Super Hero Speech

The goal of speech therapy is to help your child communicate effectively with other people across all environments. This may take the form of using gestures, simple signs, verbal speech, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Some other common things speech therapists can help with:

• Nonverbal skills, such as signs or gestures
• Forming speech in a clearer way
• Communicating thoughts and feelings clearly
• Understanding and responding to questions
• Discerning facial expressions and their corresponding emotions
• Noticing and understanding body language
• Feeding and swallowing
• Stuttering

Here are a few alternative options to consider:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It's useful for those dealing with social anxiety or difficulties. CBT addresses cognitive patterns and provides strategies to manage social challenges.
• Group therapy: Group therapy offers a supportive space where individuals can practice social skills. They can feedback from peers and a therapist. It allows interaction with others who understand and learn from each other.
• Play-based interventions: Play therapy or play-based interventions work well for younger children or those who learn through experiences. Play activities target specific social skills like turn-taking and problem-solving in a safe and engaging setting.

The occupational therapy process includes an OT evaluation before care starts. Here are the four steps your family can expect when starting occupational therapy:

1. Complete OT evaluation. An occupational therapist first identifies your strengths and needs through a thorough OT evaluation, also known as an OT assessment or screening. You’ll answer questions about you your skills, and you will most likely demonstrate these skills via hands-on activities with the therapist. Evaluations can last 30 minutes to a couple hours.
2. Approve OT plan. The therapist develops a care plan with individualized goals and customized interventions based on your needs. You can also share any specific goals or concerns before approving the OT plan.
3. Start therapy sessions. The therapist works directly with you, using various strategies and exercises to systematically improve areas of limitations and to build upon your strengths. If there are others part of your care team, the therapist may teach strategies for supporting your individualized needs at home and may recommend tools and techniques to use at home, in the community, or in the classroom to help you thrive.
4. Monitor your progress. You can expect ongoing progress monitoring and communication to ensure you're achieving your short and long-term goals.

Buzzing clippers, chatty customers, having to sit still for a long time — haircuts are hard for a lot of neurodivergent kiddos.

Most salons or barber shops can be adjusted to make them more sensory friendly, but it’s important to find a hair stylist who is open to these accommodations. It’s a good idea to call the salon or barber shop before you arrive and see what they can do to make the experience more sensory friendly. For example, are they able to dim the lights? Have they worked with neurodivergent children in the past? Can they do a haircut without clippers? Etc. 

Sensory-friendly haircuts accommodate people with sensory sensitivities (like autism, SPD, or ADHD). If you’re cutting your child’s hair at home or taking them to a professional, here are 7 things to consider for a sensory-friendly haircut: 

1. A calm, quiet, familiar environment
2. Softer lighting
3. Sensory-friendly tools
4. Accommodating sensory needs
5. Visual aids
6. Flexibility and patience
7. Communication and cues

To read more, check out our sensory-friendly haircut checklist.

We wrote a whole article about this. Check out A parent’s guide to giving a sensory friendly haircut at home.