The power of imitation in supporting children with autism
· ·

The power of imitation in supporting children with autism

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
Image by Freepik

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.

Health Professions Council registered
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
Member of ASLTIP

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
The joy of container play: Exploring play development and understanding of how things work
· · ·

The joy of container play: Exploring play development and understanding of how things work

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
The joy of container play
Designed by Freepik

Have you heard the term ‘Container play’? I use this very often with children in my sessions as it is so versatile and an enjoyable activity that can be done in parallel with a child or together. Container play is a powerful tool for fostering development in young children, especially those with developmental delays. This seemingly mundane activity provides a rich environment for sensory exploration, motor skill development, and cognitive growth.

What is container play?

Container play involves children interacting with various containers—boxes, buckets, bowls, cups, various bags, etc.—and filling, emptying, and transferring objects within and between them. Objects can include literally anything: small beads, bead chains, table tennis balls, wooden pegs, dinosaurs or any other little person toy, blocks of varying sizes, sand, water, or any other safe material. Larger containers obviously take larger items: socks, stuffed animals, bigger balls, bigger blocks etc really the choices are endless.

Benefits for children with developmental delays:

Sensory exploration:

  • Touch: Children explore different textures and temperatures of containers and objects.
  • Sight: They observe how objects look inside and outside the containers, how light reflects off them, and how colours change.
  • Sound: They listen to the sounds of objects clinking, rattling, and splashing.
  • Proprioception: Filling and emptying containers helps develop body awareness and spatial awareness.

For neurodivergent children who might have sensory regulation difficulties, consider the following adaptions to accommodate your child’s sensory needs:

  • Over-stimulation: For children who are easily overstimulated, start with simple setups using a limited number of containers and objects. Gradually increase the complexity as they tolerate it.
  • Under-stimulation: For children who seek sensory input, provide a variety of textures and materials, such as sand, water, slime, or beans.
  • Temperature: Offer a variety of temperature options. Some children may enjoy warm water or cool sand.
  • Lighting: Adjust the lighting to create a calming or stimulating environment.
  • Focus on one sense at a time: Initially, focus on one sensory aspect, such as the feel of sand or the sound of water.
  • Weighted containers: Use heavy containers filled with rice or beans to provide deep pressure input.
  • Fidget toys: Incorporate fidget toys into the activity to provide sensory input and help with self-regulation.
  • Tactile exploration: Encourage exploration of different textures using objects with varying surfaces.

Fine motor skill development:

  • Hand-eye coordination: Scooping, pouring, and transferring objects require precise hand-eye coordination.
  • Pincer grasp: Picking up small objects helps develop fine motor skills like the pincer grasp.
  • Strength and dexterity: Manipulating containers and objects strengthens hand muscles and improves dexterity. Opening and closing containers can be a huge area of interest; how does the top screw back on, or off?

Cognitive development:

  • Cause and effect: Children learn that their actions (e.g., pouring water or sand) have consequences (e.g., the water spills).
  • Spatial awareness: They develop an understanding of concepts like inside, outside, full, empty, and over/under; also how big is the vessel and how much goes in before it’s full or spills over. How small is the vessel opening and what do I need to do to get the beads into the container.
  • Problem-solving: Children learn to solve problems, such as how to get an object out of a narrow container or how to transfer water without spilling.

Social and emotional development:

  • Communication: Container play can encourage communication as children interact with others, sharing toys and commenting on their actions. Asking for help to open and close a container is often a great opportunity to practise ‘help me’ or ‘open it’
  • Turn-taking: Sharing containers and materials helps children learn to take turns and cooperate.
  • Sensory regulation: For children with sensory sensitivities, container play can be a calming and self-regulating activity.

Tips for engaging children in container play:

  • Create a safe and inviting environment. A shower curtain on the floor makes things easier for tidy up afterwards. And it allows for spillages.
  • Provide a variety of containers: Use different sizes, shapes, and materials. Use containers that are visually interesting and pleasing, perhaps a festive biscuit tin, or a tin that looks like train engine. Use see-through containers at first which make the filling and emptying more obvious. This is important for children who have no previous experience with this type of play and need to ‘warm up’ to it. Once a child loves and is used to container play you can go wild with all types of containers.
  • Offer a variety of objects: Include balls, blocks, sand, water, and other age-appropriate materials.
  • Join in the fun! Start off the process, show your child what the joy of the activity is for yourself, how fun it is to fill and empty containers, provide enough containers for your child to start playing alongside you, and comment on their actions.
  • Follow your child’s lead: Allow them to explore and experiment at their own pace.
  • Adapt activities: Adjust the level of challenge based on your child’s abilities and interests.

Container play is a simple yet powerful tool that can support the overall development of young children, especially those with developmental delays. By providing a rich and engaging sensory experience, container play can help children build essential skills in motor, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.

If you have any questions or would like to have more in-depths demonstration of this or other play styles for your child please contact me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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
Speech Sound Challenges: A focus on /L/ and /Y/
· ·

Speech Sound Challenges: A focus on /L/ and /Y/

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

Have you ever thought about how difficult it can be to produce certain speech sounds? Some sounds are definitely trickier than others. This is especially true for children with speech sound disorders like Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

My student with CAS has been working hard on producing the /L/ sound especially when it was followed by an /O/ or /OO/ like, ‘log’ or ‘look’. We’ve practised lots and now that he’s got a good handle on /L/, he’s started replacing another difficult sound, /Y/, with it. So, ‘yes’ becomes ‘less’ and ‘yuck’ becomes ‘luck.’

This is a common pattern in speech development. Once a child masters a new sound, they may start using it in place of other sounds they find even more challenging.

Minimal Pair therapy

I use different evidence-based methods to help my students. And I often like to start out with phonemic awareness and then I move to contrasting the error sound with another sound to make completely different words. This approach is called ‘minimal pair’ therapy: both words are the same except for the initial/final sound which has the error sound, and this is contrasted with the correct sound.

Below is an example of this:

After we have worked on sound awareness, listening and becoming aware of small units of sound matter, then we can move to working on tongue placement and movement.

Tongue placement and movement to produce correct /L/ and /Y/ sounds

To produce these sounds correctly, the tongue needs to be in specific positions and make specific movements.

  • /L/ sound:
    • Tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge (the bony ridge behind your upper teeth)
    • Sides of the tongue are raised to the sides of the upper teeth
    • Airflow escapes through the sides of the tongue
  • /Y/ sound:
    • Tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth behind the alveolar ridge
    • Sides of the tongue are raised to the sides of the upper teeth
    • Airflow escapes through the centre of the mouth

I also use:

  • Auditory bombardment: Auditory bombardment is a technique that involves repeatedly listening to a target sound. This can help children to develop a better understanding of the sound and how to produce it.
  • Visual cues: Visual cues can be helpful for children who are having difficulty producing a particular sound. Here I use the image of a ‘standing tongue’ versus a ‘sitting tongue’.
  • Physical cues: I use my hands to show a ‘standing tongue’ for the /L/ versus a ‘sitting tongue’ for the /Y/. But what worked even better and sadly I don’t have the video clip for it:
  • Semantic cues: For example a picture of an ‘EAR’ to make the sound /Y/ so we shape the sound /EA/ to /Y/.
  • Parent involvement: Parents play an important role in their child’s speech sound development by providing opportunities for them to practise their speech sounds at home. This can be done through activities such as reading books, singing songs, and playing games.
  • Reinforcement: It is important to praise children for their efforts, even if they are not perfect. This will help them to feel motivated to keep practising. Important here for speech correction is concrete reinforcement: I feed back to my student what exactly they were doing correctly with their tongue or lips. Rather than saying ‘well done’, I mention what my student has just done with the tongue to change the sound: ‘I saw you lowered your tongue! That made a good /Y/’.

Another great way of reinforcing positively is to ask the student how they feel they have done? For the older ones I often ask them to self-rate their sound production out of 10. Then we can work towards the next incremental number upwards. This is very effective and gives the student control over their own work.

Please contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties.

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
The Hanen Program® – The beauty of the ‘4 S’
· ·

The Hanen Program® – The beauty of the ‘4 S’

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
Image by freepik

One of my favourite pieces of advice I give to parents is the ‘4 S’, a strategy coined by the Hanen Program® which I teach, particularly the ‘More than Words’ programme which is designed for and aimed at parents of children with Social Communication Difficulties or Autism. It is honestly one of those golden nuggets that I use myself in my practice and I highly recommend it to all my parents. There is something about terms like the ‘4 S’ that is easy to recall and therefore use.

Introduction

The ‘4 S’ is a strategy that helps to clarify the words we use with our children so that they can notice us, hear us and understand what we are saying.

Research shows that we use on average 120-200 words per minute during everyday conversation. That’s a lot! And our children who are still learning to communicate are often bombarded with endless speech coming at them all day long. If we take into account that many of our students are Gestalt Language Processors, we can see that picking out relevant chunks of what we are saying is not at all easy, and this contributes to our children’s delays.

So let’s look at the ‘4 S’

1. The first one is SAY LESS

This means we should use shorter, simpler sentences with good grammar, for example, something like: ‘let’s get ready, time to put our shoes on’ instead of what we might be saying: ‘come on then darling, let’s put your shoes on we need to get going it’s dark outside’ or similar.

Good grammar helps to give clues about what words mean and how they are used in sentences. So, instead of ‘shoes on’ say ‘let’s put our shoes on’.

2. The second one is STRESS

I hear you think ‘I am stressed!‘. – NO! here it means ‘highlight’. We use our voice to highlight the important words in our sentence or phrase. For example, when you say ‘this banana is so yummy’ you can stress the word ‘yummy’ by saying it a bit louder and you can make a gesture, like rubbing your tummy as you say it.

3. The third one is GO SLOW

This means to speak a bit slower than you normally would and add pauses. By slowing down the pace of our speaking we give our child time to think and understand what we are saying. When we allow for pauses after we have spoken, we are inviting our child to say something in response.

4. The last one is SHOW

Always remember to show actions, gestures, objects, and point to pictures while speaking to help support your child’s understanding. We can show our child what words mean by pointing to things or holding up objects whilst describing or talking about them.

At this point I would also like to recommend the use of Core Boards, and particularly Electronic AAC devices, such as LAMP Words for Life or PODD. I have written about this in other blogs but can always be persuaded to say a bit more on the matter… 😊 It is such a big help to have an AAC talker available for both the child and the adult so we can find words and pictures to help support the words we are saying.

For example, today when reading a book like The Hungry Caterpillar (so good!) I used my LAMP AAC talker to make comments as we were looking at the pages together with my student. Example: ‘Look! He is eating more cake he is very hungry’ using my AAC talker I was able to supplement my speech and at the same time I was inviting my minimally speaking child to press a button or two and reply with ‘cake!’ which they would not have said with their mouth otherwise.

5. It does say ‘4 S’ but really it should be ‘5’ except the fifth is not an ‘S’

The fifth is REPEAT.

Repeat words and phrases often throughout the day. When learning a language we all need to hear words and phrases several times and in different situations before we can understand, remember, and then eventually use them. Our children are ‘new language learners’ and so we can apply the same principles that we would when learning a new foreign language ourselves.

Any questions or need help with supporting your little one’s language please contact me via my contact form, or you could also check out www.hanen.org for advice and lots of inspiration.

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
Following your child's lead: A playful path to AAC success
· · ·

Following your child’s lead: A playful path to AAC success

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

Unlocking playtime: A guide to child-led learning

Does your child struggle to focus on toys or activities? Do they dart away as soon as you approach? You’re not alone!

The key to unlocking your child’s potential lies in following their lead. Let them guide the play session, and watch their engagement and focus soar.

Why Child-Led Play Works:

  • Empowerment: Children feel in control, sparking their curiosity and motivation.
  • Focused attention: They’ll stay engaged with activities for longer periods.
  • Reduced frustration: By stepping back and observing, you eliminate the pressure and stress that often comes with directed play.

How to Implement Child-Led Play:

  1. Prepare the environment: Set out a limited selection of engaging toys.
  2. Observe and wait: Sit back, watch, and listen to your child’s interests.
  3. Embrace the moment: Resist the urge to direct or question; simply enjoy the process.

Remember: This simple approach can transform playtime and support your child’s development. Give it a try for a week and see the difference!

#OWLing #hanenmorethanwords

Observe, Wait, Listen. It’s a powerful formula for unlocking your child’s potential.

You will likely see:

  • Your child will stay put with any toy for longer whilst you are near them.
  • Your child will tolerate you being nearby and he/she won’t move away.
  • Your child will start giving you brief glances of enjoyment, or perhaps they will hand things to you, or they might take your hand and lead it to something that needs opening etc.
  • In other words, you will see that there suddenly is JOINT PLAY. Yes, granted it may not be according to your adult agenda, but there will be more togetherness than there was before. And this is the START of communication and social engagement.

USE Core words and a coreboard — to help your child understand the power of words

Core words are the building blocks of communication. Try using a coreboard like the one below, they are versatile and can be used in countless ways. By modelling these words naturally during play, you expose your child to their meaning and function in context. This approach is far more effective than isolated drill and practice, more powerful than flashcards!

Using AAC coreboard
Photo by lemonlenz

A Winning Combination

Combining child-led play and AAC modelling creates a magic effect. To summarise:

  • Increased engagement: When you follow your child’s lead, they are more likely to be engaged and receptive to learning. This creates optimal conditions for introducing AAC core words.
  • Natural learning: By modelling AAC core words in the context of play, you help your child understand their meaning and purpose naturally. This fosters generalisation and spontaneous use.
  • Building relationships: Shared play experiences strengthen the bond between you and your child. This trust and connection are essential for successful communication.
  • Reduced pressure: Modelling AAC core words without expectation removes the pressure to produce language. This allows your child to explore communication at their own pace.
  • Expanded vocabulary: As your child becomes more comfortable with AAC, they will begin to incorporate core words into their own communication. This leads to vocabulary growth and increased independence.

Practical Tips

  • Observe and respond: Pay close attention to your child’s interests and actions. Respond to their cues with enthusiasm and support.
  • Keep it simple: Start with a few core words and gradually introduce new ones as your child’s skills develop.
  • Be patient: Language learning takes time. Celebrate small successes and avoid frustration.
  • Have fun: Remember, play is supposed to be enjoyable for both you and your child. Relax and have fun together!

Example:

Photo by lemonlenz

Let’s say your child is playing with a pop-up toy like you see me do in the above photograph. Here, I followed my child’s lead by waiting to see what she wanted to do with the toy. You are now OWLING! (Observe Wait and Listen)

Once I noticed that there was repetitive opening of the flaps going on I then pointed to OPEN and MORE on the board, as I said: ‘let’s OPEN this one’ / let’s see MORE animals’ / ‘MORE cow! it says moo!’ ‘OPEN another one’ and so on.

Important to know, we are not expecting our child to respond verbally or with AAC, but we are providing language input and demonstrating how these words can be used with enthusiasm.

Naturally in time your child will look at the board and at your pointing and they will eventually want to copy you!

By incorporating these strategies into your daily interactions, you can create a supportive environment that fosters language development and communication growth.  If you would like more guidance please get in touch and book in for a consultation, some individual therapy and/ or some parent coaching.

I look forward to supporting you. Please contact me and let’s see how.

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
The power of containment: A therapeutic approach for autistic children
· ·

The power of containment: A therapeutic approach for autistic children

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
Photo by lemonlenz

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.

Photo by lemonlenz

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
The role of spinning and swinging in Speech and Language Therapy
·

The role of spinning and swinging in speech and language therapy

ByLondon Speech and Feeding
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.

1
Speech Sounds Practice at home
· ·

Speech Sounds Practice at home

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

Speech therapists use a variety of tools to help children master specific sounds, and then the students are sent home with some practice sheets to use daily. Parents are able to observe what we do in the session, but I know that back at home three days later they can’t quite remember what it was all about and how to do the practice.

Here I explain the importance of visual cues, finger shapes, pictures, and semantic prompts (fancy speech therapy term for word clues!). By understanding these tools, you can turn practice time into a fun and engaging experience for both of you.

Why Visual Cues matter?

Imagine learning a new language just by listening. It’s tough, right? Young children learning new speech sounds face a similar challenge. Visual cues act like flashcards for their minds, giving them a clear picture of how to position their mouth and tongue.

  • Mirrors: Encourage your child to watch your face (and theirs) in the mirror as you make the sound together. This helps them see the tongue placement and lip movements required.
  • Mouth pictures: Speech therapy sheets often have pictures of mouths making specific sounds. Point to the picture and explain how the tongue and lips look, then have your child try to imitate it.
  • Your face is the best cue! Don’t underestimate the power of your own face. Over-enunciate the sound and let your child observe your mouth movements. Watch this little video clip where I am teaching the /SH/ sound to my little student. You cannot see him but we are both sitting on the floor opposite one another so that he can see me easily.

Finger fun: making sounds with our hands

Finger shapes are another powerful tool in my speech therapy arsenal. Think of them as fun reminders of how to position the tongue.

  • ‘Open Wide’ fingers: For sounds like /AH/ and /OH/, hold your fingers wide apart, mimicking an open mouth.
  • ‘Tongue Up’ fingers: For sounds like /T/ and /D/, touch the tip of your thumb to your other fingers, creating a little ‘wall’ like the tongue tip touches the teeth ridge.
  • ‘Snake Tongue’ fingers: For the /S/ sound, wiggle your pinky finger to represent the snake-like tongue tip.
  • In this little video clip I am demonstrating the C-shape moving forward which I had taught my child, showing how the windy sound (/SH/) travels forward with lips open and slightly pursed.

Bringing sounds to life with pictures

Pictures serve as visual prompts to connect the sound with a familiar word.

  • Video clip: I am using the WINDY SOUND picture and the FLAT TYRE sound picture to represent /SH/ and /S/ respectively
  • Point and Say: Point to each picture and say the word clearly, emphasising the target sound. Encourage your child to repeat.

Unlocking sounds with semantic prompts

Semantic prompts are fancy words for clues that help your child guess the target sound. They can be simple questions or descriptive words.

  • ‘Can you feel the wind whooshing?’ (/SH/)
  • Think of tyre going flat, or a balloon losing air, or a train coming to a slow halt (/S/)

Practice makes progress, but fun makes it funnier!

Remember, the key is to keep practice sessions light and engaging. Here are some extra tips:

  • Short and sweet: Stick to short practice times (5-10 minutes) to avoid frustration.
  • Make it a routine: Integrate practice time into your daily routine, like after breakfast or before bedtime.
  • Positive reinforcement: Celebrate your child’s efforts with praise and high fives!
  • Make it multisensory: Incorporate sensory activities like blowing bubbles for /F/ or feeling the wind for /SH/.

Parents you’re a vital part of your child’s speech development, and together we can make huge progress quickly.

Please contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties.

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
Principles of Motor Learning in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
·

Principles of Motor Learning in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

We use powerful motor learning principles to help children with CAS (Childhood Apraxia of Speech) learn how to produce better, clearer speech sounds in words, phrases and sentences.

What are these principles?

Principle 1: MASSED PRACTICE

This is where you see a child for lots of sessions in a shorter period of time, so for instance six weeks of three times weekly for 30 minutes.

This leads to motor performance or automaticity.

Principle 2. DISTRIBUTED PRACTICE

This is what I use, as most of my clients are not able to come and see me that often on a weekly basis. It is hard to travel in London and life is hectic. So I favour one session a week over say a term or two terms and a session is usually 45 minutes long.

This leads to improved Motor Learning and good generalisation.

During either Massed or Distributed Practice, we choose between 4 variables:

Principle 3: Constant vs Variable

Principle 4: Blocked vs Random

To explain:

Constant Practice is where we repeat the practice of a small handful of target words.

We practise the same target sound in the same word position, e.g. at the beginning of a word: ‘bee’, ‘bye’, ‘bow’, ‘baa’ or ‘key’, ‘car’, ‘cow’, ‘Kaye’ etc.

We keep the rate, pitch and intonation constant.

Variable Practice is where we vary the rate, volume, pitch and intonation of the targets

We use a larger number of sounds, and words that are motivating to say for the child.

For example, if a child loves Peppa Pig then I might choose the words: ‘Peppa’, ‘Daddy Pig’, ‘George’, ‘Mummy Pig’ and a couple of other favourite characters. My child might struggle with a number of sound sequences there but we will target them one by one.

We can also select simpler words like ‘cape’ and ‘cake’ or ‘tick’ and ‘tip’.

Blocked Practice is where we practise one target word for say five minutes then we move to another target word for the next five minutes and then we revert back to the first target word again and so on, so blocks of practice.

Random Practice means we practise several target words at the same time.

How do I decide on what to use?

Good question!

I always opt for distributed practice (weekly for up to 45 minutes).

Within that, I tend to find it most successful to start out with constant practice when a child is finding a certain sound sequence really hard and we need to just ‘nail it’. Bearing in mind I only pick sounds that my student can actually make in isolation, so we are not working on articulation! (where we focus on trying to elicit single sounds correctly – or even at all sometimes) Here in CAS work, we are working with sounds the student can make but is having trouble to add together, into a sequence that is needed to make a word sound right.

As soon as I feel we have some traction I will go to variable practice, i.e. I pick words that are either funny or interesting for the child and it can be a slightly larger number.

I tend to use blocked practice in the beginning or when working on vowels. That’s because it is more important we get our vowels right. They carry a word and are very important for overall speech intelligibility. Once we are on a roll, I tend to go more for random practice.

Example

Here in the video clip, we try and work the /e/ vowel in short words likes ‘bell’, ’fell’, ‘dell’, ‘sell’, ‘smell’ and I am using an AAC device to give a child’s voice as auditory feedback as well as using the PROMPT approach to help my student shape his vowels.

So this is:

  1. Distributed (1 x week for 45 minutes)
  2. Constant – we are practising the /e/ vowel in the same position in six different words
  3. Blocked – we did this: several repetitions of each word and after the sixth we moved to another sound, and then later we came back to this.

Please feel free to contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties. It is my passion. I love supporting children with apraxia.

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
Empty Set and Phonology approaches

Empty Set and Phonology approaches

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

I have been avoiding the use of the Empty Set approach for the longest time as I was not sure if it would work seeing that I am challenging two sounds my student struggles with at the same time. But I decided to give it a go and it works a treat!

With this approach, we use two sounds that our student is struggling with. For example, in my video this student cannot produce /sh/ and /r/. Both sounds have different rules, so I decided to contrast them with each other.

  • The rules of /sh/ are: no voice, air is pushed out through teeth, produced at the front.
  • The rules for /r/ are: use your voice, produce the sound in the middle of the mouth by shaping your tongue in a particular way.

So I chose the words ‘shoes’ and ‘ruse’ as their rules are quite different. Contrasting two sounds the student does not know has been shown to lead to greater change in the child’s articulation. And I can certainly vouch for this as my student is making the best progress with this approach.

Phonology Therapy – what is it, why and how?

Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language. It’s distinct from articulation therapy which focuses on the physical production of sounds.

Phonology therapy focuses on rules. For example, sounds that are produced at the front of the mouth, in contrast to sounds that are produced at the back of the mouth, or sounds that are produced with a long air stream: /s/ or /f/ versus short sounds like /p/ or /t/; sounds are produced with voice or without voice.

Many children, and sometimes adults, are unaware of some of the speech rules and confuse and replace individual sounds. They might say TAT instead of CAT or SIP instead of SHIP.

A quick overview of phonology approaches I use:

Minimal Pairs:

This approach is good for single sound substitutions. We offer word pairs that differ by only one sound, like ‘ship’ and ‘sip.’ One of our first goal in therapy is to highlight the difference between the target sound (e.g., /sh/) and the sound the child uses (e.g., /s/). This helps discriminate and eventually produce the correct sound.

Multiple Oppositions:

A child might replace lots of sounds with a single sound like a /d/. So instead of ‘four’, ‘chore’ and ‘store’ our child says ‘door’, making speech very unintelligible.

The approach is typically geared towards shaking up the phonological system. Our goal is to choose two to four targets that are different from each other, and different from the substituted sound. If our child’s favourite sound is /d/ they can use their voice and make a short sound by stopping their airflow. So I will choose a different target sound to change up the speech system. For example I might choose an /f/, a /m/ and a /k/ sound. So I would contrast: ‘door’ with ‘four’, ‘more’ and ‘core’.

Maximal Oppositions:

In the Maximal Oppositions approach the treatment sets consists of words that are minimally contrasted and that have maximal or near maximal feature differences between each word pair. One word in a pair represents a sound the child ‘knows’ (can say at word level) and the other represents a sound the child does not know (cannot say).

For example, a child may ‘know’ /m/ and be able to say words like ‘man’, ‘mat’ and ‘mine’. However, the same child may be unable to say /f/ as in ‘fan’, ‘fat’ and ‘fine’. The consonants /f/ and /m/ are maximally opposed as follows.

I am always delighted to work on speech sound disorders, I love the challenge and the successes we can celebrate together. Get in touch with me!

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
Why ‘Prosody’ Matters in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
· ·

Why ‘Prosody’ Matters in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

Prosody refers to the ‘music’ of speech — the rhythm, pitch, stress, and volume that convey meaning and emotion beyond the literal words themselves. Think about a monotone statement like ‘Really?’ compared to one with a rising inflection, expressing genuine curiosity.

When I work with children on producing speech sound sequences, we focus on mastering individual sounds and then putting them together into target words. A crucial element that can significantly impact a child’s speech production is ‘prosody’.

In CAS, where the difficulty lies in planning and executing the motor movements for speech, prosody can be a powerful tool for producing clearer words and phrases.

Here’s why working on prosody is an essential tool in CAS speech therapy:

1.  It aids Motor Learning:

Apraxia of Speech means that the planning and execution of speech movements are impaired. When we use exaggerated intonation or stress patterns while modelling words, we are providing additional prosodic variation and, therefore, additional auditory cues. These cues often help my student to carry out the correct motor movements for a word or syllable sequence.

For instance, I might say ‘ball’ with a high-pitched emphasis on the ‘b’ sound. This auditory cue might be more effective in guiding the child’s tongue placement than simply repeating the word without variation.

In this little video clip I get my student to say the word ‘snuggle’ (since we were working on that particular sound sequence: snuggle, snout, snore and sneeze) with a high voice and then a lower voice ‘like a bear’ — again it provides that extra auditory cue, but, in addition, the fun aspect also helps to take away the intense focus on a tricky movement pattern.

By now the new pathways have been laid through repeated practice and now automaticity takes over and without too much effort my student can suddenly produce a motor pattern. It’s magical when it happens and gives me such a thrill.

2. It makes speech more engaging and natural sounding:

Children with CAS often sound robotic or flat due to challenges with prosodic elements. By incorporating variations in pitch, volume, and rhythm during therapy, we can help achieve a more natural flow of speech

3. It makes it easier to express our emotions:

Children with CAS often struggle to express themselves emotionally; partly through the difficulty of producing clear words — period, but also in addition due to the difficulties or absence of musicality and rhythm in their speech.

Therefore, it is so important to incorporate activities focused on practising different emotions with varied intonation patterns. This can really empower our students to put emotions into their words.

Good words to practise are fun words like ‘Wow!’ or ‘Yeiih’ or power words and phrases like ‘No!’ or ‘Gimme that’ etc.

Making Therapy Fun and Engaging:

Speech therapy for CAS doesn’t have to be all drills and exercises (though to be fair sometimes we can’t quite get round to making each and every word huge fun though we try…).

I aim to make all my sessions fun and have intrinsic rewards built into the speech practice where possible.

Home practice tips:

Therapy shouldn’t exist in a bubble. Working on prosody during sessions is crucial, but it’s equally important to integrate these skills into everyday interactions. Parents and caregivers can model appropriate prosody during playtime, story time, or even simple conversations. This consistent reinforcement helps our children to generalise their newfound skills and use them naturally in their daily lives.

  • Sing songs and rhymes: Songs naturally incorporate variations in pitch and rhythm. Singing familiar songs and creating silly rhymes can be a delightful way to practise prosody.
  • Use puppets and toys: Assign different voices and personalities to puppets or toys. This encourages children to experiment with pitch and volume to differentiate characters.
  • Read aloud with enthusiasm: Model expressive reading, varying your voice for different characters and emphasising key words. This makes reading time engaging and helps children understand the power of prosody.

Please feel free to contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties. It is my passion. I love supporting children with apraxia.

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
Using AAC during play with your child
· ·

Using AAC during play with your child

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

Playtime! It’s a magic time for exploration, learning, and connection.

If your child is struggling to use words with his/her mouth, we can always use a robust Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to help find their words. We know that using such a device does never stop or delay children to speak with their mouths. On the contrary it helps, enormously!

Can playtime still be a blast? Absolutely! In fact, incorporating AAC into play can be a powerful way to boost communication skills, build confidence, and create a truly inclusive play experience. Here’s how to make it happen, with a focus on core words and core scripts for our GLP’s (the building blocks of communication used by everyone). In this video I am using the core word ‘IN’ and ‘MORE’.

The Magic of Core Words

Core words are the most frequently used words in everyday communication. They might be verbs like ‘want’, ‘more’, ‘go’, or ‘stop’, or adjectives like ‘happy’, ‘sad’, and ‘hot’. These words are the foundation for building sentences and expressing needs and desires. They’re perfect for children using AAC because they’re simple to understand and use.

Let’s Play! Here’s How

1. Choose Your AAC System

Many options exist! It could be a low-tech picture board with core words, such as the one you see pasted on my cabinet door in the background, or it can be a dedicated AAC app on your tablet. Here I am using the GRID app but I also love using others, such as LAMP Words for Life.

2. Make it Fun and Functional

No pressure! Integrate your AAC system seamlessly into your play routine. Here are some ideas:

  • Car/trains: Use core words to describe what the cars are doing: (‘down’, ‘go’, ‘stop’, ‘again’ ‘fast’ ‘slow’).
  • Dress-up: Use core words to choose clothes (‘want’, ‘hat’, ‘shoes’).
  • Tea Party: Use core words to ask for and share (‘more’, ‘juice’, ‘give’).
  • Building Blocks: Use core words to describe what you’re building (‘tall’, ‘big’, ‘house’).
  • Dolls/Stuffed Animals: Use core words to act out scenarios (‘sleep’, ‘eat’, ‘cry’).
  • Arts and Crafts: Use core words to describe colours (‘red’, ‘blue’), actions (‘draw’, ‘paint’), and feelings (‘happy’, ‘sad’).

If your child is a Gestalt Language Processor you will want to model meaningful, fun scripts instead of single words! As above, but use phrases:

  • Car/trains: Use scripts to describe what the cars are doing: (‘it’s going down’, ‘let’s go’, ‘make it stop’, ‘want it again’, ‘that was fast’, ‘it’s so slow’).
  • Dress-up: Use scripts to choose clothes (‘I’m gonna wear this’ ‘that’s a lovely hat’, ‘let’s choose shoes’).
  • Tea Party: Use scripts to ask for and share (‘I want more’, ‘more juice’, ‘give me this’).
  • Building Blocks: Use scripts to describe what you’re building (‘a tall one’, ‘that’s so big’, ‘it’s a house’).
  • Dolls/Stuffed Animals: Use scripts to act out scenarios (‘it’s time to sleep’, ‘let’s eat’, ‘he’s crying’).
  • Arts and Crafts: Use scripts to describe colours (‘a red crayon’), actions (‘let’s draw’, ‘I’m gonna paint’), and feelings (‘I’m happy’, ‘that’s so sad’).

3. Model, Model, Model

This is key! As you play, constantly model using your child’s AAC system.

  • Point to the picture or word or script you’re using.
  • Speak clearly and slowly while pointing.
  • When using core words for either Analytical or Gestalt Language Processors, try using good phrases. For example, instead of just saying ‘juice’, say, ‘you want more juice?’

4. Make it a Team Effort

Get everyone involved! Encourage siblings, grandparents, and caregivers to use the AAC system with your child during playtime. The more consistent the approach, the faster your child will learn and feel confident using their voice.

5. Celebrate Progress, Big and Small!

Every step counts! Acknowledge and celebrate your child’s efforts, whether it’s reaching for their AAC system or successfully using a core word. This positive reinforcement will keep them motivated.

Remember

  • Playtime should be fun, not stressful. Don’t force your child to use their AAC system. Let them lead the way and follow their interests.
  • Every child develops at their own pace. Celebrate your child’s unique communication journey.
  • Seek professional help when needed. Your SLT can provide tailored strategies and resources to support your child’s development.

By incorporating AAC and core words into playtime, you’re not just fostering communication; you’re creating a space for your child to thrive, explore, and build strong connections.

So, grab those toys, power up your AAC system, and get ready for a playtime adventure filled with fun, connection and, therefore, communication!

Don’t hesitate to contact me!

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