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Dyslexia

9/22/2020

 

What is Dyslexia?

The broad definition: Any student who is below grade level in reading and has had sufficient reading instruction. There are disagreements over how far below grade level learners need to be.
The specific definition:
Students struggling with reading and writing; often these students have a profile that includes:struggles with phonemic awareness, rapid naming, spelling, decoding, encoding, and fluency despite having typical intelligence.

Dyslexia is...

  • A language based problem
  • A phonological processing disorder
  • Neurobiological in origin, present from birth, experienced for life
  • A spectrum disorder that can range from an annoyance to a severe limitation
  • More common than any other learning disability
  • Responsive to expert, informed instruction (Moats, 2008)Weakness in word reading, phonemic decoding, and spelling
  • Surprising because weakness exists in the presence of normal intelligence
  • Present in adults who have poor spelling, are slow readers, and have difficulty with novel and complex phonological forms

Dyslexia is not...

  • Characterized or diagnosed by seeing letters backwards (reversals are normal developmental patterns through second grade)
  • Indicative of "gifted" status
  • A disorder that cannot be diagnosed until third grade
  • A visual problem
  • Responsive to colored lenses and/or eye tracking exercises

What are the CORE characteristics of Dyslexia?

Learners with dyslexia will exhibit some of the following components:
  • Poor short term phonological memory
  • Poor auditory working memory
  • Poor sound-letter correspondence
  • Difficulty with repeating longer words, phrases, sentences
  • Difficulty with non-word repetition tasks
  • A history of being below grade level in reading
  • Low vocabulary (as student switch from learning to read to reading to learn, they will not have asmuch exposure to vocabulary)

Can speech therapy help identify and treat Dyslexia?

YES!  Dyslexia is a language based disorder and absolutely can and should be diagnosed and treated by a speech-language pathologist. 
Original Source: https://www.slphappyhour.com/

Research Sources:
Cabbage, Kathryn L, et al. “Exploring the Overlap Between Dyslexia and Speech Sound Production
Deficits.” Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 24 Oct. 2018,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30458539.

Adlof, Suzanne M., et al. “Understanding Dyslexia in the Context of Developmental Language
Disorders.” ASHA Wire, https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-DYSLC-18-0049.

Otaiba, Stephanie Al, et al. "Elementary Grade Intervention Approaches to Treat Specific Learning Disabilities,
Including Dyslexia." Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 24Oct 2018, https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-DYSLC-18-0022

Farquharson, Kelly. "Why Speech Sounds Matter for Literacy." SLP Summit,7 January 2020,

CLOSED again; it's the right thing to do

6/25/2020

 
**ANNOUNCEMENT**
If you have been contacted about resuming in-clinic sessions please know that we will be reaching out to you asap to discuss #telehealth options. Please know we are working as quickly and efficiently as possible to reach out to families. The health of all of our families and staff remain our top priority. We do urge our families that have been resistant to telehealth options to reconsider. #tcobuda #hayscounty #budatx #kyletx #covidsurge #Can2020BeCancelled #2020apocolypse #cantstopwontstop
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TCOB Phased Re-Entry to Clinic

6/1/2020

 
Dear families –

TCOB wants to share some important updates regarding the clinic’s phased re-entry over the next 7-8 weeks. We will be contacting all our families individually to discuss scheduling options in the coming weeks. We want to reiterate TCOB continues to take COVID-19 seriously and the health of our families and staff.

As many of you are aware, TCOB launched telehealth services shortly after publicly closing in March. For those families who feel they benefit from telehealth, we want to reassure you we will continue to offer these services to families for the foreseeable future and we highly encourage you to minimize exposure and take advantage of this service as long as possible.

We recognize not all families benefit from telehealth, and we hope to welcome you back safely to the clinic with necessary precautions in place for the entire wellbeing of our families and staff. I wanted to share changes we will make to the visits and what you can expect when you return to in-person visits.

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Promoting Positive Mental Health through Mindfulness Strategies

5/19/2020

 

Written By: Emily Swogger, OTR, M.S.

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Mindfulness refers to paying attention to the present moment while still calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.  Because mindfulness requires you to quiet your mind it can be difficult for children and for adults. The practice is so vitally important because it is through mindfulness that you really get to know your own body and emotions.  By simply ignoring these emotions you end up storing them inside but they find a way to make it to the surface anyways through your body. Your body reacts to the stress by causing stomach aches, headaches, and tension in the muscles in your body. Being stuck in your own thoughts prevents you from noticing the joy in every day moments. It can leave you dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. By practicing daily mindfulness it can help you live more in the present which can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. I can also help in your social life as well making you more emotionally resilient. Research has confirmed that for children, mindfulness can:
  • Mitigate the effects of bullying (Zhou, Liu, Niu, Sun, & Fan, 2016);
  • Enhance focus in children with ADHD (Zhang et al., 2016);
  • Reduce attention problems (Crescentini, Capurso, Furlan, & Fabbro, 2016);
  • Improve mental health and wellbeing;
  • Improve social skills when well taught and practiced with children and adolescents.


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Stuttering

5/15/2020

 
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The following content was originally published by: The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).
https://www.asha.org/stuttering/

This week is National Stuttering Awareness Week! Did you know that stuttering usually starts between 2 and 6 years of age? Many children go through normal periods of disfluency lasting less than 6 months. Stuttering that lasts longer may need treatment.

Talking to people can be hard if you stutter. You may get stuck on certain words or sounds. You may feel tense or uncomfortable. You might change words to avoid stuttering. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help.


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Explaining wearing masks to the kids

4/24/2020

 
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It seems like we have a new reality for the foreseeable future. One of these realities is wearing face coverings (masks) to protect ourselves and those around us while outside our homes. 

It is important to recognize that Autistics, those with sensory processing disorder, and other neuodiverse people may have a difficult time wearing masks for a variety of reasons. It is important that we avoid extreme dysregulation/ melt downs as they pertain to wearing masks.  When meltdowns happen as a result of mask wearing it is alright to focus on the other avoidance techniques of social distancing and avoiding public places/ gatherings.  Don't force mask wearing if that mean a melt down will happen, remember that we want to honor the communication from our littles even if the message is something we don't want to receive.


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Teletherapy FAQs

4/17/2020

 
On March 18, 2020 Therapy Center of Buda made the difficult, yet necessary decision to close to the public to ensure we do our part to keep our community safe and avoid the spread of COVID-19 (i.e., Coronavirus).  At the time we closed teletherapy was not an approved by the Texas Department of Licensing (TDLR) for speech-language pathologists and assistants. Nor was it reimbursable by Texas Medicaid (and MCOs) or private insurance policies. We relentlessly engaged with Governor Abbott, TDLR and Gov. Abbott in order to obtain approvals and coverage for our families and other Texan children.  After a tireless fight, we obtained approval from TDLR and The Governor to allow our therapists to provide our services via teletherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.   We also have obtained approval from all forms of Medicaid and private insurance companies (with the exception of a few self-funded plans).  Many of the private insurance companies have also agreed to waive patient portion of teletherapy visits. This was wonderful news for our families and other Texan children that required speech-language and occupational therapies.

You may be wondering…What IS teletherapy? How is it different than the therapy we already get? Is it “right” for my child?  Let’s explore these questions together:

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COVID-19 closure and teletherapy options at TCOB

3/31/2020

 
TCOB families:
Due to the apparent longevity of our quarantine, we have been working around the clock to get teletherapy up and running and approved by your insurance companies. Below you will find a consent for treatment via teletherapy (PDF).  We will need one of these completed for each patient being treated by our clinicians. I will be emailing families over the next couple of days, but if you want to preemptively complete the document (with signature) and email to us here.

It is important for us to note:

We have the Occupational Therapy department ready to treat starting next week via teletherapy (We will confirm appointments via text).

Speech-language department is a bit tricky at the moment because we are waiting on Governor Abbott to sign an executive order allowing the speech-language pathology assistants we all know and love (Katherine, Katie, Haylee, and Ashley) to be able to provide services via teletherapy with Amy's supervision and guidance.  So, until we get this executive order or until we are able to find another solution our hands are tied on speech-language therapy.  However, we are still preparing as though he will sign this executive order.  If you have connections to Governor Abbott feel free to advocate on our behalf.

Please remain safe and quarantined.

Kindest Regards,
Your TCOB Family

treatment_consent_teletherapy.pdf
File Size: 135 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

March 21st, 2020

3/21/2020

 
Here is an amazing resource for you! Click below to download and print this social story on the Coronavirus and about the need to quarantine. If you are having trouble explaining school closures, safety precautions, or the need to quarantine to someone you love, this is perfect!
Coronavirus Social Story
File Size: 926 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

2019 Boo-da Photo Slideshow

10/28/2019

 
Thank you everyone that came to see us at Boo-da this year! We had a blast!

Tips for a smooth summer with your kiddos!

6/4/2019

 
It seems like our kids can’t wait for the summer break from school.  I remember the excitement of NO SCHOOL! No waking up crazy early! No responsibilities!! Woo hoo!  Well, now I am an adult and the summer is just another season that passes.  When kiddos have a break from school it can be fun for them; but, challenging for caretakers.   Here are some tips to keep your summer (and your kiddos) happy and tears at a minimum.

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8 Reasons to choose TCOB

5/9/2019

 
From time to time I meet people and they ask me HOW we are different than other clinics, well here are 8 of the things I explain to them.  In all honesty, it was difficult for me to narrow it down to 8.  I feel deep in my heart that we ARE different because we really do see TCOB as a family and we love each and every family that chooses TCOB.

1. We embrace neurodiversity

At TCOB we embrace the diversity of the families we serve. We respect that all individuals are that, individuals. At our premise we want our families to feel accepted, loved, supported, celebrated, and free to communicate their thoughts and needs in the manner that works best for them. We honor communication in all forms.

2. Family Involvement

Family involvement is strongly encouraged and carry-over activities are provided on a regular basis to support generalization of therapeutic progress which accelerates mastery of skills.

3. Differential Diagnosis

Evaluations are not time based.  They are conducted face-to-face and our clinicians employ a variety of standardized, non-standardized, and criterion referenced protocols to provide differential diagnosis.  Caregivers remain with their children during evaluations to ensure a team approach.

4. ADOS-2 Testing

Our Certified Autism Specialist and lead SLP is formally trained to administer The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- 2 (ADOS-2) testing for identification (or the ruling out) of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Data, diagnosis recommendation/s, and comprehensive recommendations are discussed with the family by the evaluating clinician and provided in a narrative report.

5. Certified Autism Specialist

Therapy Center of Buda is proud to have an in-house Certified Autism Specialist, who consults with any family requesting assistance and offers parent education and access to community resources with support.



6. Collaboration

We welcome collaboration with all caretakers, educators, physicians, and specialists in order to maximize therapeutic progress and increase our families overall quality of life.

7. In and outdoor sensory gyms

We are the first facility of our kind, utilizing the traditional indoor sensory gym AND a 3,000 sq ft outdoor sensory gym. Our outdoor gym is a full sensory immersion experience that cannot be replicated in a traditional indoor sensory gym.

8. Superior Mandate Exemption

COFK (in coordination with Superior Healthplan) has agreed TCOB is a specialty facility. Receiving this designation will exempt our facility from the Superior/COFK mandate that was implemented March 1, 2018. Individuals can still obtain their evaluations and care through TCOB directly (without going through COFK).

But First, Play… The Importance of Daily Unstructured Play Opportunities in Childhood

4/5/2019

 
Written by: Emily Swogger, OTR, MS
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At Therapy Center of Buda we feel strongly about outdoor free play and providing our kiddos with a safe outdoor play space. Why are we so passionate about play? Because a child’s main occupation is to play. Play is how they learn new information in the most efficient manner. Yet in a world where children can spend up to 1200 per year on average in front of a screen, play time is rapidly being replaced with screen time. Time spent outside for children, research has shown, can be as little as 7 minutes per day!  Time spent in play in general can be as low as 30 minutes per day. Play-based activities are being decreased for a variety of reasons. On the early education front, a societal emphasis on increasing test scores or meeting Common Core requirements has shifted the focus of early learning and preschool from social emotional skills to building math and reading skills. After-school the amount of play time is decreased due to lack of time to engage in play between longer work hours and the nightly routines of dinner, homework, and bath time. For some, lack of a safe place to play in neighborhood playgrounds and parks is also contributing factor to a decrease in outside play time.  

So, why is the loss of unstructured play so important?


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Embracing neurodiversity.

3/11/2019

 
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Diversity.  We all know the obvious forms of diversity; race, nationality, gender, socioeconomic status, general background, etc. But, lately I find myself discussing a lesser known type of diversity; neurodiversity.  Neurodiversity is the concept that neurological differences (e.g., Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, etc.) are respected as any other human variation.  Therapy Center of Buda has always embraced diversity and we celebrate the diversity of our families.  We don’t believe in “cures” and we don’t want neurodivergent people to look neutrotypical.  In fact, suppressing the communicative efforts, including stims and non-spoken forms of communication have long been proven to be counterproductive to overall communicative and daily living success.  Rather, listening to each individual and their wants, desires, requests, and rejections is a way to honor their communication styles.   


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CHECK IT OUT!!!

1/26/2019

 
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Thank you.

12/15/2018

 
Therapy Center of Buda started out as just a shared dream between a mother and daughter to help others; with compassion and respect. We supplied the shell of TCOB, but you all filled it with us. Together we filled it with love, understanding, compassion, support, acceptance, hard work, knowledge, tears, hugs, and empowering each other. Today we are honored and humble to celebrate 9 years of TCOB. Thank you for being a part of our journey and allowing us to be a part of yours. We are so excited to see what the future holds as we are always evolving and becoming a better version of TCOB with the support of our community. Stay tuned...we have so many more years ahead of us!

Much Love,
​Amy and Deborah

SENSORY HALLOWEEN SCAVENGER HUNT

10/30/2018

 
BY LAUREN DROBNJAK

This Sensory Halloween Scavenger Hunt is the perfect way to keep kids calm if they’re nervous or overwhelmed by Trick or Treating.

For some kids, Halloween is the best holiday of the year — candy, anyone? For others, it’s a night of complete sensory overload. From itchy costumes to strange new sounds, this spooky October evening can be a nightmare for kids with sensory processing concerns or even for kids who just get overwhelmed easily.

We thought it would be fun to take our popular Sensory Motor Scavenger Hunt and twist it up…Halloween style!
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Whether your kiddo just needs a little distraction from the scary chainsaw house in the cul-de-sac or she needs a way to take it all in from a distance, we think this Halloween scavenger hunt will fit the bill.


Original source: https://theinspiredtreehouse.com/sensory-halloween-scavenger-hunt/

Fortnite and Kids With ADHD or Social Skills Issues: 7 things I tell parents

9/27/2018

 
Expert Corner blog post by Mark J. Griffin, Ph.D. 
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I played the video game Fortnite the other day with my teen grandson. As an educator, I’ve worked with thousands of kids with ADHD, social skills issues and similar challenges. And I wanted to know more about how Fortnite might affect them.

Fortnite is an online, multiplayer shooter video game. It’s free and can be played on a computer, on a gaming system like the Xbox, or on a mobile device. The most popular game mode is Battle Royale, where 100 players drop onto an island, try to find construction materials and weapons, and fight each other to be the last person (or team of people) standing. Players can talk to one another, and each game lasts 20 minutes. To get a sense of what it’s like, imagine an arcade version of the film The Hunger Games.

Fortnite has taken the world by storm. An estimated 50 million people play. There are news reports of kids playing at all hours of the day, late at night, and even under their desks at school. And many experts have weighed in on whether the game is good for kids.


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12 Things To Listen For In Your Next ARD Meeting

9/22/2018

 
by Bonnie Landau | Advocacy, IEP, Infographic, Special Ed Law

The IEP Team is suppose to help support your child, but sometimes their approach can be misleading. Knowing the law is key when advocating for your child. In my book, Special Ed Mom Survival Guide, I spend considerable time helping you learn about the law and how to apply it. In attending many IEP meetings as a special education advocate, I realized that the schools don’t quote the law when the deny services. Their information is hidden in messages that sound legitimate.
Here are 12 phrases I often hear that are really the IEP Team’s way of skirting around their obligation to provide services.

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Solutions for the financial strain of medical costs

6/24/2018

 
Having a child with special needs can be an emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially draining on a family. When diagnosed with a significant impairment like a genetic syndrome (e.g., Down Syndrome, Trisomy 13, XXX Syndrome, Marfan Syndrome), a congenital anomaly (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cleft Lip/Palate, Encephalopathy, Spina Bifida, Encephalopathy), or an acquired syndrome (e.g., Traumatic Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Aphasia) parents are inundated with doctor appointments and recommendations for therapies, medications, follow-ups, etc. In a perfect world, insurance would pay for everything recommended by a medical professional and we wouldn’t worry about the rising costs of said care. But, unfortunately that isn’t our reality.

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    Amy Grant is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, Certified Autism Specialist and Clinic Director of Therapy Center of Buda.

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WHAT OUR PARENTS SAY 

I am so happy with the care my daughter gets here. Everyone is helpful and patient. Amy took extra time 
with me and my wife to explain exactly what was happening with my daughter and explain how therapy was going to help. I love that she involves us in the sessions and we have seen major improvements. I would recommend this clinic to anyone!
-Paul S.
I can't say enough about how much my son has progressed and continues to progress in their care. The love and compassion, professional atmosphere, and top notch therapists make this place the best in central Texas. We are forever grateful to Amy Grant, Miss Angeli, Suzie and Brandi.


- Amy P.
Photos used under Creative Commons from stevendepolo, stevendepolo, stevendepolo