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Speech and language

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Below you will find a variety of resources to help you better understand, cope with and/or support someone with speech and language development.

Books 

Apps for autism: an essential guide to over 200 effective apps for improving communication, behavior, social skills, and more! / Brady, Lois Jean. 

Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, 2011.

Speech Language Pathologist Lois Jean Brady wrote this book in order to educate parents, teachers, and other professionals about the breakthrough method she calls "iTherapy" which is the use of Apple products (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) and various apps (computer applications) in meeting students' individual educational goals. She shares important tips on how to use apps responsibly and effectively by maintaining a child-centered, team approach to teaching and learning, taking into account the individual's interests, strengths/challenges, vision, motor planning, attention, sensory processing, memory, cognitive ability, environment, and access to tools.

Does my child have a speech problem? / Martin, Katherine L. 

Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 1997.

This informative, reassuring guide helps parents and teachers identify normal speech development and potential problems, with advice on when and where to seek help, how to support your child's prescribed speech program, and how to lessen the risk of speech language difficulties.

Help me talk: a parent's guide to speech and language stimulation techniques for children 1 - 3 years / Eichten, Phillip. 

Glen Allen, Virginia: PI Communication Materials, 2000.

This booklet includes 10 speech and language techniques are discussed, including delaying responses to gestures, how to read books to young children, self-talk, echo-expansion modeling, and communicating expectations. All the techniques contain specific examples of what parents might say or how they may act in everyday situations.

Helping your child with selective mutism: practical steps to overcome a fear of speaking / McHolm, Angela E. 

Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, 2005.

This book offers an overview of selective mutism, and advice for finding and managing treatment. It also explains steps that parents can take to encourage children to speak comfortably in the classroom and with friends, using s a gradual "stepladder" approach.

How to talk to your baby: a guide to maximizing your child's language and learning skills / Dougherty, Dorothy. 

Avery Publishing Group, 1999.

Many parents do not know that the simple act of speaking to a child, even before he or she can respond, stimulates the child to learn speech. This book shows how babies learn and encourages parents to use all settings from parks to stores to car rides as opportunities for rewarding exchanges.

If your child stutters: a guide for parents / Ainsworth, Stanley H. 

Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation, 2002.

The goals of this book are to help you distinguish between normal disfluencies and stuttering and to enable you to begin working with your child with a better understanding of the problem.

It takes two to talk: a practical guide for parents of children with language delays [5th ed.] / Pepper, Jan.

Toronto, ON: Hanen Centre, 2017.

This book will show parents how to help their child communicate and learn language during everyday activities like mealtime, bath time, playtime and book reading.

Language development in children with special needs: performative communication / Johansson, Irene.

London: Jessica Kingsley Pub, 1994.

Research has shown that speech and language skills are often severely delayed in children with disabilities such as Down's syndrome or autism. In order to stimulate these skills, it is essential that regular speech therapy is provided from an early age. This practical guide offers parents, and other caregivers, a week by week program that encourages language acquisition, and aims to teach the child to use the type of language and communication that is appropriate in differing situations. 

Learning language and loving it: a guide to promoting children's social, language, and literacy development in early childhood settings / Weitzman, Elaine. 

Toronto, ON: The Hanen Centre, 2002.

This guidebook contains practical information on how to increase children’s participation in social interactions and expand their expressive and receptive language and emergent literacy skills during everyday activities and conversations.

Living and learning with a child who stutters: from a parent's point of view / Cloutier-Steele, Lise G.

Toronto: NC Press, 1995.

This book discusses what stuttering is; stuttering in the early years and at school; stuttering and the teenage years and tips for parents and teachers.

More than words: a parent's guide to building interaction and language skills for children with autism spectrum disorder or social communication difficulties / Sussman, Fern; Baird Lewis, Robin (ill.).

Toronto: Hanen Program, 2012.

Updated to reflect the most current view on naturalistic models of communication, this illustrated guidebook provides a step-by-step guide for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other social communication difficulties. Presented in a user friendly format, the book’s research- based strategies show parents how to turn everyday activities with their child into opportunities for interaction and communication.

The new language of toys: teaching communication skills to children with special needs / Schwartz, Sue.

Bethesda, MA: Woodbine House, 1996.

This is a how-to guide about using everyday toys, both store bought and homemade, to develop communication skills in children with disabilities and make playtime a fun, exciting and educational experience.

The read-aloud handbook / Trelease, Jim.

New York: Penguin Books, 2006.

This book is about teaching a child to want to read. It provides evidence to support reading aloud and the other practices that nurture lifetime readers as well as a large list of recommended titles from picture books to novels.

The silent child: exploring the world of children who do not speak / Danon-Boileau, Laurent.

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Offering a fascinating portrait of an eminent psychoanalyst at work as well as a gold mine of insight into the roots and nature of language, this book takes us inside the lives of six young children struggling against great obstacles to learn to speak and read.

Stuttering: straight talk for teens [DVD].

Memphis, TN: The Stuttering Foundation of America, 2005.

This 55-minute film will benefit adults who stutter, their families, and speech-language pathologists. Noted authorities answer questions about stuttering and demonstrate a variety of therapy techniques.

Stuttering: for kids, by kids [DVD]. 

Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America, 2004.

Meet Swish and his young friends! They talk about stuttering, dealing with teasing, what helps, and how to teach others about stuttering. Cartoon animation and real children come together to help other kids who stutter in this engaging and lively video.

Stuttering and your child: help for families [DVD]. 

Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America, 2004.

This video is designed for a wide range of uses: for families whose child is stuttering; for speech-language pathologists working with preschoolers; and for school, clinic, university and hospital settings.

Taking speech disorders to school / Bryant, John E. 

Plainview, NY: Jayjo Books, 2004.

Michael's story helps kids understand the cause and effects of his disorder and how speech therapy helps him communicate more clearly.

Teaching word recognition: effective strategies for students with learning difficulties / O'Connor, Rollanda E.

New York: The Guilford Press, 2007.

Most struggling readers, including those with reading disabilities, have difficulties recognizing printed words. This book synthesizes the research on how children learn to read words skillfully and translates it into step-by-step strategies for the classroom.

Therapy in action: the school-age child who stutters [DVD].

Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America, 2005.

Speech-language pathologists, teachers, parents and physicians will find this video helpful. It is useful for in-services presentations and as a take home tape for parents.

Trouble talking: a guide for parents of children with difficulties communicating / Law, James.

London: Jessica Kingsley Pub. 1996.

This guide examines the issues surrounding children with communication difficulties. The authors consider key issues such as the active role that the child plays in language development, from the earliest words to the blossoming of the adult system. The text is interwoven with the experiences of parents and teachers, and concludes with a collection of useful experiences of parents who have had children with communication difficulties.

Websites 

  • Read, Speak, Sing to Your Baby: How Parents Can Promote Literacy From Birth – Caring for Kids 
  • Delayed Speech or Language Development - Kids Health – Information for Kids, Teens and Parents from the Nemours Foundation
  • Speech and Language Development – Health Link BC
  • The Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
  • Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec
  • Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders
  • Preschool Speech and Language – Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (available in various languages)
  • Speech and Language Problems in Children – Medline Plus
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
  • Canadian Stuttering Association

  • Stuttering – Medline Plus

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

  • The Stuttering Foundation

  • Helping a Child Who Stutters (part 2) - Hôpital Sainte-Justine

  • Hanen: parent tips, articles and more
  • City of Toronto: Speech & Language: Help your child now
  • Ontario Association for Families of Children with Communication Disorders

Videos and webinars

  • First Words webinars
  • Children's Treatment Network's speech development video tips series:

Apps and social media pages

JABtalk
Free
Last updated July 2018
Available from Google Play

First Words

Instagram

Local Contacts

First Words Preschool Speech and Language Program of Ottawa 
Pinecrest-Queensway Health & Community Services
1365 Richmond Road, 2nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K2B 6R7
613-688-3979 ext. 3434
Intake 613-737-7600 x 2500
Fax: 613-820-7427
first.words@pqchc.com

 

CHEO School-Based Rehabilitation Services

613-737-7600 ext. 1794 
integratedcaredelivery@cheo.on.ca
Fax: 613-745-1732 

Disclaimer

These resources are for educational purposes only. If you have any questions, ask your health-care provider.

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