Read some of my top tips so you can make your communication as effective as possible. You’ll be able to make the most out of everyday opportunities to support your child’s speech, language and communication development.
We need to go beyond the child’s needs. Think about their interests and what they may want to communicate. If they can express their wants, they are more likely to be motivated. Motivation is a big factor to ensure successful outcomes in therapy.
Practice really does make perfect. So, 10 minutes twice daily is more effective than an hour every two weeks. To begin with, practise these strategies in a structured activity and then, when you’re comfortable, you can begin to generalise them to other contexts in your child’s life.
Add an element of play into your communication. Make it exciting!! You could add suspense or anticipation. You could use exaggeration to add to the drama, or you could simply change the pace to add a different dimension to your interaction.
Use the ‘wait’ from the OWL strategy to see if your child initiates or makes a request.
Create a list of these requests that your child responds well to. You will be able to notice any patterns and create more of these opportunities to give your child more success.
Talk about the rhythm in everyday experiences such as tapping your foot or describe the rhythm of the washing machine or dishwasher. Try to find everyday sounds in your child’s environment that you can talk about.
Add a gesture to the sound or rhythm. We know that a lot of children are visual learners so adding a gesture will support their understanding and use of language.
Ensure you look animated and this will encourage your child to participate.
Learn to create opportunities for your child every day.
Remember that we are not forcing our children to participate. We are simply making the activity irresistible. Above all, remember communication should be fun, so be creative!!
You may feel like you need some reassurance, someone to check in with to make sure you’re maximising these opportunities. Feel free 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.
Echolalia is a term used when assessing or treating children with Autism. The term refers to the repetition or echoing of utterances, either our own or others’. It can also be echoing phrases heard on television, advertising jingles or catchy repeat phrases used in tv programmes or nursery rhymes and songs. Whilst we all use echolalia occasionally and it can be observed in typically developing children, we tend not to see/hear it beyond the age of 2.5 years old. Children with ASD, however, do use echolalia often into late childhood.
There are generally two types of Echolalia:
Immediate echolalia
Here the repeated phrases or words are produced immediately after someone has spoken the original words or within two conversational turns of the original utterance.
Delayed echolalia
The repeat echoing of the original utterance occurs sometime later, more than two conversational turns or with a much longer time delay. Due to the delay it can be hard to interpret the meaning of the echolalic utterance as it may refer to something that happened long ago and in a different context to the originally utterance.
(Stiegler, 2015, Fay 1967, Blanc 2014)
There are other unconventional speech behaviours which include:
Perseveration of Speech – persistent repetition of speech
Repetitive questioning – persisting even though answers were given
Vocalisations such as: humming, whistling, clicking, squealing etc.
Much research has gone into the meaning and treatment of Echolalia and the following list consists of possible functions that have been identified:
Information sharing
Responding to answers
Labelling
Drawing attention to self
Protesting
Requesting
Giving instructions
Self-regulation, calming
(Stiegler 2015, Prizant 1983)
Echolalia does have a function and is part of the Gestalt Learning Process (where longer units of speech are memorised and then used as a whole without the individual words being meaningful).
As a Speech and Language Therapist I promote sound and proven Intervention based on the Hanen Programme which helps provide a highly facilitative Interaction Style and I will tell you a bit more in my next blog how the “More Than Words” approach can help children with echolalia move through their Gestalt Learning into more analytic processing of language, grammar and meaning.
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.
I think my child might be autistic – how can we help? Image by macrovector on Freepik
Consulting a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist can help you in several ways: assessment, informal and formal observation, discussion and advice, onward referrals, direct intervention, parent coaching, educational support and much more, all geared towards supporting you the parents, and helping your child to flourish and thrive.
First up, we can help you with assessment and advice: with a wealth of expertise in observing childrens’ play and communication, as well as knowledge of the latest research we can see a child’s strengths and areas of struggle very quickly indeed.
Within a short space of time, we can identify the areas we need to focus on and start guiding you towards helping your child to connect, respond, react and feel better.
Early detection is key
If autism is detected in infancy, then therapy can take full advantage of the brain’s plasticity. It is hard to diagnose Autism before 18 months but there are early signs we know to look out for. Let’s have a brief look at the sorts of things we look at.
The earliest signs of Autism involve more of an absence of typical behaviours and not the presence of atypical ones.
Often the earliest signs are that a baby is very quiet and undemanding. Some babies don’t respond to being cuddled or spoken to. Baby is being described as a ‘good baby, so quiet, no trouble at all’.
Baby is very object focused: he/she may look for long periods of time at a red spot/twinkly item further away, at the corner of the room for example.
Baby does not make eye contact: we can often see that a baby looks at your glasses for example instead of ‘connecting’ with your eyes.
At around 4 months we should see a baby copying adults’ facial expressions and some body movements, gestures and then increasingly cooing sounds we make; babies who were later diagnosed with autism were not seen to be doing this.
Baby does not respond with smiles by about 6 months.
By about 9 months, baby does not share sounds in a back-and-forth fashion.
By about 12 months baby does not respond/turn their heads when their name is called.
By around 16 months we have no spoken words; perhaps we hear sounds that sound like ‘speech’ but we cannot make out what the sounds are.
By about 24 months we see no meaningful two-word combinations that are self-generated by the toddler. We might see some copying of single words.
24 months plus:
Our child is not interested in other children or people and seems unaware of others in the same room/play area.
Our child prefers to play alone, and dislikes being touched, held or cuddled.
He/she does not share an interest or draw attention to their own achievements e.g., ‘daddy look I got a dog’.
We can see our child not being aware that others are talking to them.
We see very little creative pretend play.
In the nursery our child might be rough with other children, pushing, pinching or scratching, biting sometimes; or our child might simply not interact with others and be unable to sit in a circle when asked to.
What sort of speech and language difficulties might we see?
Our child might do any of the following:
have no speech at all, but uses body movements to request things, takes adults by the hand
repeat the same word or phrase over and over; sometimes straight away after we have said it or sometimes hours later
repeat phrases and songs from adverts or videos, nursery rhymes or what dad says every day when he gets back from work etc.
copy our way of intonation
not understand questions – and respond by repeating the question just asked:
adult: Do you want apple? child: do you want apple?
not understand directions or only high frequency directions in daily life
avoid eye contact or sometimes ‘stares’
lack of pointing or other gestures
Common behaviours:
Hand flapping
Rocking back-and-forth
Finger flicking or wriggling/moving
Lining up items/toys
Wheel spinning, spinning around self
Flicking lights on and off, or other switches
Running back-and-forth in the room, needing to touch each wall/door
Loud screaming when excited
Bashing ears when frustrated or excited
Atypical postures or walking, tip toeing, can be falling over easily, uncoordinated
Can be hyper sensitive to noises, smells, textures, foods, clothing, hair cutting, washing etc.
Being rigid and inflexible, needing to stick to routines, unable to transition into new environments
Food sensitivity, food avoidance, food phobias
I mentioned this to be a ‘brief’ look at the areas and it is: each topic is looked at very deeply and each area is multi-facetted therefore a diagnosis is rarely arrived at very quickly. We want to make sure we have covered all aspects and have got to know your child very well before coming to conclusions.
Early detection is key, because we want to start helping your child to make progress as quickly as is possible. If you feel /know that your child is delayed in their speech and language development and you would like a professional opinion then please do contact me, I look forward to supporting you. It is important to know at this point, that if your child only has one or two of the above aspects it may mean that your child is simply delayed for reasons other than Autism and if that is the case, we will be able to help you iron out a few areas of need so that your child can go on thriving.
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.
When you have a child who uses Gestalts it is often difficult to think and adapt clinic activities into those to use at home. More importantly, you find that individualising your activities for your child who uses Gestalt are time-consuming. But you value its importance for their communication development.
You feel so busy, you are taking them to other appointments, or trying to get through your daily activities, all whilst still ensuring your child’s emotional needs are met. You know life should not get in the way of your child’s therapy activities at home, but it does. We know your spare time is precious and limited, so let us achieve your child’s or young person’s goals in the allotted time you have which meets their way of learning (using Gestalts).
We wanted to support you by exploring items which you may have at home, and we will give you some key phrases which you can start to model with your child. Whereas our last blog introduced the idea of gestalt language processors, we are now developing ideas to give you the tools to implement activities at home. We recognise how overwhelming it may feel, and this is one of the reasons to make activities as straight forward as possible. Therapy does not need to be complicated; it just needs to be carried out on a regular basis.
Explore the samples I’ve created to give you an idea of how this might look but please consult with a Speech and Language Therapist who knows about Gestalt Language Processing so that you can work together to develop great home activities for your child.
Want to learn more about gestalt language processing?
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.
You often wonder if your child’s speech difficulties will resolve. This very much depends on whether they have a speech disorder or delay. You often wonder if there’s something you’ve done to cause your child’s speech difficulties. Rest assured this is not the case. Let’s explore some of the factors to put your mind at ease.
We know that males are more likely to have a speech, language, or communication difficulty than females. Additionally, if your child has an older sibling, they may not have the opportunities to speak. Their sibling may speak for them, especially if their speech difficulty causes them to be anxious or self-conscious. It’s important to note that bilingualism does not cause a speech delay or difficulty. Your child’s Speech and Language Therapist will ask about your child’s milestones. Research suggests that if your child did not babble then they may be at a higher risk of having communications difficulties.
When it comes to a speech delay or disorder, it’s vital to rule out any other co-occurring difficulties such as hearing loss. Your child’s Speech and Language Therapist will need to factor in the health of your child. They will ask if your child has had lots of colds or ear infections. This may have affected their hearing, so it’s also recommended that your child has a hearing test. Your Speech and Language Therapist will tell you how you can book an appointment.
It’s natural that children learn at different rates. The same is true for speech sounds. Some children are slower to pick up speech sounds, and this might be called a ‘speech delay’. A delay is when a child is behind with the development in a particular area or areas but is generally progressing along typical milestones. They will be progressing at a slower rate than expected. For example, a four-year-old understands two key word instructions and utterances are at a single word level, with some short phrases. But, some may show unusual speech sound error patterns, and this is typically where you may hear it called a ‘speech disorder’. A disorder is where the development we see is patchy and not following what is typically expected for your child’s chronological age. For example, a child understands three key word sentences, but speech is unintelligible and the utterances sound like jargon.
You recognise how important speech is in daily living and want to build your child’s confidence so they can maximise social and educational opportunities. Follow our top tips to support your child’s communication.
Top tips for supporting your child with their speech sounds:
Allow your child to communicate in another way to convey their message if they get stuck (e.g., you could ask ‘show me’, ‘draw it for me’).
Model the correct sound (e.g., child: It’s a thnake, adult: it’s a snake, a slithery snake).
You can emphasise their tricky sound.
Avoid telling your child to ‘say [insert sound here]’.
Your child may speak quickly, especially if they are excited to tell you a story. If you slow down your rate of speech, they will too. This may make it easier for you to understand the message of their story.
Allow your child to speak about how their communication difficulty makes them feel (if they are aware and want to speak about it).
If you are unsure of where to start, contact me to ease your confusion, and allow your child to communicate effectively.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As a Speech and Language Therapist with a specialism in paediatric feeding, I’m constantly looking for ways to support families in developing their little ones’ oral motor skills and fostering a positive relationship with food. While Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) has revolutionised how many families introduce solids, (see my previous blog in July 25) a concept that often sparks discussion and curiosity is the use of ‘hard munchables.’
The term ‘hard munchables’ refers to specific types of firm non-digestible food items that are offered to babies for oral exploration and skill development, not for nutrition. These are typically foods that babies cannot bite off or swallow in large pieces due to their texture, but which provide resistance for chewing practice.
The phrase was coined by Marsha Dunn Klein, M.Ed., OTR/L, Occupational Therapist and feeding therapist. Well known for her work in paediatric feeding she introduced and advocated for the concept of hard munchables as part of a therapeutic feeding approach, particularly for infants learning to manage textures and develop crucial oral motor skills.
Common examples of hard munchables include:
Large, raw carrot sticks: Too hard to bite through, but great for gnawing.
Celery sticks: Like carrots, offering firm resistance.
Large, raw apple slices (peeled chunks): A firm, slightly sweet option.
A firm, uncut pear core: With the seeds removed.
Dried mango cheeks (hard, unsweetened varieties): These offer a fibrous texture.
A large, fully cooked but firm piece of meat (like a steak bone with some meat attached): The meat provides flavour and a bit of shreddable texture, while the bone is for gnawing.
Hard crusts of bread or breadsticks (very firm, without soft inner crumb): These can soften slightly with saliva but offer significant resistance.
Image by Freepik
It’s crucial to emphasise that hard munchables are not for consumption or nutrition. They are tools for oral motor development and should always be offered under strict, active supervision.
How do hard munchables fit into weaning?
While weaning (traditional or Baby-Led Weaning) introduces solid foods that a baby can eventually bite and swallow, hard munchables are complementary to the weaning phase. They enhance that phase by helping a child to develop hand dexterity, hand to mouth movement, and oral development.
It’s important to differentiate: Weaning provides the digestible food for eating, while hard munchables provide the tool for skill practice. They are not substitutes for each other but can be used together under careful guidance.
Pros and cons from a speech therapy perspective
As an SLT, I see both the potential benefits and the necessary precautions when incorporating hard munchables.
Pros:
Enhanced oral motor development: Hard munchables provide excellent resistance training for the jaw, helping to develop the strength, endurance, and coordination needed for efficient chewing. This is foundational for moving beyond purées and very soft textures.
Promotes lateralisation of the tongue: The act of moving the hard item from side to side in the mouth encourages the tongue to move independently of the jaw, a crucial skill for managing food and for speech sound production.
Preparation for more complex textures: By strengthening the oral musculature and refining chewing patterns, hard munchables can help babies transition more smoothly to lumpy and mixed textures.
Sensory exploration: They offer rich sensory input (tactile, proprioceptive) that can be beneficial for oral mapping and awareness, especially for babies who might be orally sensitive.
Cons:
Choking risk: While the intention is for the baby not to bite off pieces, there is always a risk. Small pieces can break off, or a baby might accidentally bite off a larger chunk than he or she can manage. Active, vigilant supervision is non-negotiable.
Not a replacement for digestible solids: It’s vital to remember that hard munchables are for practice, not nutrition. They should complement, not replace, the introduction of varied, digestible solid foods.
Not suitable for all babies: Babies with certain developmental delays, oral motor deficits, or medical conditions might not be appropriate candidates for hard munchables without highly specialised guidance. For instance, babies with an exaggerated gag reflex might find them overwhelming.
Key Considerations for Parents
Here are my top recommendations:
Consult with a professional: Always discuss this with your Paediatric Feeding SLT first before you introduce hard munchables. We can assess your baby’s individual readiness and guide you on safe practices.
Strict supervision: Never leave your baby unsupervised with a hard munchable, even for a second. Your full attention is required.
Appropriate size: Ensure the item is large enough that the baby cannot fit the whole thing in their mouth. It should extend well beyond their fist.
No biting off: The goal is gnawing and scraping, not biting off pieces. If your baby is consistently breaking off chunks, stop using them.
Focus on skill, not consumption: Reiterate to yourself that this is for practice, not for eating.
In conclusion, hard munchables, when used appropriately and under guidance, can be a very valuable tool to support oral motor development during the weaning journey. However, always be safe and consult with a specialist to ensure your little one develops his or her feeding skills effectively and joyfully.
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.
