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Tools for Parents to explain Neurodivergence and Diagnosis to children

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Tools for Parents to explain Neurodivergence and Diagnosis to children

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Parent Handouts & Resources | Explaining Brains

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Empowering your child by helping them understand their amazing brain!

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Weighted Lap Pads For Calming | Fun & Function

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Sensory weighted Lap Pads are a great tool to soothe and self-regulate children and adults with ADHD, sensory processing disorder or autism. View our range!

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Natasha Nelson CPDE’s Digital Business Card

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Founder/ Certified Positive Discipline Educator| @ Supernova Parenting Foundation . Supernova Parenting is a disability and trauma informed education resource for families . Using workshops, peer support groups, public speaking, & social media to help break generational curses from systemic racism & ableism in households, schools, & offices. (She/ Her)

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Gestalt Language Processing & Echolalia Resources

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What is gestalt language processing? Resources to help you understand gestalt language and echolalia

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Late Diagnosis, Black Autistic Joy, and Thriving in Your 20s

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Podcast · Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC · The Autism in Black Podcast is hosted by Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC and focuses on all things autism and the black parent experience. Our goal is to educate, support, and empower black parents to advocate not only for their children but themselves as well.

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Black fathers starting the conversation about having children on the autism spectrum. Sharing our experiences of the love, challenges, successes, and everything in between being black fathers raising children of color on the spectrum. This is a perspective not often highlighted. We would love for you to join the conversation!

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I have observed that there are three different specialized autistic/Asperger cognitive types. They are:

(1) Visual thinkers such as I, who are often poor at algebra.
(2) Verbal specialists who are good at talking and writing but they lack visual skills.
(3) Pattern thinkers such asDaniel Tammet, who excel in math and music but may have problems with reading or writing composition.

Visual, verbal, and pattern thinkers

Temple Grandin describes autism as a behavioral profile that has strengths and weaknesses. She has suggested that autistic people's thinking styles fall into one of three categories: visual thinkers; verbal/logic thinkers; and musical/mathematical thinkers. Although each person falls predominantly into one category, one can have a mixture of two or three. Or indeed more than three, based on personal reports. But let's look at Grandin's model.

Visual thinkers

Visual thinkers think in pictures and see things-either in their mind or physically-in order to process information. Visual thinkers may have photographic memory. Temple Grandin writes:

My mind is similar to an Internet search engine that searches for photographs. I use language to narrate the photo-realistic pictures that pop up in my imagination. When I design equipment for the cattle industry, I can test-run it in my imagination, similar to a virtual reality computer program. All my thinking is associative and not linear. To form concepts, I sort pictures into categories similar to computer files. To form the concept of orange, I see many different orange objects, such as oranges, pumpkins, orange juice, and marmalade. When I design livestock facilities, I can test run the equipment in my imagination similar to a virtual reality computer program.

My mind is associative and does not think in a linear manner. If you say the word 'butterfly', the first picture I see is butterflies in my childhood backyard. The next image is metal decorative butterflies that people decorate the outside of their houses with and the third image is some butterflies I painted on a piece of plywood when I was in graduate school. Then my mind gets off the subject and I see a butterfly cut of chicken that was served at a fancy restaurant approximately three days ago. The memories that come up first tend to be either early childhood or something that happened within the last week.

A teacher working with an autistic child may not understand the connection when the child suddenly switches from talking about butterflies to talking about chicken. If the teacher thinks about it visually, a butterfly cut of chicken looks like a butterfly.

Verbal/logic thinkers

Verbal/logic thinkers tend to be good at learning languages, and have an affinity for words, literature, and speech. They love to make lists, and will often memorize (mundane) things such as train timetables & routes, stories in alphabetical order, and software product codes.

Verbal/logic thinkers tend to have a huge memory for verbal facts on all kinds of things, such as film stars, sporting events, publications, or historical events. Areas of interest often include history, geography, weather, and sports statistics. Parents and teachers can use these interests and talents as motivation for learning less interesting parts of academics.

Some verbal/logic thinkers are exceptionally adept at learning many different foreign languages, but they tend to be poor at drawing and other visual thinking skills.

Music and math ('pattern') thinkers

Michael Shermer defined patternicity as "the tendency to find meaningful patterns in both meaningful and meaningless data."Music/math/pattern thinkers think in patterns. For thousands of years mathematicians have studied patterns in music-finding that geometry can describe chords, rhythms, scales, and octave shifts for example, and recently researchers have even found that if mapped out, these constructs assume Möbius strip-like features. When creating music, composers work towards a pattern that is musically/mathematically sound.

Chess masters think not in pictures or words, but are good at recognizing patterns. Pattern thinking is a more abstract form of visual thinking; thoughts are in patterns instead of photo-realistic pictures. Pattern thinkers see patterns and relationships between numbers. Some of the best descriptions are in Daniel Tammet's book Born on a Blue Day (Tammet 2006) and in Jerry Newport's book Mozart and the Whale (Newport et al. 2007). The weak areas in pattern thinkers are usually reading and writing composition.

The same is true in visual arts. Vincent van Gogh's later paintings had all sorts of swirling, churning patterns in the sky-clouds and stars that he painted as if they were whirlpools of air and light. And, it turns out, that's what they were!

In 2006, physicists compared van Gogh's patterns of turbulence with the mathematical formula for turbulence in liquids. The paintings date to the 1880s. The mathematical formula dates to the 1930s. Yet van Gogh's turbulence in the sky provided an almost identical match for turbulence in liquid.

The three kinds of minds-visual, verbal, and pattern thinkers-naturally complement one another. In successful collaborations, different kinds of thinkers work together to create a product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Temple Grandin writes in her book The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum:

What if we recognized these categories consciously and tried to make the various pairings work to our advantage? What if each of us was able to say, Oh, here's my strength, and here's my weakness-what can I do for you, and what can you do for me?

If people can consciously recognize the strengths and weaknesses in their ways of thinking, they can then seek out the right kinds of minds for the right reasons. And if they do that, then they're going to recognize that sometimes the right mind can belong only to an autistic brain.

Bottom-up, analytical, lateral, and associative thinkers

Bottom-up thinking

Bottom-up thinking is a process of taking in details and building up from there. The fragmented bits and pieces are structured and categorized, and then an induction is made-a process that brings rise to something-and the bits and pieces are being reassembled into something that is coherent, and leads to a satisfactory conclusion. Autistic individuals have been recognized to have almost effortless associative thinking skills and tend to be prone to "bottom-up" processing. Temple Grandin writes:

I'm good at trawling through the Internet through vast amounts of journal articles and then pick out what are the really important things. I then synthesize all of this resource down into one short paragraph...

That's something that I'm good at doing... I'm a bottom-up thinker-I take the details and put them together.

Autistic people are "details-before-the-concept" thinkers, while non-autistic people are "concept-before-the-details" thinkers. What this means is that the autistic mind approaches its environment-a bottom-up approach-while the non-autistic mind utilizes top-down thinking-drawing on prior learning and memories. As such, all thoughts and actions are contextualized based upon prior knowledge-and thus, are also constrained by this.

A top-down thinker sees a set of symptoms and fits it into a prior box. The autistic mind is not similarly constrained, and is thus more prone to generating novel ideas, and finding innovative solutions. Additionally, the autistic mind is bombarded with sensory information through multiple stimuli, thus processing a greater extent of information that can be utilized for innovative thinking.

Associative thinkers

Autistic individuals have an associative rather than linear way of thinking, where one thought connects to another, and another-like a great interconnected web of related and more loosely associated concepts. Temple Grandin writes:

My mind is associative and does not think in a linear manner. If you say the word 'butterfly', the first picture I see is butterflies in my childhood backyard. The next image is metal decorative butterflies that people decorate the outside of their houses with and the third image is some butterflies I painted on a piece of plywood when I was in graduate school.

Then my mind gets off the subject and I see a butterfly cut of chicken that was served at a fancy restaurant approximately 3 days ago. The memories that come up first tend to be either early childhood or something that happened within the last week.

Research studies demonstrated that autistic people were proficient at making unusual word associations as well as having an increased ability for generating creative (scientific) ideas.

Analytical thinkers

Autistic people tend to reason in a more logically consistent manner than neurotypicals. There is decreased susceptibility to the framing effect in autistic people, who demonstrate an 'unusual enhancement in logical consistency'.The way options are framed can induce bias in decision-making. Options presented in a "gain" frame (you keep $30 of an initial $50) are preferred to mathematically equivalent options presented in a "loss" frame (you lose $20 of an initial $50). The increase in participants choosing the option when in the gain frame compared to the loss frame is known as the 'framing effect'.

Framing effects are particularly prone to emerge during uncertainty, and research suggests it may be the co-occurrence of alexithymia and autism that lies behind the use of logic. Alexithymia is the inability to recognize one's own or another's feelings-leaving only logic as a way to decipher the world. The research indicates that although framing effects are associated with interoception and alexithymia in the neurotypical population, emotional and interoceptive signals have less impact on the decision-making process in autistic people.

Lateral thinkers

Autistic individuals tend to be excellent problem solvers; they are up to 40% faster at it. Temple Grandin writes:

My mind is similar to an Internet search engine that searches for photographs. I use language to narrate the photo-realistic pictures that pop up in my imagination. When I design equipment for the cattle industry, I can test run it in my imagination similar to a virtual reality computer program.

All my thinking is associative and not linear. To form concepts, I sort pictures into categories similar to computer files. To form the concept of orange, I see many different orange objects, such as oranges, pumpkins, orange juice and marmalade.

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Thinking styles in autistic people | Embrace Autism

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I have observed that there are three different specialized autistic/Asperger cognitive types. They are: (1) Visual thinkers such as I, who are often poor at algebra. (2) Verbal specialists who are good at talking and writing but they lack visual skills.

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Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s (LSS) Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future (SELF) service created these health and hygiene social stories with the intention of supporting individuals, their parents, caregivers, and families in necessary personal health and hygiene practices.

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The Teacher and Parent Cool Calming Corner 

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Hi! We're Goally. We make a Skill-Building Tablet for kids. We'll help with routines, communication, and much more!

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The Cool Calming Corner  (US Letter) (Spanish)-2

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Fun and Function offers a full selection of educational toys, games, and therapeutic products for special needs kids. Free Shipping for most items!

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The Official Puberty Guide — American Autism Association

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Discussing puberty with children is a difficult topic to tackle, but discussing it with a developing child on the autism spectrum can be even more challenging. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) undergo puberty just like everyone else, the gap between physical and other developmental aspec

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Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related D isabilities (LEND) programs provide long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training as well as interdisciplinary services and care.The purpose of the LEND training program is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities. They accomplish this by preparing trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by ensuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence.

LEND programs operate within a university system, usually as part of a University Center for Excellence (UCEDD) or other larger entity, and collaborate with local university hospitals and/or health care centers.This set-up gives them the expert faculty, facilities, and other resources necessary to provide exceptional interdisciplinary training and services.

There are 60 LEND programs in every state, the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and six Pacific Basin jurisdictions, either as an awardee or in partnership with a LEND program.

Collectively, they form a national network that shares information and resources and maximizes their impact. They work together to address national issues of importance to children with special health care needs and their families, exchange best practices and develop shared products. They also come together regionally to address specific issues and concerns.

While each LEND program is unique, with its own focus and expertise, they all provide interdisciplinary training, have faculty and trainees in a wide range of disciplines, and include parents or family members as paid program participants.They also share the following objectives:

1. Advance the knowledge and skills of all child health professionals to improve health care delivery systems for children with developmental disabilities.

2. Provide high-quality interdisciplinary education that emphasizes the integration of services from state and local agencies and organizations, private providers, and communities.

3. Provide health professionals with skills that foster community-based partnerships.

4. Promote innovative practices to enhance cultural competency, family-centered care, and interdisciplinary partnerships.

The LENDs grew from the 1950s efforts of the Children's Bureau (now the Maternal and Child Health Bureau) to identify children with disabilities as a Title V program priority.They are funded under the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support (CARES) Act, and are administered by the Health Resources and Service's Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB).

For more information on LEND Programs or activities, contact Jackie Czyzia, AUCD's Senior Manager for MCH Technical Assistance.

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Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related D isabilities (LEND) programs provide long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training as well as interdisciplinary services and care.The purpose of the LEND training program is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities.

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Online Evaluations and diagnosis for children

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Official registry of SLPs who specialize in Gestalt Language Processing 

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Official registry of SLPs who specialize in Gestalt Language Processing 

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The Meaningful Speech NLA Trained Clinician Registry connects clients with skilled and educated Speech-Language Pathologists and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants in the Natural Language Acquisition framework and gestalt language processing.

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GA hotlines - GCAL, GA COVID-19 Emotional Support Line, GA DPH Covid-19 Hotline, GA Peer2Peer Warm Line, and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

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What's inside this article: A look at ADHD and RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria), the connection between the two, and how to help children struggling with RSD.
Most people are sensitive to rejection to some degree. However, rejection is especially painful for people with rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD).

RSD is a previously overlooked symptom of ADHD due to the difficulty of consistently measuring someone's feelings of rejection. However, a survey found that up to 99% of teens and adults with ADHD are more sensitive than usual to rejection. And nearly 1 in 3 say it's the most challenging part of having ADHD.

If your child has ADHD, you may have noticed they're highly sensitive or struggle with emotional regulation. You may be curious to know if they have RSD as well.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the connection between these two conditions.

What Is Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)?

Rejection sensitive dysphoria causes an overwhelming, extreme emotional response to feeling:

Rejected (real or percieved)

Teased

Criticized

As though they have disappointed people in their lives

Disappointed in themselves for making mistakes or not meeting their own standards

ADHD & RSD

Most individuals with ADHD also experience RSD. But, what is the connection between these two?

People with ADHD struggle with self-regulation - their nervous system overreacts to things from the outside world. Because of this, any sense of rejection can set off their stress response, causing an emotional reaction that's much more extreme than expected.

Did you know that by their 12th birthday, children with ADHD hear, on average, 20,000 more corrective or critical messages than neurotypical children? ( Source) This has a tremendous impact on their emotions and self-esteem.

ADHD & Perception

The shame and guilt children feel from constantly being corrected and from struggling to make friends is often so intense that it negates any positive feedback they receive from parents, educators, and peers.

Because of this frequent criticism, children (and adults) with ADHD may have a hard time differentiating minor issues (for example, someone not laughing at their joke) from significant forms of rejection (someone saying they don't want to be friends anymore).

As a result, anything that feels even slightly like rejection can be perceived as something more severe than it is.

ADHD & Rejection

Feeling rejected generates intense feelings of shame, and children with ADHD experience negative emotions more intensely and more frequently than others.
This emotional pain is very real and should not be dismissed.
It's often difficult for children to describe the feeling with words, so they might react by lashing out through angry outbursts or withdrawing. It might seem "out of the blue" to onlookers who don't realize what the child is feeling.

Freud referred to shame as the "master emotion" because it instantly generates a defensive reaction, and, he explained, it dominates all other emotions; due to the nature of shame, it's hidden by the people who feel it, even from their closest friends.

Because of this, children with ADHD & RSD are highly vulnerable at any moment to misinterpreting something minor like a change in tone of voice as a berating.

Can You Have RSD Without ADHD?

According to Dr. William Dobson, who coined the term RSD, rejection-sensitive dysphoria occurs exclusively with ADHD. In other words, only individuals with ADHD can experience RSD.

William W. Dodson, MD, has been a board-certified adult psychiatrist specializing in ADHD for the last twenty-three years.

He noted that "Early research on ADHD intentionally ignored rejection sensitivity because it was not always there, the person with ADHD often hid it and because there was no way to measure rejection."

However - anyone can feel rejection. And, many individuals who are highly sensitive or who struggle with emotional regulation do feel intense emotional pain to rejection and have similar behavioral reactions to feeling rejected.

Symptoms of RSD in Children

It can sometimes be hard to differentiate rejection-sensitive dysphoria symptoms from general sensitivity, especially in children. It's also sometimes mistaken as social phobia, depression, and borderline personality disorder.

Here are some common symptoms of RSD in children:

Extreme anxiety triggered by small changes

Difficulty forming words or expressing oneself when feeling hurt

Hyper-focusing on "negative" traits for which they've been criticized or perceived they've been criticized.

Feeling so afraid of disappointing someone else (a teacher, parent, etc.) that they overwork themselves and stress over tiny details

Avoiding social situations due to fear of criticism or embarrassment

People-pleasing

Struggling to make or maintain friendships

Refusing or avoiding trying new things, stemming from a fear of failure leading to intense rejection

Treatment Options

If a parent is concerned that their child has RSD, they should consult a qualified mental health professional to discuss their concerns and learn about potential treatments.

The current medical treatments for RSD typically involve a combination of therapy and medication. Common medications prescribed for RSD include:

Guanfacine (or Intuniv) and clonidine (or Kapvay), drugs that lower blood pressure

Tranylcypromine (or Parnate) and other monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which help to treat symptoms of ADHD like inattention, impulsivity, and hypersensitivity

These medications are often used to treat ADHD. You can see a full list of medications for ADHD here.

Therapy can also help with some of the symptoms associated with RSD. For example, a therapist can help children learn how to handle their emotions and respond to feelings of rejection in healthier ways.

Dialectical behavior therapy is a therapeutic technique initially developed for Borderline Personality Disorder but is now used to treat a range of other conditions.

It is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that incorporates mindfulness meditation, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance skills.

How to Help Children Manage Rejection Sensitivity?

There are many strategies parents and caregivers can implement to help children manage rejection sensitivity, including the following:

Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are specific, simple statements that you repeat to yourself (often) to provide yourself with encouragement or motivation.

They're spoken in the present tense, directed toward yourself, and use positive words. For example: "I can..." or "I am...."

Research shows that positive affirmations also boost self-esteem and help your child develop a positive mental attitude, helping them develop a growth mindset and a positive outlook on life. Using positive affirmations can also help you overcome negative thinking patterns.

You can learn more about positive affirmations and download a free printable list of affirmations, worksheets, and coloring pages here.

Healthy Coping Strategies

It can also be helpful for children with RSD to have a list of healthy coping strategies they can turn to when they feel rejected.

One idea is to create a script, code word, or a hand signal your child can use when they're feeling too emotionally overwhelmed to communicate.

It's vital to choose coping strategies that are developmentally appropriate and that your child can use when they need them, such as at school.

This list can help you brainstorm some ideas.

Choosing Words Carefully

For parents and caregivers, choose words carefully when giving criticism or feedback. Try to focus more on the child's strengths than their weaknesses.

Be specific, too.

Asking a child with ADHD and RSD why they didn't complete a task or do something a certain way is often fruitless. Instead, it helps to ask specific, relevant questions like "did you get stuck on this step?"

Teaching Resilience

Children need to know that it's normal and perfectly okay for them to make mistakes.

They need to know that it's not the end of the world if they receive constructive criticism or don't do something correctly the first time and that they can try again and improve.

This is known as a growth mindset.

Validating Emotions

Children with ADHD and RSD don't need to be told that they're being too sensitive or that they're being irrational when they are struggling with feelings of rejection. These kinds of messages will make them feel worse.

What is helpful is letting them know their feelings are valid while also helping them to reframe their thoughts. Acknowledge how they're feeling in that moment, then work with them to look at the situation from a different angle.

An excellent method of validating emotions is through a technique known as emotion coaching. This is a strategy used in Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and you can learn how to use emotion coaching here.

The combination of ADHD and RSD is often very frustrating and overwhelming for children and can negatively impact their quality of life.

The sooner they get access to treatment and learn healthy coping skills, though, the better off they'll be. Having a parent who understands their pain is genuine, and not just an overreaction is critical.

Parents and caregivers should keep this information in mind so they can identify potential warning signs and partner with a mental health professional to give their children the tools they need to succeed now and in the future.

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ADHD & RSD - How to Help Children with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

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A look at ADHD and RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria), the connection between the two, and how to help children struggling with RSD.

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Helpful approaches to PDA for parents & caregivers

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Helpful approaches to PDA for parents & caregivers

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What is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) booklet

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What is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) booklet

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The Fun Strokes Program is a line of innovative products purposefully designed by me, a pediatric occupational therapist, to help children build fine motor skills. The trailblazing Fun Strokes pre-writing program was thoughtfully crafted to allow children of all abilities access. The program boasts the popular pre-writing magnets that are one of a kind! Fun Strokes products embody learning aids and supports to meet the diverse needs of most learners. All items are simple and easy to use and can be implemented by therapists, teachers, and parents alike. Get children ready for the handwriting demands of kindergarten and beyond by using this fun and engaging pre-writing program.

Hey there, I'm Linda - Queen of juggling! When the sun's up, I'm a school-based occupational therapist on a mission to help young minds conquer challenges and unlock their full potential. But wait, there's more! I proudly wear the title of a mom of two, gracefully navigating the wild world of parenting. Believe it or not, I'm not stopping there - I'm also an author and a blogger, all about empowering kids to shatter barriers.

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The Fun Strokes blog provides valuable information for therapists, teachers, and parents who work with or have preschool-aged through school-aged children. Knowledge gained from over two decades of experience working as a pediatric occupational therapist is shared via topic-specific posts. My goal is to serve as a go-to source of reliable information about fine motor skills, sensory processing skills, attending skills, and many more topics of interest for those who care for or work with children. I hope you'll Join the Fun Strokes community, where it's all about helping children succeed in fun and engaging ways. Enter your email address to follow my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

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Fun Strokes is your go-to site for information, inspiration, and resources that have been thoughtfully curated to equip children with the tools they need to be successful in school and in life.Fun Strokes was created by me, a pediatric occupational therapist, to facilitate understanding and insight to the very complex area of fine motor skill...

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TSA Cares: Screening Travelers on the Autism Spectrum | Transportation Security Administration

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Are you or someone you know on the Autism Spectrum and preparing for a flight? Watch and learn what to expect during airport security screening if you or someone you know have communication, social interaction and/or sensory sensitivities. TSA Cares is a helpline that provides travelers with disabil…

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On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs.

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On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs. https://t.co/ykKbne8kjQ

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On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs. pic.twitter.com/ykKbne8kjQ
— Supernova Momma (@SupernovaMomma) April 30, 2023

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On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs. https://t.co/ykKbne8kjQ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs. https://t.co/ykKbne8kjQ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
On this last day of Autistic Acceptance and Awareness month I was sad and reflective so I cleaned and reorganized the girls’ playroom. This is a playroom I designed (in my budget) to support our children’s needs.

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How to Teach a New Word Using an AAC Device/Talker

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What are AAC Apps? AAC apps are augmentative/alternative communication programs that allow a person to communicate with those around them without speaking. There are many different types of AAC but the most common are high-tech AAC Devices that allow a person to push a button to speak a message. These

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Wondering what the signs of gestalt language processing are? Well, here are 10+ signs that your child is a gestalt language processor.

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Language Processing: Gestalt vs analytical 

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Language Processing: Gestalt vs analytical 

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Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices are cheaper, more user-friendly, and more readily available than ever. No longer relegated to the restrictive domain of uber-expensive and hard-to-use medical hardware, today's AAC technology is designed for any speech language pathologist to use.

AAC Devices

Chances are you've been introduced to AAC devices in your master's program and during your clinical experiences, but if you haven't yet had the opportunity to make use of one of these devices with patients, you probably still have lots of questions. And you better know your stuff since the responsibility of finding the one that best fits their needs, their budget, and their technical aptitude is likely to fall to you. Not to mention that you'll be training your patients tracking their progress.

And there's a huge variety of options, but most fall into one of three categories:

Single-meaning pictures (one picture=one word) - These systems are the simplest of all devices. They don't require literacy, although the pictures may need to be taught to the user.

Alphabet-based systems (spelling and letter codes) - These systems do require a certain basic level of literacy t use.

Semantic compaction (multi-meaning icons) - These systems involve short series (usually just 1-2) symbols per word, and training is required.

Many of today's AAC devices use a combination of the three.

To come up with our list of the top 10 AAC devices, we first considered ease of use - basic functionality and design - and then narrowed down the list to include a variety of systems at assorted price points. After a careful review of the options on the market, we came up with our favorite, presented to you here in no particular order...

Pocket Go-Talk 5-Level Communication Device
Price: About $190 Why We Love It: It easily fits into the hand for on-the-go use.
This is a great device for on-the-go, and it's sturdy enough to take bumps and falls. It easily fits into the hand, and can just as easily slip into a pocket. It also comes with a lanyard, so it can be worn around the neck. Plus, it has a loud microphone, so even when out in public areas, others can easily hear it.

Just six buttons on this device (with five message options on each button) makes it easy for younger children to use. Simply insert the desired picture overlays into the front position on the device and record the desired word or message. Photos familiar to the user can also be inserted, which may add a degree of motivation.

The MegaBee Assisted Communication and Writing Tablet
Price: About $1,800 Why We Love It: Allows users who lack muscle control to communicate using just their eyes.
This AAC device is designed specifically for users who, due to ALS, a traumatic brain injury, stroke, ALS, muscular dystrophy, etc. are unable to use most of their body's voluntary muscles.

The device is actually held by the listener who looks through the opening in the center of the device to view the direction of the user's eye movements. A series of colored buttons allows the listener to push them as the user moves his or her eyes, first at one of six colored blocks, and then at a specific color (representing a letter) within that block. The goal is to spell out what the user wants to say onto the LCD screen.

The device also features a shorthand option, so the user and listener can come up with a personal set of abbreviations for their most commonly used terms. For those with low cognitive or literacy skills, the MegaBee also operates in a picture mode, with the listener placing picture labels in the appropriate areas.

Roloquo2Go
Price: $189 Why We Love It: Because it works with the iPad, a separate AAC device isn't necessary.
AAC devices are not always device, but often apps that come with the iPad, like Roloquo2Go, designed for children who have difficulty speaking. It provides text-to-speech voices, clear symbols, and a vocabulary of more than 7,000 items.

Enabling Devices Tactile Symbol Communicator
Price: About $500 Why We Love It: The tactile buttons accommodate visually impaired users.
This portable symbol communicator, which can store up to 36 messages, has a total of six removable tactile symbols that allow the user to push a button to relay a message. As a tactile symbol communicator, it is perfect for users who are blind or visually impaired. We like this device because it offers six levels of communication, with six messages per level. When setting up this device, it provides up to six seconds of record time per message.

GOTALK 9+
Price: About $175 Why We Love It: It's affordable and practical.
This device wins for its affordability. At under $200, the GOTALK 9+ is lightweight and durable and has a 45-message capacity, five recording levels, and a nine-minute recording time. The user simply presses the appropriate message key that corresponds with a picture.

FAB Frenchay Alphabet Board
Price: About $188 Why We Love It: The rugged design makes it ideal for a variety of settings, including nursing homes, daycare facilities, schools, critical care units, etc.
This device is rugged and practical, featuring an anti-bacterial rubber base and washable keyboard protector. The standard alpha-numeric keyboard design allows literate non-verbal users to easily choose the letters and numbers they want, while the listener looks at the keys and spells out the word. Each key features a depression that makes choosing a key easier for the user. It also comes in a smaller, pocket size for on-the-go use. It may be the ideal addition to electronic AAC devices for on-the-go or emergency situations.

Lightwriter SL40
Price: $7,000 Why We Love It: The dual-display screen allows for a natural, face-to-face dialogue.
This device is for those who are literate but unable to easily communicate through speech. The device is small, lightweight, and easy to transport, and the dual screen enables the user to type the message while the listener is sitting in a natural position for easy dialogue. It also includes a text-to-speech feature when communicating with others in the room. We also love the SIM card feature, which allows users to send text message to friends and family.

Additional features of the Lightwriter include a notebook feature, built-in buzzers to summon attention, alarms to remind the user of important events, and a built-in remote control for the television.

Gooshy Step Talk Communicator
Price: About $250 Why We Love It: It's colorful design with lights, vibration, and music provides motivation.
The Gooshy Step Talker Communicator features a series of pre-recorded messages. The moon-shaped, jelly-filled button has floating stars in it, encouraging the user to press it to communicate. The user presses the communicator for the first message, twice for the second message, etc. Depending on the recorded messages, the device can be designed for a variety of tasks, such as multiplication, memorization, directions, sequencing, etc.

Big Talk Assistive Technology Communicator
Price: About $215 Why We Love It: The large target makes it easy for users with limited muscle control.
This device consists of a large, colorful button that can be activated with a slight touch by the user. A single message of up to 20 seconds can be stored. Plus, an external capability switch allows the device to be used as a switch to activate other devices. Use several to create a system of communication.

GoTalk Express 32 - Advanced Communication Aid
Price: About $570 Why We Love It: Allows non-literate users to press multiple picture keys to create sentences
This laptop device features a grid of pictures that allow users to combine them to form sentences. It features two methods of operation: standard and express. When the standard method is chosen, the user simply presses a message key and the device speaks the word. When the express method is chosen, the user can press multiple message keys to create a sentence.

Some of the other features of this device include a shoulder strap for easy carrying, a rugged design with carrying handle, and LED lights for visual prompts.

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Top 10 AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) Devices

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Augmentative & alternative communication (AAC) devices are made to help those with a speech disorder communicate. Learn about a variety of different AAC devices.

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Yes I do!  I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

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Yes I do!  I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

First is Jello sensory play 

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@SupernovaMomma Do you have any homemade sensory play things that you've made. If so I'd love to see them

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Yes I do! I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

First is Jello sensory play https://t.co/3FneylkONR https://t.co/12TLKfIErv https://t.co/upHp1LzWea pic.twitter.com/RgyI3LymA2
— Supernova Momma (She/Her) (@SupernovaMomma) December 17, 2020

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Yes I do!  I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

First is Jello sensory play 

https://t.co/3FneylkONR

https://t.co/12TLKfIErv https://t.co/RgyI3LymA2 https://t.co/upHp1LzWea

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.includes.tweets[].text
@SupernovaMomma Do you have any homemade sensory play things that you've made. If so I'd love to see them

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Yes I do!  I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

First is Jello sensory play 

https://t.co/3FneylkONR

https://t.co/12TLKfIErv https://t.co/RgyI3LymA2 https://t.co/upHp1LzWea

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Yes I do!  I’ll make a thread of my homemade sensory play #supernovamomma #positiveparenting #sensoryplay

First is Jello sensory play 

https://t.co/3FneylkONR

https://t.co/12TLKfIErv https://t.co/RgyI3LymA2 https://t.co/upHp1LzWea

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.referenced_tweets[].text
@SupernovaMomma Do you have any homemade sensory play things that you've made. If so I'd love to see them

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Sensory Seeker Vs. Sensory Avoider with the Same Activity 

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Sensory Seeker Vs. Sensory Avoider with the Same Activity 

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Sensory Avoider and Sensory Seeker doing the same activity

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Developed by Andy Bondy, PhD & Lori Frost, MS, CCC-SLP

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A sensory diet or schedule for a sensory seeker and avoider

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Understanding Language Processing Disorder - Gemm Learning

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Language processing disorders impact the way an individual receives or delivers information. Whether it's difficulty understanding what's been said and/or communicating thoughts and ideas, the end result is the same. The message is unclear. This lack of clarity can lead to social and academic challenges that impact development.

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Bottom-up vs. top-down processing | Processing the Environment | MCAT | Khan Academy

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What Is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a hearing problem that affects about 3%-5% of school-aged children.

Kids with this condition, also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), can't understand what they hear in the same way other kids do. This is because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. Something interferes with the way the brain recognizes and interprets sounds, especially speech.

With the right strategies, kids with APD can be successful in school and life. Early diagnosis is important. If the condition is not identified and managed early, a child is at risk for listening and learning problems at home and school.

Trouble Understanding Speech

Kids with APD are thought to sense sound normally because they usually can hear sounds that are delivered one at a time in a very quiet environment (such as a sound-treated room). The problem is that they usually don't easily recognize slight differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud enough to be heard.

These kinds of problems usually happen in a poor listening situation - such as when there's background noise or in a reverberant room like an auditorium - which often is the case in social situations. Kids with APD can have trouble understanding what is being said to them when they're in noisier places like a classroom, playground, sports event, school cafeteria, or party.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder?

Symptoms of APD can range from mild to severe and can take many different forms. If you think your child might have a problem processing sounds, ask yourself:

Does my child often mishear sounds and words?

Are noisy environments overwhelming when my child is trying to listen?

Does my child's listening behaviors and performance improve in quieter settings?

Does my child have trouble following verbal directions, whether simple or complicated?

Does my child have trouble with spelling or phonics?

Are verbal (word) math problems hard for my child?

Are conversations hard for my child to follow?

APD is often misunderstood because many of its symptoms are similar to those found in other disorders. Also, APD symptoms can be hidden by other problems, like speech-language delays, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression. Auditory memory deficits, auditory attention problems, and sound sensitivity are not symptoms of APD, but also may involve trouble with using sound information correctly. Seeing an audiologist, and other related specialists, can help parents understand these conditions.

What Causes Auditory Processing Disorder?

Often, the cause of a child's APD isn't known. Evidence suggests that children with head trauma, lead poisoning, seizure disorder, or chronic ear infections are more at risk. Sometimes, there can be more than one cause.

How Is Auditory Processing Disorder Diagnosed?

If you think your child is having trouble hearing or understanding when people talk, have an audiologist (hearing specialist) examine your child. Only audiologists can diagnose auditory processing disorder.

The most common way to diagnose APD is to use a specific group of listening tests. Audiologists often look for these main problem areas in kids with APD:

Auditory figure-ground: This is when a child has trouble understanding speech when there is speech babble or ambient noise in the background. Noisy, loosely structured or open-air classrooms can be very frustrating for a child with APD.

Auditory closure: This is when a child can't "fill in the gaps" of speech when it is more challenging. This can happen in a quieter situation but is more common when the speaker's voice is too fast or is muffled, making it hard for the child to make sense of the sounds and words.

Dichotic listening: This is when a child has trouble understanding competing, meaningful speech that happens at the same time. For example, if a teacher is talking on one side of the child and another student is talking on the other side, the child with APD cannot understand the speech of one or both of the speakers.

Temporal processing: This is the timing of a child's processing system, which helps them recognize differences in speech sounds (such as mat versus pat). It also helps them understand pitch and intonation (for example, asking a question instead of giving a command), understand riddles and humor, and make inferences.

Binaural interaction: This is the ability to know which side speech or sounds are coming from, and to localize sound in a room. Although less common, this problem happens in children with a history of brain trauma or seizure disorders.

Most traditional APD tests require a child to be at least 7 years old. So, many kids aren't diagnosed until first grade or later. Newer electrophysiology tests (which use noninvasive electrodes to check the body's response to speech) can give some early information about the central auditory system in kids younger than 7.

How Can Parents and Teachers Help?

The auditory system isn't fully developed until kids are about 14 years old. Many kids diagnosed with APD can develop better listening skills over time as their auditory system matures.

There's no known cure, but different strategies may help with listening and also improve the development of the auditory pathway over time, especially when started at younger ages. These include:

physical accommodations to improve the listening environment

individual therapies

help from other professionals to manage non-listening symptoms. For example, a child may benefit from:

One common physical accommodation is a remote microphone system, previously known as a frequency modulation (FM) system. This assistive listening device emphasizes a speaker's voice over background noise, making the voice clearer so a child can understand it. The person talking wears a tiny microphone transmitter, which sends a signal to a wireless receiver that the child wears on the ear or to a speaker box.

Other physical accommodations often focus on optimizing a kid's access to speech. Optimizing speech means reducing the interference of other things, like background babble, sound and sight distractions, and poor classroom acoustics. In a classroom, for example, the teacher might slow down their speech, speak clearly and deliberately (Think Mr. Rogers!), and seat the child where they can see and hear them better.

Some individualized therapies also may help kids improve the growth of their auditory pathway. These usually are recommended by the audiologist based on the results of a child's tests and concerns. Several computer-assisted programs are geared toward children with APD. They mainly help the brain do a better job of processing sounds in a noisy setting. Some schools offer these programs. If your child has APD, ask school officials about what's available.

Strategies used at home and school can ease some of the issues associated with APD.

At home, these strategies that can help your child:

Reduce background noise whenever possible.

Have your child look at you when you speak. This helps give your child visual clues to "fill in the gaps" of missing speech information.

Use strategies like "chunking," which means giving your child simple verbal directions with less words, a key word to remember, and fewer steps.

Speak at a slightly slower rate with a clear voice. Louder does not always help. (Again, think Mr. Rogers!)

Ask your child to repeat the directions back to you to ensure they understand.

For directions to be completed later, writing notes, keeping a chore chart or list, using calendars with visual symbols, and maintaining routines can help.

Many kids with APD find using close captions on TV and computer programs helpful.

Encourage kids to advocate for themselves. Telling adults when listening is hard for them can help. But shy kids might need to use agreed-upon visual cards or signals for coaches, parents, and teachers.

Most important, remind your child that there's nothing to be ashamed of. We all learn in different ways. Be patient. This is hard for your child and takes time. Your child wants to do well, and needs patience, love, and understanding while they work toward success.

Teachers and other school staff may not know a lot about APD and how it can affect learning. Sharing this information and talking about it can help build understanding about the disorder.

APD is not technically considered a learning disability, and kids with APD usually aren't put in special education programs. Depending a child's degree of difficulty in school, they may be eligible for an accommodation plan such as an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan that would outline any special needs for the classroom. Accommodations for APD often fall under the disability category of "Other Health Impairment."

Other helpful adjustments are:

strategic (or preferential) seating so the child is closest to the main person speaking. This reduces sound and sight distractions and improves access to speech.

pre-teaching new or unfamiliar words

visual aids

recorded lessons for later review

computer-assisted programs designed for kids with APD

Stay in touch with the school team about your child's progress. One of the most important things that parents and teachers can do is acknowledge that the APD symptoms your child has are real. APD symptoms and behaviors are not something that a child can control. What your child can do, with the help of caring adults, is recognize the problems from APD and use the strategies recommended for home and school.

A positive, realistic attitude and healthy self-esteem in a child with APD can work wonders. Kids with APD can be as successful as their classmates. With patience, love, and support, they can do anything they work toward.

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how can i help my child with academic progress

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Kids with APD can't understand what they hear in the same way other kids do. That's because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. But early diagnosis and a variety of strategies can help them.

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Understanding the spectrum - a comic strip explanation

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By Rebecca Burgess For printable PDF version in English click here. For version in Spanish click here. French version click here.

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Building and using routine charts with children

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Riley is a 2 year old Autistic toddler whose parents use positive discipline parenting

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Executive Functioning and Self regulation

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Executive Functioning and Self regulation

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Executive function and self-regulation skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember, and juggle multiple tasks.

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Harvard Center of Developing Child Building Core Executive Functioning Skills Adults Need for Life

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Harvard Center of Developing Child Building Core Executive Functioning Skills Adults Need for Life

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And Next Comes the L Support Group for Hyperlexic and Gestalt Processing children 

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And Next Comes the L Support Group for Hyperlexic and Gestalt Processing children 

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Modeling Self Regulation as an Autistic Parent

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Modeling Self Regulation as an Autistic Parent

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Mom taking space and modeling regulating

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Social Cipher: SEL video game for Neurodivergent kids

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Social Cipher: SEL video game for Neurodivergent kids

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Use code: SUPNOV1 for a percentage off

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Harvard Center of the Developing Child Building Core Executive Functioning Skills Youth Need for Life.

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Harvard Center of the Developing Child Building Core Executive Functioning Skills Youth Need for Life.

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Family, You Alright?™ emotion flashcards

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72 flashcards designed to promote basic emotional competence, self-awareness and increase exposure to languages used on the African continent and diaspora. Use these cards to have conversations with your children, clients, spouse, and students about their feelings! 30+ unique prompts encourage curiosity, compassion, an

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Toddler learning and Apply the parent Model

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Toddler learning and Apply the parent Model

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A 2 yo toddler self regulating on their own

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Supernova Parenting Executive Function -3

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Using the scripts your children know to help communicate

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We are a Non-Profit (501 c3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families with Autistic children. Autism affects children of every race, ethnic group and socioeconomic status. African-American children are frequently confronted with late diagnosis or misdiagnosis. African American Autism Support is Vital to the development of underserved children.

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We detected a high number of errors from your connection. To continue, please confirm that youâ€™re a human (and not a spambot).

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Free Social Stories and Communication Card Print outs 

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Free Social Stories and Communication Card Print outs 

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Sensory Processing  Disorder and Meltdown or Tantrums

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Sensory Processing  Disorder and Meltdown or Tantrums

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Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (AWN)

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Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (AWN)

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Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN)

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As the parent of a newly diagnosed autistic child, you may have many questions and concerns. It can be confusing to navigate the often conflicting information available on autism today. This can be even more difficult because autistic children and their families often struggle with self-acceptance and acceptance by others because of gendered expectations of what autism is "supposed" to look like.

This welcome packet is here to help you find the best support to help the autistic child in your life. In it, experienced parents from AWN's community offer their first hand knowledge, insight and wisdom in supporting their autistic children. As Tara and Morénike both share, remember, your child is a gift, and they are the same child you had before you knew they were autistic.

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Adult Packet Are you newly recognized or diagnosed as autistic? We realize this can be a confusing and exciting time with many questions and uncertainties. Our Welcome Packet is a great place to start. In it, members of AWN's vibrant and diverse community share their insights and advice to help...

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Learning Program App  for Autistic Children 

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Learning Program App  for Autistic Children 

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AutiSpark - Games for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

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AutiSpark is a learning program for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) designed with the help of experts with many games, 1000+ worksheets & activities.

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View this statement as a PDF here.

Today, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, ACLU, and thirty-four other advocacy organizations filed an amicus brief encouraging broad...

This morning, Talking Points Memo published an article featuring quotes from Albert Watkins, an attorney representing Jacob Chansley. Chansley was a prominent participant in...

People with disabilities deserve real work for real pay. Here's how YOU can take action to make that happen:

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View this statement as a PDF here. Today, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, ACLU, and thirty-four other advocacy organizations filed an amicus brief encouraging broad... This morning, Talking Points Memo published an article featuring quotes from Albert Watkins, an attorney representing Jacob Chansley. Chansley was a prominent participant in...

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Supernova Momma's Amazon Child Development Support and Accessories Shopping List

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Supernova Momma's Amazon Child Development Support and Accessories Shopping List

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Shop recommended products from Supernova Momma on www.amazon.com. Learn more about Supernova Momma's favorite products.

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This article by Annie Kotowicz of Neurobeautiful explores Brontë's Jane Eyre as autistic. By interpreting Jane as an autistic character, readers can gain insight into the complex thinking that drives autistic actions.

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This article by Annie Kotowicz of Neurobeautiful explores Brontë's Jane Eyre as autistic. By interpreting Jane as an autistic character, readers can gain insight into the complex thinking that drives autistic actions.