The Easter break is fast approaching! While this is a joyous time (filled with guilt-free chocolate eating!) the change in routine can be hard for many children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)

Changes in daily routine can be difficult, especially if we don’t really know why it’s changed or what’s coming.  The concept of time, days and weeks can be tricky too, making it hard to predict when you’ll be back or school or not.

To help make the changes clear we are sharing Easter holiday calendars with our young people and parents. These will help our children and young people to understand what’s happening and feel more happy and calm about any changes.

You can download these calendars here! One is designed for more independent students (Easter holiday calendar 2017- for more independent students), while the other is designed to be used with more parental support (Easter holiday calendar 2017- with parent support).

Look at the calendar in the days coming up to the break and talk about what will be different during the holidays, e.g. you won’t go to school, maybe you’ll go to the park, or away to see family. As each day passes, look at the calendar together and cross off the days as they go by. This will also help the child/ young person prepare for the return to school…we’d often all benefit from a calm count down to the dreaded return to work!

Happy Easter break everyone!

Chances are you’ve heard of conditions such as Dyslexia, Autism and ADHD. But have you ever heard of Developmental Language Disorder? Don’t feel left out if you haven’t, as it’s probably the most common childhood condition that most people have never hear of.

And yet it’s common. On average two children out of every class of 30 will have Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Seven times as many children and young people have DLD as autism. DLD really is the most hidden disability.

Children and young people with DLD may:

• not understand, or remember a lot of what has been said
• find it difficult to express themselves with words
• talk more like a younger child
• struggle to find words, or use less varied vocabulary

DLD varies a lot from person to person, so a child or young person does not need to have all of the points above, just some.

DLD can be hard to spot. Some children get noticed when their teacher’s find that their reading comprehension is not developing as they would expect. About 60% of children and young people with behaviour difficulties also have DLD, so if you know a child or young person who struggles with behaviour then it might be worth talking a closer look at their language skills.

If you want to know a bit more about DLD then it is worth reading this article by Courtenay Norbury (Professor of Developmental Language and Communication Disorders at University College London) and Emma Broddle (specialist speech and language teacher for ECLIPS (Extended Communication and Language Impairment Provision for Students) with Lincolnshire County Council).

We also have a range of DLD leaflets available to download, for parents of primary school children (dld-leaflet-for-parents-2016)  and parents of secondary school children (DLD Leaflet for parents secondary 2016).

If you are concerned about a child then check out our Get Help page for parents, or Accessing Services page for professionals.

And if you live in Hackney in The City of London or your child attends school here then give us a call on 020 7683 4587.

Our aim is that every child and young person with Developmental Language Disorder gets the support they need. You can help by telling someone else about this common condition, so everyone knows about it.

Stephen Parsons
Speech and Language Therapy Service Manager

 

I took my son to shop
I had some things to collect
Bread rolls, some cheese and a new mop
And get home before he started to object

The girl at the check was slow
We queued for ever and ever
Eddie got grumpy and wanted to go
But then his eyes began to glimmer

He started to shout and point to his right
He really got quite excited
So I knelt beside him and looked from his height
To see what made him so delighted

Just past the check-out girls’ hair
The escalator rose in the air
People were rising on magical stairs
So we both spent a minute looking there

Eddie looked at me and smiled
I said ‘wow an escalator over there’
The world is exciting if you’re a child
Take time to stop and share

It’s nearly Christmas – a great time to get everyone involved with some singing – and signing.

Young children really love the chance to add some actions, and Makaton signing gives everyone a way to join in.

I keep hearing about schools and nurseries where the children are having fun using Makaton in their Christmas songs and plays. It’s really easy as well – just show the shape of a long beard and mime putting a sack over your shoulder – congratulations, you’ve just signed ‘Father Christmas’!

I’ve been looking on the Makaton website and they have a fun Christmas Count-down every year. Every day there is a new Christmas treat – today’s was a group of young people singing and signing the words to ‘White Christmas’!  There are also free Christmas downloads with all the vocabulary you need.