As a celebration of athleticism and sportsmanship, the Olympics offer a fantastic opportunity for families to engage in exciting activities that promote both gross and fine motor skill development. Whether your child dreams of becoming the next track & field champion, loves the thrill of competition and keeps a medal count, or enjoys learning about different sports and other countries, incorporating Olympic-inspired games into playtime can be both fun and functional. Grab your DIY torches and medals (maybe even bedazzle a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon by hand), and let the games begin! DIY ..read more

As the Fourth of July approaches, many of us eagerly anticipate the festivities - the colorful fireworks, the delicious barbecues, and the joyous gatherings with friends and family. However, for some individuals, particularly those with sensory sensitivities, the Fourth of July can be overwhelming and distressing due to the loud noises, bright lights, and crowded spaces associated with the celebrations. Fortunately, with a little planning and consideration, it's possible to maximize the fun of Independence Day for all, including children who may struggle with sensory issues. Here are some s ..read more

As parents, we often cringe at the sight of our little ones diving headfirst into their food (literally!) with reckless abandon, spreading mashed potatoes across the table, or gleefully squishing their peas between their fingers. We strive for cleanliness and order in our homes - which makes sense! But before you reach for another pack of Water Wipes, consider this: embracing the messiness of food play can actually be beneficial for your child's development! Messy food play is more than just a fun activity—it's a valuable learning experience that can stimulate your child's senses, promote ..read more

In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, children are often drawn towards screen-based entertainment, leaving behind the wonders of the great outdoors. Technology is not a villain; however, the simple joy of unstructured outdoor play remains an invaluable aspect of childhood development. From climbing trees to building forts, unstructured play in nature offers a myriad of benefits that nurture not only physical health but also cognitive and emotional well-being. Physical Health and Fitness: Unstructured play outdoors provides children with the opportunity to engage in physical activ ..read more

Gardening is a fun and functional way to target your child’s speech and language goals. A few ideas about how to target various receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language goals are listed below. We always encourage you to contact your child’s Speech-Language Pathologist to discuss more ways to target goals and support your child with various activities at home! Following Directions: Gardening is a fun way to work on following directions and it is a good way to practice for all ages! The complexity of the direction can be modified to meet each child’s current goals. Speak with your chil ..read more

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