When a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with his or her voice, then he or she has a speech disorder. Difficulties pronouncing sounds, or articulation disorders, and stuttering are examples of speech disorders.

When a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings completely (expressive language), then he or she has a language disorder. A stroke can result in aphasia, or a language disorder.

Both children and adults can have speech and language disorders. They can occur as a result of a medical problem or have no known cause.

http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/speech.htm

http://identifythesigns.org/the-signs/

• Speech-Language (Preschool)
• Fluency/Stuttering
• Voice

is critical. Parents are encouraged to join in on the decision making process. As parents, you know your child best and your insight

and ideas are to be valued. Please find some helpful information below on the meaning of collaboration and information on how to collaborate with your child's school and teachers.

The action of working with someone to produce or create something.

Participation, partnership, teamwork,

alliance, joint effort, working together

disunion, separation, non cooperation, working alone, separation...

to form partnerships between home and school.

Learn how to make a smooth transition to school,how to be

consistent between home and school, and where to turn if you

have concerns.

1. Pay attention to body language, when a child is looking toward or reaching for something, they are communicating. Talk about what they are reaching for, “Oh, you want the bubbles!”
2. Avoid the “say this” tendency. Don’t pressure the child to speak; keeping the experience positive is important. Instead, model what the child might say when he/she is ready.
3. Take time to sit and read with your child every day. Label everything you see, and encourage them to point to the words and pictures as you talk about them. Books with repetitive lines are great.
4. Be playful. Sing songs. Use lots of inflection. With familiar songs, leave some of the words out and see if your child will hum or sing the words.
5. Provide limited choices when you aren’t sure what your child wants. Holding out 2 items, lessens the stress of having too many choices.
6. Talk with your child about what you are doing, then provide the opportunity for your child to reciprocate. “I’m making some cookies, do you want to help?”
7. Use first/then language to guide behavior, and then be consistent, “First you need to eat, then you can read.” Use this language even when moving between activities that are preferred or less preferred.
8. Use pictures: Take pictures of your child’s day and talk about what is coming up next, or make a photo album of fun activities (vacation, going out for ice cream) to talk about.
9. Remember language is everywhere, even if you child doesn’t understand everything you are saying, he or she needs the exposure. Car rides, walks outside, blowing bubbles are just a few examples. Describe what you see, and ask questions, e.g, “I see a cow. What does a cow say?”
10. Simplify your props. Sometimes the simplest toys can bring out the best language. Summer is full of such opportunities: A spinning toy, taking a turn kicking a ball, bubbles…all can support your child’s development, simply by talking to them.

2. Collaboration between home and school

3. Advocating for your child

Sometimes it can get overwhelming. You may be confused by your child's IEP goals or have ideas you want to share but don't know how or have difficulty talking with your child's school about them. You may need help expressing your ideas to your child's school. Advocating means to speak on behalf of your child and what you feel is best for them. Advocating for your child can help you and your child's school make the best decision for your child's educational goals. Advocating for your child can help with many decisions from developing IEP goals to making accommodations or modifications to your child's IEP. 

Many parents may choose to seek support from organizations outside their child's school to help advocate and know what is best for their child. Most of the service providers in these agencies have a child with a disability so they can understand and have been through many of the processes you will be going through. They can relate to you and have experience working with schools. 

When thinking about collaboration, advocating for your child is a big part in the decision making process! Below you will find resources on how to advocate for your child as well as resources for agencies that can help you advocate for your child or provide an advocate for your child

Statewide advocacy for all children, including your own:

1. Become politically active. Meet with state senators and representatives. Question candidates about their positions on access to necessary and appropriate mental health services for children and families. Testify at hearings on state legislation and budgets. Legislators are more likely to be influenced and persuaded by personal stories than by data, statistics or the opinions of professionals.
2. Get to know the state insurance commissioner and healthcare “ombudsperson” or consumer representative. Ask them to attend regular meetings with parent groups. Let them know about your experiences.
3. Build coalitions and work with local advocacy and parent organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) and the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. Develop and publicize a common “Agenda for Children’s Mental Health”.
4. Teach children about advocacy. Invite them to become involved in advocacy activities, where appropriate, but don’t force them to participate.
5. Develop a legislative strategy. If your state does not yet have parity legislation, put this at the top of the agenda. Other “family protection” initiatives include: access to an independent panel to review and potentially reverse insurance company denials, consumer representation on community mental health center boards, adequate network provisions, which mandate timely and appropriate access to specialists, adequate funding for school and community-based mental health services and intragency collaboration for children who are involved with more than one system (i.e. child welfare, mental health, education and juvenile justice).
6. Seek bipartisan support. Mental illness affects families of all political persuasions. Building a broad base of support has been a key to successful legislative initiatives, both at the State and Federal levels.
7. Fight stigma. Develop an ongoing local education campaign that reiterates the key messages: child pyschiatric disorders are very real illnesses, they affect lots of children & adolescents, fortunately, they are also treatable, especially if treatment begins early and is individualized to the needs of each child and family.
8. Become involved with medical education. Meet with local medical students and residents. Sensitize them to the issues and challenges families face when caring for a child with emotional and behavioral problems.
9. Use the media. Write letters to the editor and/or op-ed pieces on child mental health issues. Meet with local reporters covering health care topics. Suggest story ideas to local TV stations.
10. Work with local professional organizations. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and mental health counselors are natural allies with a common advocacy agenda. Coordinate efforts on issues such as parity, funding for mental health services, managed care oversight, etc. Professional organizations may also have access to resources, including funds for lobbying and/or public education initiatives, from their national associations.
11. Talk to other parents. Seek out and join local parent support groups. If none exist, consider starting one. Develop an email “listserv” to facilitate communication. Circulate articles, information and suggestions about local resources.
12. Attend regional and national conferences of parent and advocacy organizations. Such meetings provide information, ideas, camaraderie and support. Sharing experiences with other parents is both helpful and empowering.
13. Don’t give up.Aim for and celebrate incremental victories and accomplishments. Remember, advocacy is an ongoing process!

Nevada PEP is a nonprofit organization that provides information, services and training to Nevada families of children with disabilities.

Visit their website for more information:

http://www.nvpep.org/