A lot of time and effort goes into preparing your child’s Individualized Education Plan. But once you’ve had the initial IEP meeting with your child’s teachers, aides and other school administrators and the plan is officially in action, what should you be doing? Here are three tips:

• Read the progress reports carefully. When you review your child’s progress reports, look for signs or indicators of progress. These may be evident in the adjectives or specific percentages used in the report, i.e. “multiple times” vs. “a few times.” If you do not see evidence of progress, it may be time to call an IEP meeting to review lack of progress, have a discussion with your child’s IEP team to discuss why, and open up options of how to move forward. Consider possibilities such as changing the method of instruction, adding in visual supports, chunking tasks, adding in breaks, increasing services provided or incorporating sensory input during instruction.
• Make sure your child is receiving adequate supports and services. The purpose of an IEP is to tailor supports and services to your child’s unique needs. When you have any concerns that your child isn’t receiving the agreed upon supports, start by reaching out to a teacher or administrator at the school to have a discussion. If action is not being taken or your child’s IEP is not being followed, then put requests in writing to maintain a paper trail. The IEP is a legal document and the school must follow all that it states. Remember that the minutes for services are the minimum that need to be provided.
• Remember that the IEP is responsible for home, school and community. Most IEPs focus only on the school environment. If you need help in the home or when you take your child into the community, bring this to the attention of the IEP team. Goals and supports can be put in place to help your child progress in any setting.

Peak Potential Therapy can offer support with IEP planning and progress. Please contact our team to learn more about our services.

Socializing with robots may sound unusual, but George Washington University researchers have been helping children with autism do just that. Interactive, humanoid robots are able to communicate with children on the autism spectrum, analyze their actions and respond in ways that reinforce the child’s social skills.

Kevin Pelphrey, the director of the Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders Institute at George Washington University and the parent of a child with autism, writes:

“These robots engage children socially in a safe setting, providing practice in social skills. They also may enhance ‘brain readiness’ for social training, maximizing the benefits of evidence-based behavioral interventions. Children who might otherwise be reluctant to enter a social situation often feel comfortable interacting with a robot, which is more predictable and nonjudgmental.”

You can read the full article from Spectrum.

While our Center does not have robots, we do have opportunities for your child to engage with his or her peers in a social setting, practicing important skills in a comfortable environment with a licensed therapist. Our social skills groups are ideal for children and teens alike. Contact us to learn about upcoming sessions and reserve your child’s spot.

At Peak Potential Therapy, we feel very strongly that any child or young adult in need of speech-language therapy should have access to working with an experienced specialist, regardless of his or her proximity to a specific center or office building. That’s why Peak Potential Therapy is licensed to practice online speech therapy in the state of Ohio. We can now work with children online whether they live close to our Twinsburg center but are homebound, they live outside of our immediate service area, perhaps in Ashtabula, Warren, or Canton, or they live as far away as Southeast, Southwest, or Northwest Ohio. If you live in the state of Ohio and are seeking a clinical speech therapist professional where you live, the team at Peak Potential Therapy is now an option for you and your child.

Many parents have questions about how online speech therapy programs work and whether online speech therapy has the same effectiveness as an in-person session. Here are three things we want you to know about the online speech therapy services provided by Peak Potential Therapy in Ohio:

1. Online speech therapy treats the same speech, language, and fluency disorders as our in-person speech therapy sessions do. We practice online speech therapy with children who have difficulty making speech sounds, have problems with language understanding and expression, or have disfluency, apraxia or other delays.
2. The quality of online speech therapy programs is the same as in-person therapy. We use video communication tools—similar to Skype or FaceTime—through an interactive webinar platform to engage and interact with your child. We can digitally post worksheets and games through the platform.
3. Every child, whether we work with him or her online or in-person, receives the same degree of care and attention from our therapists. The only difference is that instead of sitting across from each other in person, we are “virtually” sitting across from each other using a computer!

If you are curious about our online speech therapy services, please do not hesitate to give us a call to speak with Holly or another member of our team. We’re happy to answer your questions.

Several of our clients recently had a wonderful time learning about the digital animation process at the Twinsburg Library, where we created our very own cartoon! Using the resources in the Library’s Creative Lab—which has a variety of hardware and software programs available to the public—Miss Shannon spent time every Monday teaching our group about digital animation through a program called Moovly. The project was an incredible opportunity for our teens to practice their teamwork and collaboration skills while trying something completely new—and fun!

During the project, we learned how to take pictures in front of a green screen, edit and incorporate people into the cartoon, as well as learned about copyright usage laws. As a group, we spent five 2-hour long sessions to make a 3-minute cartoon, doing all the work including creating the plot, animation, voice recordings of our script and the editing.

You can download and watch our finished Mario cartoon here.

Great job teens and thanks again to Miss Shannon and the Twinsburg Library!

“How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?”

This is a question that many parents ask, some when their children are just toddlers, others when their child is preschool age or older.

While every child is unique, we do work with many children at Peak Potential Therapy who share similar challenges with speech. However, many parents do not realize the breadth of challenges that speech-language therapy can help with. Our speech-language therapists not only work with children with delays or impediments to speech, but a range of other issues, including language comprehension.

If you are unsure whether your child needs speech therapy, consider whether any of the following statements are true.

• My child cannot make speech sounds—or cannot make them clearly. Your child may be completely non-verbal, or just beginning to speak, but not in a way that you and your family can understand.
• My child has problems understanding language. Your child may not only be struggling to produce language, but also struggling with language comprehension.
• My child has a speech rhythm problem. Stuttering and stammering are both fluency disorders, caused by a behavior that is interrupting the flow of speech.
• My child has difficultly eating and swallowing. If your child struggles to eat and swallow, he or she may have a disorder such as dysphagia, which also affects speech.

These are just a few of the possible indicators that your child is a candidate for speech-language therapy. If you are seeking experienced speech-language therapists in the Akron-Cleveland area, please contact Peak Potential Therapy. We work with children from toddler age to young adults and can hold sessions at our center in Twinsburg, in your home within a certain distance of our center, or online for residents in Ohio. Register your child today or call our team to learn more.

Researchers at New York Medical College recently administered a 4-month exercise program at a school to determine whether the physical activity would have an impact on children with autism. The program was part of an adaptive gym class that consisted of two 20-minute classes each week.

While it was not possible for researchers to make a comprehensive analysis, due to the challenge of studying “populations of children with autism in real-world settings like schools,” the results did suggest improvements in both fitness and communication skills.

“[Researchers] found that a 4-month exercise program led to significant improvements in scores on a measure of social responsiveness, as well as gains in physical endurance.”

Children with autism often face challenges with physical fitness for a variety of reasons. For example, if your child struggles with communication or is nonverbal, he or she may struggle to join a group of peers playing tag or soccer. Many children on the autism spectrum can also have challenges with motor skills like balance and coordination, making physical activities more difficult.

At Peak Potential Therapy, we encourage all of the children with autism or other special needs to remain as active as possible, depending on their unique abilities. Whether it is dancing or playing games like Simon Says indoors, or going on a walk or visit to the local playground, there are many ways you can include exercise in your regular routine year-round. We are also proud to lead camps designed especially for children with special needs to help you give your child fun and active opportunities during breaks from school. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact our team.

Your child has finally adjusted to the routine of the school year, knowing what to expect when it comes to morning wake-up times and bedtimes, riding the bus home with classmates, and becoming more familiar and comfortable with classmates and the school environment. He is learning important social skills and behaviors, and you are very pleased with his progress. However, the question looms – what will happen when school goes on break for the busy holiday season?

Breaks from school can be difficult for children who have become used to the direction and routine they follow at school, as well as at home. Losing this structure can be frustrating for your child, and it may make it more difficult to readjust to the regular routine once the break is over. There are options that may help you prepare for winter break in advance and keep your child on a consistent routine:

Create a daily visual schedule. This will take some time and planning but will be the foundation of your winter break routine. All children can benefit from structure and routine over winter break, but your child with special needs will especially appreciate the visual schedule, likely familiar to his schedule at school. You can detail the normal steps in your child’s wake-up and bedtime routine and leave room within the schedule for any special events or activities that you have planned for break that are outside the norm. Once you are done, hang the schedule in a place where everyone in your family can easily view it.

Plan ideas for activities outside the home in advance. You don’t want to be stumped for things to do once break arrives! Look ahead at any events or activities you may want to incorporate into your schedule. This might include story time at the local library, discount or free days at a museum, a trip to the zoo, or even a visit to the playground on a mild winter day.

Practice time management. Set expectations for time, no matter what you are doing. And, if you plan to incorporate some down time into your child’s routine, have ideas ready for him to choose – options could be reading, drawing, doing a craft, coloring, or watching a movie.

Consider a winter break camp. There are unique winter break camps designed for children with special needs. For example, if your child is between the ages of 12 and 15 and you live in the Greater Cleveland or Akron region, consider Camp Snow Cubs, led by licensed speech-language therapists at Peak Potential Therapy. Camp Snow Cubs helps children continue to develop important social and communication skills during the winter break from school. You can register your child online to reserve his or her spot.

We provide therapeutic services for children with autism or other special needs living in Northeast Ohio. If we can offer any support or guidance for you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out. Recently, we expanded our services to include online speech therapy for children in Ohio. Contact us to learn more.

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a time for large family gatherings, delicious meals, and lots of activity, whether it is watching the parade on TV or going shopping to a crowded mall. We most likely enjoy this time of year, but for our children with sensory processing challenges, Thanksgiving can be a much different experience. It is a time of loud, disorienting sounds, visits and interactions with unfamiliar people, and many strange aromas coming from the kitchen. If you are worried about how your child will handle this year’s upcoming Thanksgiving festivities, we have some advice for easing and avoiding sensory overload.

Write a schedule of the event – and then discuss it as a family. Many children on the autism spectrum or with a sensory processing disorder handle new experiences better with some preparation. Talk to your child about each step of the event, explaining where you are going, what time you will arrive, who will be there, what he or she is expected to do, such as spend time playing with your cousins or sitting at a large dining room table to eat dinner. If you anticipate the event will be loud and crowded, explain this to your child in advance. Also talk about what your child can do if he or she becomes overwhelmed—possibly have a special code word or signal, or talk to a family member or friend in advance about whether there is a spare room where your child can play or relax if needed. Finally, as a family, make sure everyone understands how long you plan to stay at the event.

Pack a bag of comfort and sensory items. Will your child need to wear dress clothes for any portion of the event? If so, consider bringing along some soft, comfortable clothes for your child to change into later. You can also pack headphones if the environment will be loud. Even a room full of relatives talking in varying volumes – which may be warm and inviting to you – can be extremely distressful for a child with sensory processing disorder. You may also want to bring along favorite snacks, toys or games.

Talk to your friends or family ahead of time. Are you planning to celebrate the holiday at the home of a relative or friend? If so, consider taking some time to discuss with them your child’s challenges and preferences, if you have not already. Many will want to help you and your child have as pleasant of an experience as possible. For example, is there a large, flashing holiday tree or display, or a lot of indoor twinkling lights that will likely overwhelm your child? Maybe these can be turned off for the duration of the event. Is there going to be a large Thanksgiving meal served that your child is not likely to eat? Ask whether your child eating dinner at home before you come over – or possibly having some alternative food items for your child on the Thanksgiving table – would be acceptable. You will feel more comfortable on the holiday if these details have already been discussed and determined.

Are you struggling to cope with your child’s sensory processing challenges, or unsure whether your child may have a sensory processing disorder? Contact the team at Peak Potential Therapy to speak with an experienced, caring therapist.

Does your child’s IEP have SMART goals?

An IEP, defined by PBS.org as “an agreement between school and parent that outlines the special education and unrelated services to be delivered to a child who has been found eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),” is built around annual goals.

These goals will set the course for your child’s development over the course of the year. To have a successful IEP, you must design well written goals for your child that are easy to measure. We recommend the well-known “SMART” goals methodology as the best process for writing goals for your child’s IEP. The method is this:

S – Specific – Goals should be use very specific language.

M – Measurable – Vague goals are not easily measured. If goals are specific, they will be measurable.

A – Action – Use action words, like increase or decrease, when writing the goal.

R – Realistic – The goal must be realistic for your child to accomplish, keeping in mind how certain skills are sequenced or built on one another.

T – Time-limited – Within the language of the goal, be sure to specify a time frame in which the goal is to be reached.

When goals are written to be SMART, they will naturally be measurable. Well written goals contribute to a strong IEP for your child, which will be continually discussed during regular IEP meetings with your child’s teachers, therapists and other educational advocates.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s IEP, do not hesitate to contact Peak Potential Therapy. We provide educational advocacy and consulting services for parents of children with autism and special needs.

There is perhaps no more parenting topic more debated at this moment than vaccination. For parents, with so many conflicting news stories swirling, it can be hard to answer that question: Should I vaccinate my child? At Peak Potential Therapy, we discuss this question with parents and families regularly. We believe the best decision you can make for your child is one that is well-informed.
We encourage you to do your own research with an open mind before making your own decision of whether or not to vaccinate. As we understand the sheer volume of opinions and perspectives on this topic can be overwhelming, particularly for a new parent, we want to share just a few links that may provide some insights on the topic.

• Honest Disagreement in a Pro-Vaccine World, from Fearless Parent
• Vaccine Information Kiosk, from National Vaccine Information Center
• Dear Pregnant Mom, from VaxTruth
• The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Robert Sears
• The Vaccine Reaction, The National Vaccine Reaction

In addition, the chart from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrates how recommended immunizations have increased in the United States:

If you would like additional resources to help you make an informed decision, please do not hesitate to contact the team at Peak Potential Therapy.