Boys vs. Girls - what's the impact?

Even from the time they are in utero, boys are more sensitive to extreme stress than girls.  And from there on, it continues.  A wide variety of disadvantages - from family income and structure to society's discouragement of sensitivity and vulnerability in boys - affect the performance of boys in the classroom and beyond.  Find out more about these factors and their impact - and what we may be able to do about it. 

The New York Times - A Disadvantaged Start Hurts Boys More Than Girls

Literacy-Building Ideas!

Early literacy skills are the tools children use when learning to read and write.  Building these skills can be one of the most important ways to prepare your child for school.  At a loss for where or how to start?  Check out these fun tips for building the critical 5 early literacy skills - oral language, vocabulary, story comprehension, print knowledge, and sound awareness - with just 5 books! 

The Hanen Centre - Five Books, Five Literacy-Building Ideas!

Early vocabulary delays suggest therapy needs later in life

Joining the ongoing debate, Penn State conducted a study to investigate whether being a late talker is a risk factor for later development.  Sample vocabulary of two year olds and reading and math assessments at age 4 and 5 were used to analyze the predictability of those with a limited vocabulary requiring future intervention services.  Read more about the study, it's findings, and the recommendations made by the professors involved.

Penn State:  Early vocabulary delays suggest therapy needs later in life

"Tuning In' and Developing Theory of Mind

Theory of mind - that is, the understanding that people don't share the same thoughts and feelings as you do - develops during childhood.  There are a number of skills that must be acquired to later develop this theory of mind. Find out how typical children develop theory of mind, what problems may arise, and how to help your child 'tune in'.

The Hanen Centre - Tuning In" to Others: How Young Children Develop Theory of Mind

Responding To Baby Babbles During Book Reading May Be Key To Language Development

New research published by Language Learning and Development studied the interactions of mothers and their infants during various types of play.  By considering and coding the babies' vocalizations and the mothers' responses, they concluded that responding to your baby's coos and babbles during book reading may be the key to language development.  To find out more, check out the full story

Medical Daily - Responding to Baby Babbles During Book Reading May be Key to Language Development

Key Skills for Developing Communication in Children with Autism

Each child with autism is unique, and therefore, so is their development of communication skills. Despite so much variability in development and learning, research has found that children that have stronger abilities with a specific handful of skills - joint attention, imitation, and toy play - will have better communication skills as older children. 

Find out how these integral skills are connected to communication, and how to help your child develop these skills.

The Hanen Centre: Which Children with Autism Develop Better Communication Skills? 

Can ear infections lead to permanent hearing loss?

Ear infections are the most common reason children are taken to the doctor.  Although they can be treated with antibiotics, sound can become muffled during each episode due to the fluid in the ear and can take months to return to normal.  

"Previous studies have shown that this conductive hearing loss impacts speech and language development, the ability to hear the location sounds come from, and may contribute to auditory processing disorders" (Karp, 2015).  So the question begs - can ear infections lead to permanent hearing loss?  Find out what hearing loss expert Melissa Karp has to say about a new study and it's findings.

Can ear infections lead to permanent hearing loss? 

Play Isn't Just for Fun!

By engaging in pretend play, children begin to develop areas such as language and communication, problem solving, and social and emotional skills.  Strong pretend play skills can lead to better language and more advanced thinking skills at a later age. 

Wondering where your child's pretend play skills are at?  Consider and observe what they play with and how they play, then join in and show them something new! 

Find resources and other information on how to help your child learn to pretend from The Hanen Centre (Link below).

The Hanen Centre
Encouraging Pretend Play in Children with Social Communication Difficulties

Let's talk reading issues

Reading is a complex task, requiring a number of different skills to cooperatively work together for a successful outcome.  With so many components comes so many places to cause trouble.  Processing, memory, and attention are three major areas connected to the success of readers where even minor issues can begin to cause a ripple effect. 

Reading Rockets is a great resource for parents and teachers with information about a wide variety of struggles many readers have.  Find out what to watch for, what it could mean, and how you can help.

Find out how to help your struggling reader.

Reading Rockets - Helping Struggling Readers: Other Issues

Let's talk comprehension

Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read.  This can include knowing the meaning of words and making inferences, while incorporating elements of thinking and reasoning. 

Reading Rockets is a great resource for parents and teachers with information about a wide variety of struggles many readers have.  Find out what to watch for, what it could mean, and how you can help.

Find out how to help your struggling reader and more about reading comprehension.

Reading Rockets - Helping Struggling Readers: Comprehension