Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): Access Methods & Selection Techniques
There are many ways we can choose to communicate. For example, when a child is too shy to speak to an unfamiliar partner, they may whisper their message in an accompanying adult’s ear to convey it for them. In AAC, how a child interacts with a device to control it for communication, is referred to as the access method or selection technique. The method an individual uses to select items for communication can vary, the most well-known option is pointing. This blog will discuss other access methods for children with varying physical and sensory needs.
What Is Augmentative and Alternative Communication
October is AAC awareness month. Awareness is not just about being aware of something’s existence, but also about embracing and accepting what it has to offer. In this post, we’ll be touching on the basics of AAC.
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy in paediatrics uses participation in purposeful, age-appropriate activities that enable children to develop their sensory, motor and perceptual abilities. We aim to facilitate improved participation in a child’s areas of occupation including their...
Getting Your Little One Communicating at Home
Lockdown has been a challenging time for everyone, especially for parents who are working from home as well as caring for their young babies and toddlers. Having to...
It’s Tummy Time!
Parents are overwhelmed with information from various media platforms on how to maximise their baby’s development. Oftentimes they are met with conflicting information from these platforms and they are left more confused than before. One of the most confusing data is...
Effects of The COVID-19 Pandemic on The Development of Young Children
‘Sara laid in bed that night and did not feel like a hero at all. She felt upset. She wanted to go to school but her school was closed. She wanted to see her friends but it was not safe. Sara wanted the coronavirus to stop scaring her world.’[i] (Excerpt from ‘My Hero...
Music Therapy with Infants (0-3 Years)
Why Use Music for Babies?Research suggests that babies prefer music over simple speech sounds. It has been proven that infants between 5 months and 2 years respond to music by rocking and moving their bodies to the music. Not only do they rock and move to...
Tips for Saving, Freezing, and Reusing Breast Milk
By following recommended storage and preparation techniques, breastfeeding mothers and caregivers of infants and children who are breastfed can maintain the safety and quality of expressed breast milk for the health of the baby. These are general...
Vision: What Can My Baby See in The First Year?
At BirthAt birth, a baby blinks in response to light. A new-born baby may focus on a stationary object fairly well, but would likely not follow it if it moves. It is easier for a new-born baby to see something next to them using peripheral vision, as...
Fostering Self-Regulation in Infants and Toddlers
What is Self-Regulation?It is the capacity to which a child can manage their responses, both behaviorally and emotionally, to changes in their environment or within situations[1]. In practical terms, it is the way your child copes with changes in their...