Comox Valley Speech Therapy
211C-750 Comox Rd V9N3P6 Courtenay, BC, Canada

https://www.facebook.com/childrenshearingbc/posts/3687180071334747

This is an important reminder

Here's a fun pre-reading activity for younger kids! Focus on hearing sounds and rhyming words. https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/hearing-sounds/

Let us know how we can help you; we have so much to offer and would love to meet you -- send us an email or visit us at https://www.comoxvalleyspeechtherapy.com/contact to set up your first session!

Registration open for Toilet Training for Everyone! Register now for 4 free events via web stream - https://mailchi.mp//registration-open-for-toilet-training-

Ginger approves these messages!

Only 5 more weeks to use up your extended health benefits! Let us help you with that! In person and zoom sessions available!

This is an amazing interview between a mom and her son on what it is like to have anxiety. Worth the watch to learn more about mental illness and children!

Happy Halloween from (some of) the Riverside Therapy team! We are celebrating with a combined Halloween & pyjama day here at the clinic. Stay safe this weekend, and happy trick or treating!

Online Speech and Language Treatments ONLINE THERAPY IS HERE IN FULL FORCE!! We hope that all is well with you and your family during this time. ... We are pleased to say that we have moved to a teletherapy model and the response from our clients and our funding sources has been very positive and supportive. We encourage you to give it a try. Our session can range from 30 mins to an hour and you can book your sessions over the phone, by email, or online now using our website/ Jane account. Some of the questions we have had: How do I start? Most of our sessions are being done via the platform Zoom. In order to prepare yourself or your child for a teletherapy session, you will need to download the free program here: https://zoom.us/ or use the link buttons below. Five to ten minutes before your session, we will email you with a Zoom link, code, and password to join our meeting. Follow the email link. Does it work? Yes!!! Research has shown the effectiveness of telepractice. You continue to get great services out of the comfort of your own home. Also, it is not considered "screen time" due to its interactive ability versus a passive source of information. What if my child does not participate? Young kids (and kids and adults of all ages) are very interested in the activities we are doing. If your child is very young (e.g., 3 and under), we may need to take more movement breaks and work with the parents/families on strategies that they can be implementing at home. What do I need? A computer with a good connection is ideal. An iPad will work as well. You need a quiet work space (e.g., away from other siblings or pets if possible). Have some of your child’s favorite activities nearby. An adult/older sibling should also be available to help if there are tech issues. A water bottle close by is also a great idea! I’m not tech savvy. Can I really do this? Yes!!! We are in the same position and we’re working it out. We’re also happy to give you 5-10 minutes before your session to make sure you have the technology sorted out. What are the costs? The costs are the same as your session costs in the office. Of course, if your therapist was travelling to you previously, there will not be a travel cost. Is it secure? The program we are using is password protected and encrypted. You will get an individualized link to get into the program. We are not recording sessions unless we get your permission. Although we cannot guarantee the security (after all, it is the internet), there is no personal information shared in the program. Please reach out and give it a try :) Ginger and I hope to see you online soon!! Dex

Ginger’s first day working from our home office! She’s making sure I stay on task with my teletherapy conference learning how to help everyone from home. I think she misses saying hi to all our kiddos at the door. We would love to see all your office doggos/ pets to help stay connected during social isolation! #slpuppies

Office Halloween Contest Cast Your Votes! Do you need to see the pumpkins up close to make your choice? Give us a call or send us an email to book a session this week!

Dear CVST friends, families, clients and staff, In light of the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation, we've decided to close the office for the next week. Many of our clients have compromised immune systems, and in an attempt to help with the social-distancing prerogative we think that this is the safest decision for everyone involved. We will continue to keep you updated, and will let you know what our plan is moving forward based on new information. We apologize for th...e change in routines. Please look for an update for us Sunday (March 22) evening. Here are some easy and fun activities to do at home during this time of social distancing. Keeping it slow, repetitive, and at the language level of you loved one is the key! Stay safe and healthy!

Some great strategies and ideas we tell to all our clients to help build language skills for their young ones!

It's that time of year again! Can you believe it's almost the end of 2020?? Luckily, those with extended medical benefits still have time to use up that Speech Therapy funding! The good news is, you do not need a doctor's referral to use extended benefits for Speech Therapy.... All you need to do is give us a call and book an appointment! Bonus good news is...we have 2 new practitioners! Victoria and Melissa have joined the CVST team this fall, and would love to help you with your goals. Thanks to our growing team, we have plenty of availability to fit all sorts of schedules. Questions? Send us an email, give us a call, or leave a comment below! https://www.comoxvalleyspeechtherapy.com/contact

Autism is often misunderstood because it really is complex, and presents in a wide variety of ways across a very large spectrum. I love this visual because it’s... easy to read, concise, and consistent with many characteristics commonly seen in younger children. These characteristics will change with age, may present differently, or may appear improved- but in autism, there will continue to be differences in these 3 key areas: Language, socialization, and Repetitive behaviors/restricted interests. It does not have to be every single thing listed here- these are just common examples! You can read more about autism here: www.mrsspeechiep.com/autism and if you are concerned, check my stories for what an autism assessment may look like! See more

We are up and running with our amazing friends at Child's Play Physiotherapy, Laura Forseth Therapy Through Play, and Early Essentials Behaviour Consulting! Comox Valley Speech Therapy and Riverside Therapy Services were born out of the desire to help our Vancouver Island communities, like the one I grew up in! I received similar supports as a child and I want to spend my career giving back and supporting our community by helping all ages with their communication needs :) ... Also LOVE the Ginger shout out!!! https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com//riverside-offers-range/

We can use different language with our little ones to promote critical thinking and problem solving :)

Our words are important.

A good reminder when handing out treats this year!

Learn all there is to know about ADHD, children, and mental health on our latest, "Where You Are" podcast episode!

Happy September! We are so excited to have our new greeting chart from The Core Coaches. Kiddos can now choose their favourite way to say Hello & Goodbye! This is a great way to practice greetings in a structured environment to help learn this important social skill for everyday use!

I think this poster was just inevitable. Understanding echolalia Echolalia is a part of all human communication and is typically used across all ages and stages... of development To understand a person’s echolalic reference, we first must understand the context of that reference Echolalia can be used as self regulation or simply because it feels good and is fun to do. Echolalia is a form of language development where the individual repeats phrases or words that they have heard or read previously. All echolalia serves a function. It is up to us, the communication partner, to accurately understand and interpret that function. 95% of echolalia is a form of communication. Echolalia and autism Echolalia can be more intense in duration and application It can often be about an emotion or feeling experienced at the time of hearing/reading the phrase, and not necessarily the words themselves, making context hard to decipher Hearing impaired people on the autism spectrum use echolalic signs. Echolalia is about language development not talking All you really need to know is... For communication to thrive and grow we need to celebrate it, no matter the form it appears in. Research shows us that by simply validating and celebrating the person’s method of communication you are showing that the person is heard and valued. This is shown to be one of the best predictors for long term quality of life Reference source https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-little-black-duck/echolalia/2998714573503602/ See more