Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) know what words they want to express, but they have difficulty with the motor planning and execution required in order to verbally express the message. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) defines CAS as a neurological childhood (pediatric) speech sound disorder in which the precision and consistency of movements underlying speech are impaired in the absence of neuromuscular deficits. Some characteristics of Chilldhood Apraxia of Speech include: Inconsistent errors Difficulty with transitions between sounds and sound se ..read more

Speech therapy is an evidence based therapeutic practice which empowers individuals to gain independence and improved quality of life through communication. Like other therapeutic fields, speech therapy is both an art and a science. The science involves 6+ years of education and clinical training in anatomy, physiology, motor learning, cognitive science, and evidence based practices in diagnosis and treatment. The art involves creating treatment plans that incorporate client interests to promote learning that is both functional and fun! Speech therapists go by many different names, includin ..read more

Did you know that grants and other financial supports are available for adaptive equipment (like manual wheelchairs, power chairs, or adaptive bikes), specialty services, and even household renovations? The money is out there - but we know that finding the "right" funding fit can be a difficult process. The Boston Ability Center community is here to help! Boston Ability Center PTs, OTs, and SLPs have years of pediatric expertise. We're happy to not only recommend specialized equipment & services, but also provide clinical justification for these supports. We can even get you connected wit ..read more

By Megan Romanczyk, SLP This Autism Acceptance month, you may have seen Instagram and Facebook posts calling for greater acceptance of neurodiversity in our communities. You may have never heard of this term before, or you may be unsure of how to best respect neurodiversity while also helping your child meet their therapeutic and educational goals. We’re here to give you a breakdown of what neurodiversity is, why it’s important, and ways in which you can learn more about the neurodiversity movement! What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity is a term for the range of differences in individual bra ..read more

Myths and Facts Megan Romanczyk, M.S., CCC-SLP Myth: Bilingual children have delayed expressive and receptive vocabulary development. Fact: Bilingual/multilingual children are not more likely than monolingual children to have difficulties with language, to show delays in learning, or to be diagnosed with a language disorder (Paradis, Genesee, & Crago, 2010; Petitto & Holowka, 2002). Apparent differences in expressive vocabulary can be explained by bilingual children’s conceptual vocabulary across languages (Marchman et al., 2010). Conceptual vocabulary refers to the number of concepts ..read more

Megan Romanczyk, MS CCC-SLP DIR is an evidence-based developmental, individual-differences, and relationships based model. This model was created by psychologist Dr. Stanley Greenspan, who theorized that strong, affectively-charged relationships are the avenue through which positive developmental growth takes place. In other words, DIR Floortime is based on the theory that growth takes place in the context of meaningful relationships in which the caregiver or therapist takes time to understand the strengths and individual differences of a child. This theory has since been supported by decades ..read more

When supporting children with language delays, it is important to model simplified language. Children naturally learn from the language of those around them. For children with language delays, research shows that simplifying the way we talk helps build a child’s receptive and expressive communication skills. Not only does simplified language help children better comprehend what we are saying, but it also encourages children to imitate what they hear. But just how simple are we talking? A 2017 American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Leader article summarizes the research. What is simp ..read more

Monday – Fizzy Fun We kicked off the week with all things baking soda and vinegar! Our campers started off working on some fine motor skills while having a “fizzy tea party.” Campers scooped, pinched, and squeezed to add food coloring, baking soda, and vinegar to mini teacups to make lots of different flavors of bubbly “tea.” They then headed to the gym to tackle an obstacle course, adding a test tube full of colored vinegar to a bottle with each turn through. After a lot of hard work to fill the bottle with vinegar, the kids got to watch as a balloon full of baking soda was secured to the top ..read more

Megan Romanczyk, M.S. CCC-SLP What is Gestalt Language Processing? Did you know that there is more than one way to process language? More likely than not, what you’ve learned about language development aligns with analytic language processing (ALP). For individuals who process language analytically, language development progresses through a predictable set of stages: one word, two words, phrases, and sentences. If your child developed language analytically, maybe their first word was ‘mama’. About a year later, they may have communicated ‘mama, help.’ This may have progressed to ‘mama, help m ..read more

It’s time to reflect on the myriad of skills that occupational therapists (OTs) address in their sessions, and to celebrate the progress our kiddos have made as a result! In honor of OT Month 2023, the Boston Ability Center team of hardworking, compassionate, and dedicated OTs came together to showcase what this profession is all about. Keep reading to learn more about the countless creative ideas these OTs hide in their wacky hair! What Will OT Inspire YOU To Do? Fine Motor & Visual Motor Integration Skills Fine motor skills require the precise & dexterous coordination of the small m ..read more