BHSM Ready to Use Resources for Parents, Educators, Professionals, & SLPs

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!

BHSM is an opportunity for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to share important information about who we are, what we do, communication development, communication health, and more!

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2015, 7.7% of students in the United States were diagnosed with a communication disorder. Among children and adolescents, speech disorders are the most common type of communication disorder, followed by language impairments. Knowing the symptoms of communication disorders helps those in need access early intervention and speech therapy services earlier, resulting in a better, long-term prognosis.

The following on-line resources provide parents, caregivers, family members, teachers, educators, speech-language pathologists, and others with information on communication development, communication health, and

symptoms associated with communication disorders.

So, check out these user-friendly resources!!

Source: The American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Identify the Signs Campaign

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) reports that 1 in 12 children (age 3 to 17) are diagnosed with a communication disorder involving speech, language, voice, and/or swallowing difficulties.

Knowing what developmental skills are expected at a specific age can be a confusing and overwhelming process in and of itself.

This award-winning

public outreach campaign

from ASHA provides parents, educators, and professionals with information about the early signs and symptoms associated with communication difficulties. Information is available on symptoms associated with the development of early speech and language skills in children, stuttering, voice disorders, and acquired speech and language difficulties in adults and symptoms associated with hearing loss

in both children and adults.

Organizations, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have also released apps to help parents keep track of early communication skills, providing them with resources to seek professional guidance from a pediatrician, speech-language pathologist, or audiologist when needed.

Communicating with Baby:

Tips and Milestones from Birth to Age 5

ASHA offers parents and

professionals alike a free toolkit highlighting important communication milestones. Booklets not only detail expected milestones but provide tips to support communication development through daily reading activities. From infancy to 5 years of age, seven booklets are available for download in both English and Spanish.

Listen to Your Buds

According to the American Speech-

Language-Hearing Association, 1 in 6 adolescents has been diagnosed with a high-frequency hearing loss, meaning it was most likely caused by excessive noise. This type of hearing loss can be prevented by minimizing one's exposure to loud and excessive noise. If people around you can hear the music coming from your earbuds, your music is too loud and in turn increases your risk of noise-induced hearing loss. That's why you should always Listen to your Buds.

Lower the volume

ASHA recommends listening at half volume

Limit listening time

Give your hearing quiet breaks

Upgrade your headphones

Listening in a noisy environment, results in users raising the volume. Quality equipment means that the sounds around you don't compete with the sounds of your tunes.

Talk to Your Kids

Don't just talk about good listening

habits with kids, show them! Actions are stronger than words.

For more information, check out The National Institutes of Health's website Noisy Planet!

Autism Navigator

The Autism Institute at Florida State University College of Medicine created this incredible on-line resource for parents, educators, and professionals. What sets the Autism Navigator apart from other resources is their commitment to bridge the gap between scientific research and those who stand to benefit the most - children diagnosed with Autism, their families, and the professionals who work with them. The Autism Navigator features a variety of web-based tools including developmental information, a video glossary, courses, on-line screening, handouts, a provider directory, and more.

The Communication Bill of Rights

The National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC) drafted the Communication Bill of Rights. The document outlines fundamental communication rights afforded to every individual diagnosed with a communication difficulty or disorder. Communication is a basic human right. Everyone deserves the opportunity to meaningfully participate in their daily life, enacting change through the communication of their needs, wants, thoughts, and ideas. Speech-language pathologists are charged with maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of communicative exchanges for individuals diagnosed with a communication disorder. We often think of communication in terms of verbal interactions. Howeve r, communication occurs through a variety of modalities, all of which SLPs use to maximize communication skills. These include, but aren't limited to written correspondence; gestures, such as waving or pointing; facial expressions; body language; tone of voice; and many more.

For more information, visit the

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

at www.asha.org

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