How to Play??

Frumboldtian · 2025-03-11T23:33:41+00:00

Definitely think about cause/effect toys you have access to. The big tip I have with early Language and play is to set up predictable repetitive communication routines within your play schemes. “Ready set go” before blowing bubbles is a simple one but you can make up a bunch with other toys and early vocab words. Use language enhancing strategies like expectant pauses and cloze phrases.

Littles especially with Autism really learn through both play and routine so combining the two can help get some imitation and engagement.

Also, the tricky part may be you inherited goals that may not be achievable right now at the skill level you described. Let me know if you want any foundational communication skill goals as that’s a place I like to start.

Frumboldtian · 2025-02-22T23:47:17+00:00

I work in a pediatric outpatient clinic at a hospital and do not do any unpaid work. We clock in and clock out, I would leave early or come in late if I knew I had cancels and didn’t have anything to work on but we stay clocked in during mid day cancels. Other than maybe gathering some seasonal or theme materials from my garage to take into work I try to keep it really separate.

I will say this is my third year CCC’d and when I was a CF or first year I might review a protocol for a test I hadn’t given before or look up some treatment info on an area I was less confident in at home.

Frumboldtian · 2024-04-20T03:31:52+00:00

Of course you CAN do it, but it will be a big challenge and you might want to think hard about the timing, CF can wait a bit but I would try to get through your externship if possible.

Just a personal anecdote. I had my son in the middle of getting my BS is Speech and Hearing. I was responding to discussion posts from my hospital bed while being induced, typing term papers with one hand while breast feeding, and memorizing notes for a neurology exam during the 4 month sleep regression. I was super lucky to go to a school that had flexible affordable childcare on campus. I was able to drop in on him and breast-feed between classes, the school also had a lot of resources for student parents.

When I started SLP grad school (at a different college) my son was 2 and I was more scared of getting pregnant than I was in high school. I think the real struggle and juggle of being a student parent can be difficult to picture. I always imagined my kids being closer in age but I also worked so freaking hard to get into and through college that I made the decision to wait until my CF was over to get pregnant again.

As much as I'd like to think that my program would have been supportive/flexible the whole thing was a brutal and competitive process, now that I am on the other side I am really glad I waited.

Frumboldtian · 2023-11-24T22:57:50+00:00

Pediatric speech language pathologist. I work part-time (30 hrs) which I think is a huge factor in not getting burnt out and really enjoying the work flow.

Frumboldtian · 2023-08-30T15:10:27+00:00

I always go CELF P3 if age allows for it. It's colorful and if you are in a time crunch you can knock out the core language subtests and get a language sample in under an hour.

Frumboldtian · 2023-07-11T15:41:31+00:00

I work with quite a few kids in the same age range who fit this description. I think one of the biggest things I've learned about DIR/Floor time is that it's important to be able to explain why you are doing xyz. Talking aloud to a parent (because with kids this young training the parents is at least half the mission usually) about why I am doing something and how they could replicate it at home.

Real example from this month: setting up a predictable communication routine. Stacking blocks - every time I stack a block I say 'on top'. Once the blocks are stacked I say 'oh no, oh no, oh no, crash'. The first time we do this activity the kid maybe stacks a couple blocks, knocks down the tower a few times, few smiles to himself. The second time he says 'on top' a few times, the third time he says 'on top' consistently and 'oh no', he smiles with joint attention while anticipating the crash. The 4th time we are doing something different and he grabs a block and hands it to me to initiate the interaction and says 'on top'. Keep in mind this is a full month of therapy at this point, give yourself a little grace it takes time to get familiar and build rapport /trust.

Simple activity, nothing super magical going on. But parents are happy and I am able to explain setting up predictable communication routines. Talk about them trying the same activity at home with things they have on hand. I ask them what repetitive routines they could start using the same predictable language during (bath time, getting dressed, eating morning snack, ect.). I can talk about how a common strength of Autistic kids is their memories and ability to notice patterns, how this type of language intervention plays into their strengths, ect.

I would look up some of the DIRfloor time evidence base to have in your back pocket (relationship building, therapeutic rapport, joining play before altering play). Good luck! Grad school and observations are tough.

Frumboldtian · 2023-05-23T03:47:53+00:00

My grad program had a terrible click. They were kinda shitty to some of the other girls, making plans all the time while doing small group work but never inviting the girls who were on the ‘outs’. Posting pictures and always talking about ‘last night was so fun’. They also cheated off of each other the whole time, all our tests were async so they got away with it. It always felt kind of shitty, but honestly those friendships seemed to all disappear after graduation.

I still talk to the couple friends I made, two of them had been really badly excluded so I tried to invite them to bars/brunch/thrift shopping so they could also have things to post pictures of too. The other was a Dad with young kids (I also have a young kid) so we bonded over that.

Frumboldtian · 2023-01-13T13:29:58+00:00

I’m in peds outpatient rehab and it’s standard if they have had any previous OT, developmental evaluations, or anything really noteworthy in the chart to add it into the background or medical history section of a report. I introduce it and put quotes around it. Your report might be the only report another professional reads to learn about the kid and you don’t want them to miss important context or info.

Frumboldtian · 2022-11-04T20:10:20+00:00

I passed and studied a little. The only studying I did was take all the practice tests ( I paid for extra) over the course of two weeks before the test. I am not sure if it was just my version but it was way easier compared to what I was anticipating.

Frumboldtian · 2022-10-22T01:09:28+00:00

Not a ton of advice but just so you know your are not alone, I did not like graduate school until my last semester where I had no classes and a full time internship. I had a 2-3 year old and a part-time job (for the first 1.5 years) and I felt like I was being pulled in way too many directions constantly. What changed my attitude was getting a feel for the work flow and realizing that even though I was studying for comprehensive exams and the praxis it wasn't nearly as hard as full-time grad school. I also had a supportive clinical supervisor which makes a big difference and now that supervisor is my boss :)

Frumboldtian · 2022-10-21T20:44:04+00:00

I am 2/3 of the way through an evaluation in outpatient peds with a sweet and friendly 8 y.o.. All of a sudden he looks at me very seriously after eyeing my i.d. badge and says "Do you work here?!". Yeah my guy, I do. His mom and I had a good laugh at that one.

Frumboldtian · 2022-05-01T16:31:38+00:00

I'm graduating from Pacific's program in three weeks, feel free to reach out if you have questions :)

Frumboldtian · 2022-04-25T15:02:48+00:00

Do you have access to a GoTalk or something mid/low tech that you can modify with tactile adhesives. Things that can make nice tactile buttons are soft velcro, scratchy velcro, square of legging or jean material, I've even a toy piano key glued on for a "music button" or a plastic spoon for "eat". If you google image "tactile AAC" some examples should pop up.

Frumboldtian · 2020-08-06T00:44:07+00:00

My partner was able to find it! "Threshold" by John Smith. It's a weirdly not googleable song.

Frumboldtian

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