. He or she learns that communication is a shared activity, not a one-sided lecture.
Makes interactions meaningful: When you respond to his or her interests, you’re talking about things that are inherently motivating to him or her. This makes the language you use more easily understood and remembered.

Practical strategies for parents: Observe, Wait, Listen (OWL)

The Hanen Centre’s ‘Observe, Wait, Listen’ (OWL) strategy perfectly encapsulates these principles:

Observe: Watch your child closely. What is he or she looking at? What is he or she doing? What sounds is he or she making? What gestures is he or she using?
Wait: After you’ve observed, wait. Give him or her time. Resist the urge to jump in with a question or comment immediately. Count to five (or even ten) in your head. This silence is an invitation for him or her to communicate.
Listen: When he or she does communicate (in any way!), listen intently. Try to understand his or her message or intent.

Beyond OWL – More tips:

Reduce questions, increase comments: Instead of ‘What’s that?’ try ‘Oh, a big red ball!’ or ‘The car is going fast!’ Comments provide language models without demanding a verbal response.
Expand, don’t just prompt: If your child says ‘Car’, you could respond with ‘Yes, That’s a big car!’ or ‘It’s really fast!’ You’re building on his or her communication with a slightly richer language model.
Create opportunities for communication: Place desired items slightly out of reach. This creates a natural reason for your child to communicate his or her wants (e.g., reaching, pointing, vocalising).
Respond to all communication: Don’t just wait for words. If your child points, look where he or she is pointing and comment. If he or she makes a sound, imitate it or respond with a related word.

In summary

Embracing silence and prioritising responsiveness might feel counterintuitive at first, especially when you’re eager for your child to talk. However, these powerful strategies create a nurturing, low-pressure environment that encourages spontaneous communication, builds confidence, and truly meets your child where he or she is. By giving your child the space and the meaningful responses he or she needs, you’re laying a strong foundation for his or her communication journey.

Try incorporating these ‘quiet powers’ into your daily interactions and watch your child’s communication blossom.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

The purpose and nature of a speech and language therapy assessment

ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 27, 2025May 19, 2025

If you have ever wondered what happens when you bring your child to a speech and language therapy assessment, then this blog will shed light on the ins and outs of it for you.

At its heart, a speech and language therapy assessment is a systematic and thorough evaluation of your child’s communication or eating/swallowing abilities. It’s more than just asking a few questions. It is a carefully constructed process designed to identify strengths, pinpoint challenges, and ultimately pave the way for effective intervention.

Establishing a detailed profile – a few bullet points:

Identification of communication and swallowing difficulties: I aim to determine if a communication or swallowing disorder exists. I will establish if the difficulty is a delay or a more complex disorder.
Diagnosis of the specific disorder/autism: The assessment delves deeper to pinpoint the specific type and nature of the difficulty. For instance, is your child’s language delay due to a specific learning disability, a developmental delay, or another underlying condition?
Knowing the aetiology or what is causing a difficulty is crucial for targeted intervention. And whilst we are on the topic let’s talk about an autism assessment: I am trained and experienced in assessing and diagnosing autism. However, when it comes to the diagnosis of autism I provide a preliminary ‘working hypothesis’ rather than giving a definite final diagnosis. The reason for this is that it is considered the ‘gold standard’ and ‘best practice’ to diagnose autism in a multi-disciplinary setting and context. Since I work on my own, I always refer to highly recommended multi-disciplinary clinics for the ultimate diagnostic assessment.
Determination of severity: Understanding the severity of the difficulty is essential for prioritising intervention and measuring progress. Is your child’s difficulty mild, moderate, or severe? This helps me choose a particular approach and then tailor it to suit each individual child.
Identification of underlying strengths and weaknesses: An assessment doesn’t just focus on what’s wrong. It also highlights your child’s strengths and areas of relative ease. This information is invaluable for building upon existing skills during therapy. Understanding weaknesses provides specific targets for intervention.
Guiding intervention planning: The assessment provides the crucial information I need to develop an individualised intervention plan. The findings directly inform the selection of therapy goals, strategies, and techniques. Without a thorough assessment, therapy would be a shot in the dark.

A multi-faceted approach

A speech and language therapy assessment is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ procedure. The specific tools and techniques used will vary depending on a child’s age, the nature of the suspected difficulty, and other relevant factors. However, most comprehensive assessments incorporate several key components:

Case history: This involves gathering information about your child’s developmental, medical, social, and educational background. We will go through all the relevant milestones and throughout the process I will make notes which will help bring all the puzzle pieces together.
Observation: I will observe how parent and child play together and we also look at how the child plays by themselves. Additionally of interest is how a child plays with me, the therapist. Through discussion I will also endeavour to find out how your child plays with other children, be it at the nursery or within the family.
Standardised assessments: These are commercially available tests with specific administration and scoring procedures. They provide norm-referenced data, allowing to compare the individual child’s performance to that of his or her peers. Examples include articulation tests, language comprehension and production tests, and fluency assessments. I tend not to use these assessments a lot.
Instead, I use non-standardised assessments: These are more flexible and allow to probe specific areas of concern in more detail. This might include language samples (analysing spontaneous speech), dynamic assessment (testing and teaching to identify learning potential), and informal observation of play or interaction.
Immediate feedback and report writing: During and thenfollowing the assessment, I will bring all the gathered information together and I will discuss with the parents what my findings are and what my recommendations in the short term are. Parents always go home with a good handful of useful strategies that they can implement at home right away. In addition, I provide a comprehensive report outlining the findings, diagnosis (if applicable), severity, strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations for intervention.

In conclusion, a speech and language therapy assessment is a dynamic and essential process. It is a journey of discovery, aiming to understand a child and the child’s family and his or her unique communication or feeding profile. The assessment is usually the start of our wonderful learning journey together.

Below is a short video clip of an assessment where you see me in action explaining a particular therapy approach to a set of parents. It perhaps shows a tiny bit of how relaxed we are in our sessions and that assessment is not at all daunting, but a hugely informative event overall which will leave you feeling empowered and hopeful.

What happens after an assessment?

Please feel free to get in touch with me via my contact form if you wish to have an assessment for your child’s communication difficulties or feeding difficulties.

An assessment is always a stand-alone event and does not mean you need to automatically book follow up sessions at all. It will give a lot of information and based on this you can decide if you would like more therapy or follow up for you and your child. Many times ongoing therapy is not needed! I only recommend a course of therapy if it is really needed and where it would be immediately beneficial for your child.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

The power of imitation in supporting children with autism

ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 19, 2025May 16, 2025

Imitation, the act of mirroring someone else’s actions, gestures, sounds, or words, is a fundamental skill that plays a crucial role in human development. It’s how babies learn to wave ‘bye-bye’, how toddlers pick up new words, and how children acquire social skills. But for children with autism imitation can be a significant challenge and understanding why it’s important and how to foster it becomes a key focus for parents, educators, and speech and language therapists.

Why is imitation important?

Imitation is a building block for a wide range of developmental skills:

Social interaction: Imitation is the foundation of social reciprocity. When a child imitates, he or she is engaging in a shared experience, connecting with another person, and learning to take turns in social exchanges.
Communication development: Imitation is closely linked to language acquisition. Children often imitate sounds and words before they can produce them independently. Imitation also helps them understand the meaning of gestures and facial expressions, which are vital for nonverbal communication.
Cognitive development: Imitation plays a role in problem-solving, learning new skills, and understanding cause and effect. By imitating actions, children explore their environment and learn how things work.
Emotional development: Imitation helps children understand and share emotions. When a child imitates a smile, he or she may begin to understand the feeling of happiness.

Imitation challenges in autism

Many children with autism face challenges with imitation, which can affect their development in these key areas. These challenges can manifest in different ways:

Difficulty imitating motor actions: Children with autism may struggle to imitate simple motor movements, such as clapping hands, waving, or playing ‘peek-a-boo’.
Limited vocal imitation: Imitating sounds, words, and phrases can be difficult for some children with autism, which can impact their speech development.
Challenges with social imitation: Imitating social cues, such as facial expressions, gestures, and body language, can be particularly challenging for children with autism, affecting their ability to engage in social interactions.

Why do children with autism struggle with imitation?

The exact reasons for imitation difficulties in autism are complex and not fully understood. However, several factors may contribute:

Neurological differences: Research suggests that differences in brain structure and function, particularly in areas involved in social perception and motor control, may play a role.
Sensory processing differences: Some children with autism may have sensory differences that make it difficult to attend to and process the movements or sounds they are expected to imitate.
Attention and motivation: Challenges with attention, focus, and social motivation can also affect a child’s ability to engage in imitation.

How to foster imitation in children with autism

Fortunately, imitation skills can be developed and improved through targeted interventions and strategies. Here are some approaches that I use in my practice as a speech and language therapist working with autistic children and their families:

Create a playful and engaging environment: Children are more likely to imitate when they are having fun and feel motivated. I use toys, games, and activities that the child enjoys.
Start with simple imitation: Begin by imitating simple motor movements that the child is already capable of and gradually introduce more complex actions.
Imitate the child first: As the Hanen Program emphasises, imitating the child’s actions, sounds, and words can encourage him or her to interact and communicate more.
Use visual supports: Visual aids, such as pictures, photos or videos, can help children with autism understand what is expected of them and make imitation easier.
Break down complex actions: Divide complex actions into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, to teach a child to brush their teeth, break it down into steps like ‘pick up toothbrush’, ‘put toothpaste on brush’, and ‘move brush on teeth’.
Reinforce imitation attempts: Provide positive reinforcement, such as praise, smiles, or preferred activities, when the child attempts to imitate, even if the imitation is not perfect.
Integrate imitation into daily routines: Incorporate imitation into everyday activities, such as imitating sounds during playtime, imitating gestures during songs, or imitating actions during self-care routines.

The role of speech therapy

Speech-language therapists play a crucial role in helping children with autism develop imitation skills, particularly in the areas of vocal and verbal imitation. As part of my therapeutic role, I offer the following:

Assessing a child’s imitation abilities.
Developing individualised therapy plans to target specific imitation goals.
Using a variety of techniques to encourage vocal imitation.
Working with parents and caregivers to provide strategies and support for promoting imitation at home.

Summary

Imitation is a fundamental skill that is essential for social, communication, cognitive, and emotional development. While children with autism may face challenges with imitation, it is a skill that can be developed and improved with targeted interventions and support. By understanding the importance of imitation and using effective strategies to foster it, parents, educators, and therapists can make a significant difference in the lives of children with autism, helping them to connect with others, learn new skills, and reach their full potential.

Do get in touch via my contact form if you have any question or need help with supporting your little one.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

The power of containment: A therapeutic approach for autistic children

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 16, 2024August 15, 2024

The practice of wrapping or swaddling children, often referred to as ‘containment,’ has been used for centuries to soothe and comfort infants. I use this therapeutic approach with autistic children at the London Speech and Feeding Practice. While it might seem counterintuitive, the act of being tightly wrapped can provide significant benefits for children who struggle with sensory processing, emotional regulation, and communication.

Understanding sensory processing and autism

Autistic persons often experience challenges with sensory processing, which is their brain’s ability to interpret and respond to sensory information. This can lead to sensory overload or under-responsivity. Containment can be a valuable tool in helping children regulate their sensory input.

To summarise, here are some of the benefits of containment:

Sensory Regulation:
- Provides deep pressure input: The tight, enveloping sensation of being wrapped can provide deep pressure input, which is calming and organising for many children.
- Reduces sensory overload: By creating a controlled sensory environment, containment can help to reduce overstimulation and promote a sense of safety.
Emotional Regulation:
- Containment creates a sense of security: Being wrapped tightly can mimic the feeling of being in the womb, providing a sense of security and comfort.
- Facilitates calming: The deep pressure input can help to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
Improved Body Awareness:
- Enhances proprioception: Containment can improve the child’s awareness of their body in space, which is essential for motor development and sensory integration. I often provide extra pressure on a child’s arms and legs sticking out of the yoga mat; this helps my child understand where their limbs are in space: I can feel my legs and I can feel my arms and I can feel where they are right now, i.e. they are under Sonja’s hand, I can feel them.
Facilitates Communication – and this is obviously where I come in as a Speech and Language Therapist:
- Swaddling creates a safe space: When a child feels calm and secure, they are more likely to engage in communication.
- Enhances joint attention: The shared experience of being wrapped can foster joint attention, which is essential for language development. You can see this one in my highlights where I swaddle my student in the yoga mat (picture above). She absolutely loves it, and what is more she is calm and steady when usually this child likes to be on the move constantly. Here we have a wonderful moment of joint engagement. She looks at me, she can listen to what I say or sing, and she can tell me in her own way to carry on rolling her or to carry on singing or providing calming pressure to her legs and arms or to stop.

A few pointers for when you try this at home: How to practise containment safely and effectively

Create a safe environment: Ensure the wrapping material is soft, breathable, and free from any hazards.
Observe your child’s cues: Pay attention to your child’s body language and verbal cues to determine their comfort level.
Respect your child’s boundaries: If your child shows signs of distress, stop the containment immediately – this might seem obvious but sometimes we adults get so carried away with some ‘great idea’ that we have seen work elsewhere. And so we can be a little too ‘determined’ sometimes to ‘make it happen’… perhaps this rings a bell with some of my readers.
MAKE IT FUN: Start carefully and take it step by step. See if the student is having a nice time. It is all about trust and therefore it might not work the very first time you do it.

It’s important to remember that containment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Some children may respond better to other sensory-based interventions. However, for many autistic children containment can be a valuable tool in their journey towards improved communication and emotional regulation.

For more information follow me on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Speech and Language Therapy

The role of spinning and swinging in speech and language therapy

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 7, 2024August 5, 2024

Sonja with a child on a swinging with a stuffed monkey

Spinning and swinging are often observed behaviours in autistic children. While these actions might seem repetitive or unusual to some, they serve crucial functions for these children. Understanding the underlying reasons for spinning and swinging can provide valuable insights into how to support autistic children and incorporate these activities into therapeutic settings.

Why do children spin?

Spinning is a common sensory-seeking activity in autistic children. Sensory seeking means that the child actively looks for sensory input to regulate their nervous system. Here’s why spinning can be beneficial:

Vestibular input: Spinning stimulates the vestibular system, which is located in the inner ear and is responsible for balance and spatial orientation. For children with sensory processing difficulties, spinning can provide essential sensory input.
Calming effect: For some children, spinning can be a self-regulating strategy. The rhythmic motion can help to calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.
Sensory exploration: Spinning allows children to explore their sensory experiences. It can help them understand their bodies and how they move in space.

The allure of swinging

The rhythmic back-and-forth motion of a swing offers several benefits:

Vestibular input: Like spinning, swinging stimulates the vestibular system, helping to improve balance and coordination.
Proprioceptive input: Swinging provides proprioceptive input, which is the sense of where your body is in space. This information is crucial for motor planning and coordination.
Calming and organising: The rhythmic motion of swinging can have a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to regulate emotions and improve focus.
Social interaction: Swinging can be a shared experience, fostering social interaction and communication.
Facilitating communication: While swinging, children are so much more relaxed and open to communication. The rhythmic motion can also help facilitate singing, humming, listening to my singing, non-verbal communication for sure but also more verbal and mouth words can be heard from children on my swing. If nothing else, it is so fun and helps build trust and rapport between my child and me.

Therapeutic Activities Combining Spinning, Swinging, and Speech and Language Therapy

Here are some therapeutic techniques that I use at London Speech and Feeding to combine movement with speech and language development:

Swinging with verbal prompts: While the child is swinging, I provide simple verbal prompts such as ‘up’, ‘down’, ‘fast’, and ‘slow.’ This helps to develop receptive language skills and improve auditory processing.
Sensory-motor play: I like to combine swinging with tactile activities like playing with textured balls or bean bags. This can facilitate language development through descriptive language, words and scripts like: ‘that’s so soft’, ‘oooh tickle tickle tickle!’
Storytelling on the swing: Often I manage to create a story while the child is swinging. This can improve narrative skills, vocabulary, and imagination. Recently I did the ‘Tiger who came to tea’ story and each time the swing stopped the tiger came and ‘ate some more cakes’ and ‘tickled their tummy’ whilst eating. It may make not much sense but my child loved it and we had ‘more tiger eat more’.
Song and rhyme time: Often I sing the ‘rumble in the jungle’ song while swinging my child to enhance phonological awareness, rhythm, and timing.
Visual supports always help: I use LAMP Words for Life AAC support during swinging and show core words such as: ‘go’ / ‘stop’/ ‘more’ / ‘tickle tickle’ etc. #lampwordsforlife #aac
Movement-based activities: We can incorporate activities that require sequencing, such as imitating animal movements or following simple commands while swinging. This can improve motor planning and language comprehension.

For more information follow me on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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A day in my life as a speech and language therapist

Speech and Language Therapy

A day in my life as an Independent Speech and Language Therapist

ByLondon Speech and Feeding February 5, 2024February 5, 2024

During the pandemic I wrote a blog on what my working day looked like. Now a good year has passed since coming back to some sort of normality and I thought I would update this ‘day in the life of an SLT’ as my working life has changed of course to reflect the ‘new normal’.

I have become truly busy, perhaps busier than I have ever been to be honest. It’s probably mostly due to the fact that I do most of the aspects of my work myself — though I want to mention two invaluable people here without whom I could not function as well as I do: the excellent Nathalie Mahieu (nathalie@nmediting.nemediting.co.uk) helps me with my SEO, Insta posts and blog uploading and the wonderful Sue Bainbridge (sueybee@btinternet.btinternet.com) makes sure that my accounts don’t get into trouble with His Majesty’s tax office.

Attached to our role as Speech and Language Therapists is an arguably enormous amount of administration/paperwork and preparation required for each and every client. This needs to be factored in when deciding how many families I can realistically see each working day. For me it works out as typically 3–5 clients a day, Monday to Friday.

So how does my day typically look? Each day varies a lot depending on what type of client I have, but on average it looks a bit like this:

First thing in the morning — after having a coffee and a quick check-in with my besties on WhatsApp — I do my Buddhist chanting for about an hour. My Buddhist prayers are the base of all I do and get me connected to my higher purpose and how to create value with each activity and each person I see that day. It sets me up for the day, I keep in mind who is going to come and see me and how I can best help them.

Next up, I do the daily ‘spring-clean’ of my therapy room (on all fours! no joke ???? those kids see every speck!), vacuum the floors, wipe down the toys with flash-wipes and tidy up all my boxes, making sure that the battery toys are working, and everything else is in place. On to the guest toilet, the hallway needs to be rid of all the men’s shoes and trainers and coats… It’s endless what needs tidying when you are living with three men… This takes about 45 minutes.

An articulation activity – packaging practice into a little game

Then I prep for all my clients that day. I have now got so much quicker about selecting therapy materials. For one thing I have purchased so many toys and materials over the past five years that I can literally now open a shop and need to consider building an extension! ???? The upside is that it is now very easy for me to select a good handful of toys or games for any one child, even at a minute’s notice. Though, on average, I spend about 30 minutes per child preparing activities.

Hurrah, it’s 11 am and my first client of the day arrives and the fun begins.

When they leave around an hour later, the cleaning and wiping down starts again, this time less extensively. I write up my notes and send homework whilst enjoying a cuppa.

The next client comes at 12.30 pm and once they have left, floor cleaned, toys wiped, notes written it is time for a quick lunch. No more than half an hour usually.

Afternoon clients tend to be one more little one (nursery age) at 2.15 pm and thereafter I see mostly older school children for a variety of reasons (mainly speech production but also some language-based activities). I tend to say farewell to my last client of the day around 6 pm. I spend another hour, sometimes more, on writing up notes, answering new enquiries, blogging and phone calls to keep my service fresh, inspirational and exciting.

And then dinner and the rest of the day rushes by. I tend to finish my day with some more Buddhist chanting, not a lot, perhaps 10–20 minutes to reflect on what has gone well and what could have been better — re-determine to improve or make better as needed.

Tele therapy activity using online materials plus a coreboard

In terms of where I provide a service, I still do a good mix of online clients (tele-therapy) and in-person clients in my clinic, which I love. Occasionally, I visit children in their nursery or at home but this service is now only available for long-standing clients.

Each client is hand-picked to make sure that we are a good fit: no one client gets the same treatment as another; each client is unique, we get to know one another well over the time we work together and they are always highly valued. That takes time and, in reality, each client gets about two hours of my time. That is the actual session plus all the preparation and aftercare, i.e., bespoke hand holding, tweaks, problem solving and reassurance in between sessions.

I absolutely love this way of working and would not ever want to do anything else. Nearly three decades of working both in the NHS and in private practice, countless courses (continual professional development) have enabled me to flourish as a therapist and I know that I offer something special and very valuable to my clients.

My unique way of working affords all my lovely clients the help they need to support their children to make progress; and it gives me the right balance of job satisfaction and work life balance for now. My lovely reviews and testimonials tell me that my clients appreciate my service and this at the end of the day is the most important.

If you are interested in exploring Buddhism/buddhist chanting then check out this link (https://sgi-uk.org/), and feel free to contact me about that specifically, regardless of whether you want speech therapy. I am always happy to chat about Buddhism, it has been so enriching for the last 43 years of my life.

If you need help with your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Toys

How do we play with our Gestalt Language Processors?

ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 17, 2024January 4, 2024

Child-led therapy

When working with Gestalt Language Processors, it is always advisable to use child-led therapy. What does that mean? Child led therapy involves following a child’s interests and allowing her/him to lead the play activity throughout the speech and language therapy session. In other words, instead of having my own ideas of what we might want to play with or what activities I might try and use, I provide a range of toys I know the child likes or has played well with before; then I wait for the child to pick what she/he enjoys doing.

Play can be very repetitive and we can often see our child cycling back to the same one or two toys throughout the session. But this is what she/he needs to do at that time and it means that we have focused attention and engagement. This in turn is very helpful for the therapeutic process, which is to offer great scripts and phrases/words alongside what she/he is playing with.

Monotropic minds

Often the mind of autistic children is more strongly pulled towards a smaller number of interests or hobbies as I like to call them. Dr Dinah Murray, Dr Winn Lawson and Mike Lesser have found in 2005 that autistic people have ‘monotropic’ minds. They explain that autistic children focus their energy on a narrow range of activities as the energy required to switch between several toys is much higher than we would see in the neuro-typical population.

Gestalt Language Processors are often also Gestalt Cognitive Processors. This is when experiences are retained as episodic events and memories. An event is remembered by specific parts of the same event. And, therefore, these specific parts should always be part of that event, when the event is repeated.

Should any of the specifics be changed or are missing, then this can cause great upset to Gestalt Cognitive Processors. So, for example, if the last two times in speech therapy we had the train set out and this was played with happily, then this becomes a specific part of the whole session. If, I then don’t offer the train set the third time a child comes to see me, this could be very upsetting.

This is why I tend to try this out and see what happens. Usually in the 3^rd or 4^th session: I might not bring out the car run that has hitherto been super successful to see if we are able to transition well to other toys. If yes, then we can have new experiences but if not then I will re-offer the car run/or whatever toy pretty quickly so as not to cause complete dysregulation.

A few pointers below which help with child-led play:

Introduce a few new toys and see what happens

Parents are encouraged to bring some familiar toys their child likes to the session. We can then introduce a couple of different toys to see how we go. Try offering a new toy alongside the familiar one; try offering new toys without the familiar one present, but be prepared to re-offer the “old” toy should our child get upset.

Rotate toys and don’t offer out too many toys

I find that children can get overwhelmed and overstimulated by too many items out all at once. I always talk to parents about toy rotation at home and I encourage storage and ‘tidy up’ of toys so that we can increase attention focus, and also maintain freshness and new interest in older toys.

Some children are not yet ready to play with toys

Here I suggest people games: these are games where the adult becomes part of a more motor-based activity. Some call it ‘rough and tumble play’ but it can be nursery rhymes such as sleeping bunnies/row row the boat or peek-a-boo for the younger ones.

Copy/Imitation is so important – try getting two identical or similar play items

When we are copying our child, it is often not desirable to ‘take turns’ with their toys/blogs/cars etc as our child may not be ready to let us take a turn. Instead, if we have the exact same toy that our child is having then we can play alongside our child and copy them perfectly without interrupting their play.

References:

Murray, D., Lesser, M., & Lawson, W. (2005). Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Autism, 9(2), 139-156.

If you need help with your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Developing Joint Attention

ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 5, 2024January 5, 2024

Joint attention skills — what are they and how can we facilitate those?

Most of us want to make friends, connect with others and bond with a friend or be part of a community. To do so we need to develop an important social skill which is: initiating, responding to, and maintaining ‘shared/joint attention’ with another. When we can do this, we are able to focus on the same thing with another person or a group of people: music, hobbies, sport, art, books, toys, games or memories: remember when we did x y z…

Many children who struggle with speech and language development are not able to share or hold attention with another person very easily. My latest blog is all about what we can do to help our children develop Joint Attention.

So to re-cap, joint or shared attention happens when one person gets the other’s attention by either words, or gestures like pointing to something and saying ‘OMG look over there!’ – both people look at that same thing.

What does it take to have or develop this skill?

We need to first of all find something of interest that captivates our own attention. This part is usually not difficult for most people or children.

Then, crucially, we need to direct our focus away from what we find interesting, for long enough to get another person’s attention onto the same topic. This could be just seconds or it could be longer if we are very determined and good at embracing others into our experience. But if we are not then it must not take longer than seconds!

Let me give an example: if someone is in the room with me whilst I see something strange out the window, I would take that second to draw their attention to it. However, I might not be bothered to run upstairs and find someone only to show them something odd outside in the road. If I am very bored, I might do! But as I am rarely bored it is unlikely. So, unless someone else is right here with me, they are not going to be part of that particular experience, I would not share it.

Back to our child: if we make it difficult for a child who is not naturally inclined to share an interest then it is not going to happen. We must be ready, and right there for our child to have that fleeting second to look at us before returning to their hobby/interest.

This skill ‘to share a moment’ tends to develop around 12 months of age and starts with a child pointing to things. Prior to that, our child might give us something or come to show us a thing. Joint attention underpins language skills and is strong predictors of later language development (Law et al, 2017).

What are the signs that my child is struggling with Joint Attention?

Tunes out or does not respond when I call their name
Cannot follow my suggestions for games or toys/play activities
Does not point to anything of interest, like a truck passing by, or an aeroplane in the sky
Ignores or does not respond to what I say, does not follow instructions, only when he/she wants to

What can I do to help with this?

Here are some ideas you can follow in no particular order – see which one sticks:

Get down to your child’s eye/face level, we call it ‘face to face’. It does not require your child to make eye contact with you but they might just do so more easily if you are ‘just there’ and don’t have to crook their neck to look up at you. When reading a book with your child, instead of sitting behind try sitting opposite him/her.
Mirror play – making funny faces together in a mirror can be fun.
COPY your child: top tip!! Imitate your child’s vocalisations and actions. Even if these are repetitive, just enjoy the ride.
Follow your child and let your child take the lead in the play activity. What does that look like? The adult has no agenda, does not want to teach, to ask questions (see point number 9) does not want to direct or show the child how to ‘do it better/differently’ – instead accept that the child is the boss when it comes to their play and take their lead in how a toy should be played with.
Hold up objects to your face or at eye level so that your child can see your face and the item at the same time.
Be the ‘funniest thing’ in the room; be hugely entertaining, watchable and offer the ‘irresistible invitation’ to look at you or play with you.
Offer PEOPLE TOYS (any toy where another person is needed to have fun) so: wind-up toys, bubbles, anything that needs opening or holding or doing which is tricky for the child to do alone. I always try and hide the buttons that make something ‘go’ so that my child needs to come back to me for ‘more/again’.
Do PEOPLE GAMES – as above really but games that do not need a toy, that need another person to have fun: being swung round, row row the boat, being pushed on a swing etc.
REDUCE ASKING QUESTIONS – this is my favourite top tip!!! Instead of asking lots of questions try and make simple statements/comments on what is happening so there is absolutely no pressure on your child to ‘perform’. Equally, silence is actually golden sometimes! An odd bit of advice from a speech therapist? Try sitting with your child, next to them or opposite and just don’t talk but simply BE… yes easier said than done, I do know this. Turn off your phone (OMG did I just say that!?) yes, please turn it off and just be with your child for a little while, just like a comfy buddy who is just enjoying their company with no agenda. You might be very surprised how your child suddenly seeks you out!

I will write about more ideas on this in my next blog so look out for more play ideas to encourage Joint Attention.

Most important, try and have fun with your child. Think about what is fun for her or him. And make it EASY for your child, remember unless you are ‘right there’ it might not happen so easily.

Happy New Year!

If you need help with your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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