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According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), assistive technology (AT) is defined as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of children with disabilities” (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). The IDEA is a law that requires free

Multiple sclerosis, or more commonly referred to as (MS), is a disease that effects the neurons in our brain and spinal cord. In MS, our own immune systems mistakenly attack the neurons within our body that send electrical signals all over the place! In MS our immune system mistakenly attacks things in our body that are not foreign invaders. In

Professionals began clinically assessing central auditory dysfunction in the 1950s. (C)APD is diagnosed using two primary types of tests: behavioral (psychosocial) and electrophysiological. APD can only be diagnosed by an audiologist that has been trained in the area. Behavioral tests for central auditory processing require that the individual be at least seven or eight years of age. While younger children

Given that so many individuals speak two or more languages, I thought it would be beneficial to discuss bilingualism. More specifically, we will be focusing on children that are exposed to both English and Spanish. Let’s begin by discussing a myth about bilingualism. Contrary to what you may have heard, bilingualism does not delay children’s speech and language! There is

AAC is a way for individuals to communicate when they do not have physical means to speak, it is their means of expressing thoughts, words, or ideas. It can be used temporarily or lifelong. Types of AAC Systems Aided: require use of symbols, objects, software, computer device, etc. Unaided: manual communication system. High Tech: utilize microcomputers & software; may have

Aphasia is a language disorder that happens when you have brain damage. Your brain has two halves. Language skills are in the left half of the brain in most people. Damage on that side of your brain may lead to language problems. Damage on the right side of your brain may cause other problems, like poor attention or memory. Aphasia may

This is a treatment
that
can work
for clients with Dementia
and Aphasia. Memory is not a single system, so it’s important to evaluate which types of memory are most impaired. By using a relatively spared type of memory to access the weaker type of memory, we can effectively teach new strategies using a “back door” of sorts. Of course it will depend on

What is stuttering? Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects fluency of speech. The disorder is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds. Starkweather (1980,1987) suggests that rate and effort are critical to fluency, thus, a fluent speaker effortlessly produces speech at a rate comfortable for them. It is also defined as abnormally high frequency and/or duration of

What it is: Play-based therapy is a technique SLPs use for younger clients. Clinicians can learn about how children communicate based on how they play. Children discover the world around them via play skills. The nonverbal communication they exhibit provides us with a wealth of information (Smathers & Tiranauer, 1959). Play therapy is a crucial part of a child’s development