New Figures on Two Muscular Dystrophy Disorders

Researchers May Develop Saliva Test to Diagnose Autism

[Source:  Science Daily]

A spit test may one day be able to diagnose autism according to researchers at Clarkson University and the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. 
 

[Source Medical News Today]

Individuals with five neurodevelopmental disorders - autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome, dyslexia, and Specific Language Impairment - appear to compensate for dysfunction by relying on a single powerful and nimble system in the brain known as declarative memory.
 

This hypothesis being proposed by a Georgetown University Medical Center neuroscientist is based on decades of research. It is published online and will be in the April issue of Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.

Hearing Experts Break Sound Barrier for Children w/o Hearing Nerve

[Source:  Medical News Today]

Los Angeles research team studies brain plasticity, auditory brainstem implant safety in NIH-backed clinical trial
 

A multi-institutional team of hearing and communication experts led by the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) is breaking sound barriers for children born without a hearing nerve in a clinical trial backed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Launched in March 2014, the three-year study has enrolled five of 10 participants and successfully implanted an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) device in four children who previously could not hear.
 

The research team presented preliminary findings at the American Association

Some Cerebral Palsy Caused by a Genetic Mutation

An international research group led by a team at the University of Adelaide has made what they believe could be the biggest discovery into cerebral palsy in 20 years.

Emeritus Professor Alastair MacLennan (University of Adelaide) with Matthew Reinertsen, who has cerebral palsy are shown. Researchers have discovered that many cases of cerebral palsy may have genetic causes.
 

It has long been the belief that cerebral palsy occurs when a child experiences a lack of oxygen during pregnancy or at birth. However, the Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group, based at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute, has found at least 14% of cerebral palsy cases are likely caused by a genetic mutation.

Sharp Rise in OT Cases at New York's Schools 

[Source:  NY Times]

A class of first graders at Public School 503 in Brooklyn sat on the floor one recent Friday, cross-legged on an alphabet-themed rug.

But as their teacher began a reading lesson, two boys positioned near the letters C and D sat not on the rug, but in small plastic armchairs. One wore a tight blue vest designed to apply pressure to his chest, while the other drew his hands across a weighted, velvety blanket draped over his small knees.

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Pediatric Therapy Activity of the Week: Word Family Snowball Toss

[Source:  I Can Teach My Child]
 

Word families can be a beneficial component in your teaching-your-child-to-read toolbox.

To put it simply, word families are words that rhyme.  Teaching children word families is a phonemic awareness activity that helps children see patterns in reading.  This is an important skill because it allows children to begin "reading" by grouping sets of letters within a word.  The first part of a word is called the onset and the last part of the word is conveniently called the rime (yes, spelled r-i-m-e, not r-h-y-m-e...it's a bit confusing).  Word families share a similar "rime" as the onset changes.

Resource of the Week:  Database for Rehabilitation Measures

[Source:  HeartSpace PT via Your Therapy Source]

 In my Facebook feed, HeartSpace Physical Therapy for Children , shared a link to a database of over 200 rehabilitation measures.  Many of them are FREE and available in PDF format.  It doesn't get any easier than that for a last minute assessment.  Some of the resources are for the pediatric population so it is definitely worth it to look it over and bookmark your favorites.  There are so many to choose from and it will take a little time to go through the whole list.  The Rehabilitation Measures Database 

SLP Activity of the Week: Rhyming Board Game Printable  

[Source:  No Time for Flash Cards]
 

Rhyming is one of my favorite literacy skills to work on with children because it's fun and rhyming is a vital part of literacy development. When children rhyme they play sounds and apply their abilities to new combinations of letter sounds. Rhyming uses a lot of different skills like listening, distinguishing specific sounds (phonemes), and being able to break a word into syllables. Obviously rhyming is important but it's also fun. I whipped up this super simple printable board game and was so pleased 

ADL Activity of the Week: Teaching Time Freebies  

This week we have been discovering the clock in our room.  Our standards say to represent and tell time.  What better way to represent time than to make our own clocks in every way we can!  In small group today we worked on this concept up close and personal! 
 

Rather than just telling the time, we are working to understand and represent clocks.

In groups, students were given the parts of a clock and had to create a model.