“McKenzie Can Talk”
In Episode 134 of Raising Kellan, Marsh Naidoo engages in a heartfelt conversation with Tamera Tuckson, a passionate disability advocate and co-author of the book McKenzie Can Talk. Tamara shares her journey as a mother to McKenzie, who was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, and how that diagnosis ignited her advocacy work to eventually found Mission2Advocate. This episode delves into the challenges of navigating the educational system, the importance of understanding rights, and the transformative power of communication devices in Mackenzie's life.
How to Help Your Child Build and Facilitate Language
In the latest episode of the Raising Kellan Podcast, Dana Lynn Rosenbush, a seasoned speech and language pathologist, parenting coach, and host of the acclaimed Language of Play podcast. Together, they explore the intricate world of communication for children with disabilities, offering invaluable insights and strategies for parents.
One of the key themes of the episode is the transformative power of play in language learning. Dana Lynn explains that play is not only the language of children but also an essential tool for fostering communication. By integrating communication into everyday activities like bath time or getting dressed, parents can create a rich environment for language development. Dana Lynn also addresses common concerns, such as the use of communication devices for nonverbal children, emphasizing that these tools can serve as valuable stepping stones toward verbal communication.
For parents seeking guidance, Dana Lynn recommends several episodes from her Language of Play podcast, including "One-Year-Old Language Learning with a Book" and "What is Play and Why Is It Important?" These episodes offer practical advice and strategies for parents to enhance their child's communication skills.
Developmental Therapy
In today's episode, I chat with Kirst Nordstrom who is a Developmental Therapist in Nashville TN. Kirsti talks about the Family Guided Routines Based Intervention framework which she uses to coach families to help their children with developmental delays or disabilities maximize function with strategies to promote feeding, reading, play, movement, speech, and other milestones of development. Most states have a free voluntary Early Intervention Program available to families who are concerned about their child's development. In the State of Tennessee, this program is called TEIS and is part of the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disability.
Our Journey with Hearing Loss...
At the tender age of 8 months, after several inconclusive hearing screens, our precious little boy was diagnosed with hearing loss. He was profoundly deaf in both ears.
What are Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices?
Communication is essential to one’s quality of life. We have the right to interact socially and build relationships. We want to be able to express our wants, needs, thoughts, and opinions. And we certainly want to be able to alert others when we are in pain and need help.