Wernike's Area in the News:  How the Brain Recognizes Speech Sounds is Revealed  

[Source:  Medical News Today] 

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco show in a new study - published in the journal Science - that the shaping of sound by our mouths leaves "an acoustic trail" that the brain follows.

Scientists have known for some time that it is the superior temporal gyrus (STG; also known as "Wernike's area") where speech sounds are interpreted. But not much has been known about how the brain actually processes speech.

To investigate this, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) researchers placed neural recording devices directly onto the surface of the brains of six patients who were undergoing epilepsy surgery. This allowed the researchers to capture very rapid changes in the brain.

The Baby-Mother Bond in the News:  Stress Can Be Contagious - Infants Can Catch it From Their Mothers 

[Source:  Medical News Today]

New research shows that babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, they also show corresponding physiological changes.

"Our research shows that infants 'catch' and embody the physiological residue of their mothers' stressful experiences," says lead researcher Sara Waters, postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Francisco.

The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Early Autism Detection in the News:  Speech Disrupts Facial Attention in 6-Month-Old Infants Who Later Develop Autism 

From birth, infants naturally show a preference for human contact and interaction, including faces and voices. These basic predispositions to social stimuli are altered in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  

One of the best methods to examine autism in very young infants is the use of eye-tracking. This technology uses advanced video monitoring and special software that tracks and 'maps' exactly where the eyes were focused and for how long. 

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry this week, from researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine, now reports that 6-month-old infants later diagnosed with autism divert their gaze from facial features when that face is speaking.

'Playtime' in the News:  Schools Reprioritize Playtime to Boost Concentration and Teach Social Skills  

[Source:  PBS News Hour]

GWEN IFILL: Now to our continuing look at education.     

As schools days grow longer, so do the academic burdens being imposed on students. But, at the same time, school systems are cutting back on the arts, physical education and even recess. Some researchers say that is counterproductive, depriving students of exercise that can help them learn.

The NewsHour's April Brown reports for our American Graduate project.

APRIL BROWN: The kids in Katie McLiver's first grade class at Fox Hill Elementary School are no strangers to the dance floor. Short brain breaks like this are part of regular, purposeful physical activities that take place every day at this suburban Indianapolis school, both inside the classroom and out.

Comparative Biology in the News: Gene That Influences Receptive Joint Attention in Chimpanzees Gives Insight into Autism   

[Source:  Science Daily] 

Adaptive Technology in the News:  Bionic Hand Allows Amputee to Feel Again    

[Source:  Reuters]

Dennis Aabo Sorensen lost his left hand when a firework rocket he was holding exploded during New Year's Eve celebrations 10 years ago, and he never expected to feel anything with the stump again.

But for a while last year he regained his sense of touch after being attached to a "feeling" bionic hand that allowed him to grasp and identify objects even when blindfolded.

The prototype device, which was wired to nerves in the 36-year-old Dane's left arm, blurs the boundary between body and machine and scientists hope it could one day revolutionize the lives of many amputees.

PediaStaff News:  PediaStaff to Exhibit for First Time at School Psychologist Convention  

[Source:  PR Web]

As a nationwide niche-oriented staffing company that focuses on placing pediatric and school-based clinicians, PediaStaff is a regular participant at a number of industry trade shows, but 2014 will mark its first appearance at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Annual Convention.

The convention will be held from February 18-21 at Marriott Wardman Park in Washington D.C., and around 5,000 are expected to attend to update their skills and learn new strategies. 

PediaStaff Therapy Placement of the Week:  Two Are Even Better Than One!  

Congratulations to Sharon B., LPT! .  PediaStaff recently placed this talented therapist into two part-time Pediatric Therapy positions in the Chicagoland area, - one contract and one a direct hire job.

Sharon was brand new to Illinois and our recruiters helped her navigate all her options in this big city,  to find her not just one, but two fantastic spots AND help her get her EI certification.

She will see a variety of children ages birth-21 with a range of diagnoses in an outpatient environment.   

Way to go, Sharon!

Featured Book of the Week:  Implementing Cognitive Behavior Therapy with School-age Children That Stutter  

Instagram Therapy Idea of the Week:  Valentines Bug for Speech and Fine Motor Practice  

This idea is inspired by Pinterest and altered for speech and language goals and therapy by the folks at the 'Word Nerd Speech Teach' blog.

Start by cutting out paper hearts in several colors. Print and cut out pictures of each student's target sounds & glue the pictures to the hearts.

Add a head, antennae, legs, and googly eyes and you've got an awesome Valentine's Day bug! (Challenge your students to make their bug really long for lots of practice!). OTs can modify this fine motor craft for emotions work and more!

Resource of the Week:  The National Child Traumatic Stress Network  

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network was established to improve access to care, treatment, and services for traumatized children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events. This section of NCTSN.org provides information about the Network itself.

Therapy Idea of the Week:  Scarf Tying: A Great Executive Function Activity for Teens