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July 4, 2021 ASCF e-newsletter

Dear Friends,

We wish you all a Safe, Happy July 4th. While you are enjoying yourself, remember what this special day is about and the price many paid to gain and keep our independence.

Check out this newsletter and the opportunities for learning that we hope will one day allow your special child to gain his or her independence to the greatest degree possible.

Have a great day. ASCF staff, 973-728-8744

What’s the difference between a speech impairment and a language disorder?

We often hear the words speech and language used interchangeably. They might mean the same thing when we’re talking casually about communication. But in the medical community, they have very different meanings.

Speech refers to the actual sound of spoken language. It’s the oral form of communicating. Speech is talking: using the muscles of the tongue, lips, jaw, and vocal tract in a very precise and coordinated way to produce the recognizable sounds that make up language.

Language refers to a whole system of words and symbols — written, spoken, or expressed with gestures and body language — that is used to communicate meaning.

Just as speech and language differ, there’s a difference between speech disorders and language disorders .

A speech disorder usually indicates that someone has trouble producing certain sounds accurately.

Young children who are learning how to speak will probably substitute, leave out, or distort normal speech sounds. For example, it’s not unusual for 3-year-olds to use the f sound for th in their speech: “I’m firsty (thirsty).” But that pronunciation would be considered an articulation error in a 5-year-old. This is a speech problem.

Language deals with meaning. Kids with a language disorder may have a difficult time understanding the meaning of what’s being said ( receptive language issues ). Or they may have trouble communicating their own thoughts ( expressive language issues ).

Imagine a child who has good speech and pronounces words correctly. This child can still have poor language — trouble putting words together to express thoughts or trouble understanding the meaning what’s being said by other.

Speech disorders and language disorders may occur separately. Or an individual may have both kinds of disorders at the same time.

There are milestones that can guide you when considering whether your child’s speech and language are developing typically. Most children, by their second birthday, have a vocabulary of about 50 words. By age 2 to 3 years , typical kids start understanding a lot more language than they can express.

Here are some signs that could cause concern:

· Doesn’t understand name, the word no, or simple commands by age 1

· Isn’t saying words by 14 to 16 months of age

· Can’t answer basic “wh” questions (what, where, who) by age 3

· Has difficulty being understood by people outside the family after age 3

· Has noticeable hesitations or repetitions in speech past age 5

· Can’t tell a sequential story (a story with a beginning, middle, and end) by age 5

· Shows limited development of vocabulary

Children develop speech and language skills at their own individual paces. But if your child has any of the above problems, it’s a good idea to talk to your pediatrician. You can get a referral to a speech-language specialist to find out if a speech or language problem exists. Treatment options can be different for each child, so getting the right diagnosis is key. (Understood.org).

https://www.understood.org/articles/en/difference-between-speech-impairment-and-language-disorder

Children's Book:

"Sometimes I Just Stutter"

A book for children ages 7-14

This book is written for all children who stutter. When you stutter, your mouth doesn’t always do what you would like it to do. Sometimes you want to say something and it won’t come out. Sometimes you say something and other people make remarks like “ Stop stuttering, ” or “ Slow down, ” or “Just take a deep breath. ” This usually doesn’t help. You often forget what you started out to say. Or you may feel angry or hurt. In the following pages you will find a lot of information about stuttering. Click below for the book.

https://www.stutteringhelp.org/sites/default/files/0031.pdf

Online Resources

Speech and Language

Center for Parent Information and Resources .

This website provides fact sheets about milestones of typical speech and language development. It also provides information about speech and language impairments and provides links to many other resources related to speech and language development. This website is also available in Spanish.

Parents,

Join our next

Thinking Caps and Fuzzy Slippers on July 8.

7-8 pm

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Teens,

Join the fun of our nest

Activity Hour on July 15

7:30 -8:30 pm

Registration required.

[email protected]

For Teens/Young Adults activity by ASCF

Maria will lead “Roll Up Your Sleeves” Activity Hour for Youth ages 15-21 on Thursdays, July 15, Aug 12, and Sept 16 from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm (NEW TIME). Workshops will focus on discussing teens’/young adults’ post-high school goals. Sessions will begin with discussing various paths to take after high school, including college, trade school, job/career opportunities, volunteerism, and self-employment and how to achieve these goals. Relevant resources will be discussed to place these youth on the proper path to reach their dreams and help them to learn about self-advocacy. Activities may include practicing interviewing skills, writing resumes, and completing mock applications.

Registration of your teen/young adult is also required.

[email protected] You can also call 973-728-8744 and leave a message.

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Parents, Be a part of “Talk It Over Thursdays”

Join Maria Weber on Thursdays, July 8, Aug 15 and Sept. 9 from 7 to 8 pm for an interactive Zoom meeting, “Thinking Caps and Fuzzy Slippers.” This will be a relaxed conversation among families that will lead into specific college- and work-related topics for their children with special needs. We will help guide discussions with your child, locate educational and job-related resources, and develop relevant relationships to help your child prosper beyond high school. To register for this free meeting: Please email your name and age of your child to Maria at: [email protected] Maria will email the Zoom link to you by Thursday morning. You can also call 973-728-8744 and leave a message.

SUMMER VIRTUAL ENRICHMENT GROUP FOR YOUTH

• 4-week program

• Must have Medicaid

• Virtual groups will be offered to youth in Bergen, Morris, Essex Sussex, and Passaic Counties.

• The group will run Monday – Thursday from 10:00 – 11:30 am Starting on July 12, 2021 and end on August 6, 2021

The virtual sessions will encourage your child in many ways:

 Social Skills  Anger Management Skills  Cyber Safety Skills  Communication Skills  Mindfulness/Self-Care

Announcing a Summer Virtual Enrichment Group Program for Youth

Free for families with Medicaid/Grants available

Limited spots available. Register your youth today by calling 862-272-2221 or email [email protected]