There are a variety of reasons as to why your child might be non-verbal; whether they have Autism Spectrum Disorder, are pre-verbal, or have delayed verbal skills. Regardless, it is still important to be able to communicate with your child. There are multiple ways to communicate with your non-verbal child, however, if possible, it may be beneficial to speak to a professional to see what ways work best for you and your child.

It’s important to note that these are supplemental ways to communicate, and they shouldn’t be used to replace any form of speech therapy. The first way is to keep talking to your child and try to include them in conversations, and refrain from speaking about them as if they aren’t there. 

It’s helpful to pay attention to signs and behaviors. Spoken words are only a part of daily communication, there are a lot of other ways people communicate besides speaking. An example is body language, such as pointing, or facial expressions.

Another way to supplement communication is to take a pause after speaking. This means that it might be helpful to act like you’re having a spoken conversation, by pausing you’re allowing your child to react and/or communicate in a way that they can. 

If you’re interested in reading about other ways to communicate with your non-verbal child, click

https://www.verywellfamily.com/communicating-with-a-nonverbal-child-4177579

Kaitlyn Vitucci, Research Assistant UConn KIDS

 

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesdays!

This weeks question is… There are 4 types of parenting styles; which style type is defined as parents who encourage independence with limits, parents who are warm and nurturing, and are correlated with childs social competence, social responsibility, and self reliance?

A. Authoritarian
B. Authoritative
C. Neglectful
D. Permissive

Last weeks question was…”True or false: Albert Bandura’s social learning theory states that observational learning plays a primary role in how/why people learn.” The answer was true!

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this weeks question!

 

 

Early childhood plays a pivotal role in brain development, crucial for cognition and mental well-being.  Socioeconomic status significantly influences brain health, with higher income linked to better cognitive skills and brain structure. However, a study suggests that reading for pleasure in early childhood can mitigate some negative effects of poverty on the brain. This finding is based on an analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development project, involving over 10,000 participants. Remarkably, reading for pleasure correlates with improved cognition, mental health, and educational achievement in adolescence, regardless of socioeconomic status. It’s a simple yet powerful intervention that could level the playing field for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This highlights the importance of equal opportunities in early childhood for fostering healthy brain development.

Language learning through reading serves as a foundational element in healthy brain development, enhancing various cognitive functions. Promoting reading for pleasure emerges as a powerful strategy to counteract the impacts of poverty on brain health, offering hope for better outcomes. Further research is warranted to delve deeper into poverty’s influence on brain development and to identify additional interventions to support vulnerable children.

Despite the multifaceted nature of poverty’s impact on brain development, reading offers a straightforward avenue for improvement. Language learning through reading is crucial for brain development and enhances various cognitive functions. The study underscores the need for comprehensive approaches to address the effects of poverty on brain health. Promoting reading for pleasure could serve as a vital strategy in this endeavor, potentially mitigating the long-term consequences of socioeconomic disparities. Further research is necessary to deepen our understanding of poverty’s influence on brain development and to identify additional interventions to support vulnerable children.

To dig into this captivating article click here

 

 

Jasleen Kaur, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

 

 

 

Jasleen Kaur, UConn KIDS, Research Assistant

In her captivating talk, the speaker delves into a transformative approach to parenting aimed at nurturing resilient, self-reliant, and entrepreneurial children. She challenges conventional methods by advocating against simply handing out allowances, instead urging parents to inspire their kids to launch their own businesses for spending money. By making children work for what they desire, parents instill essential values like responsibility and ownership from an early age. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of scaling back on excess and abundance, as excessive indulgence can hinder children’s motivation and hunger for success.

Encouraging children to follow their passions and interests, she argues, fosters a lifelong love for learning and innovation. Crucially, parents are urged to resist the impulse to solve every problem for their children, fostering independence and critical thinking.

These strategies, she insists, not only cultivate the entrepreneurial mindset but also equip children with the skills needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world. Through anecdotes and personal experiences, she illustrates how implementing these principles can empower children to overcome challenges, embrace failure, and realize their full potential. By nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit, parents lay the groundwork for their children to lead fulfilling and successful lives, regardless of their future career paths.

To watch this TED Talk, click here

 

 

Jasleen Kaur, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

For us animal lovers, pets always feel like an extension of our families. They bring so many fun memories to the table like family walks with the dogs or the first time your family met your baby kitten… but what does this do for development?

In the research article, Children’s and Adolescents’ Pet Attachment, Empathy, and Compassionate Responding to Self and Others, it examines various aspects pets contribute to child development. The main findings of this article discovers that pets allow children to develop mindful thinking strategies along with compassion towards others. The article also finds that the compassion and empathy child already possess impacts their attachment with their pet.

 

To read more about this study, click here!

 

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday!

This weeks question is… True or false: Albert Bandura’s social learning theory states that observational learning plays a primary role in how/why people learn.

A. True
B. False

Last weeks question was…”True or false: object permanence is a milestone in childhood development in which children understand that an object exists even when it’s not visible” The answer is true!

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this weeks question!

Being a new parent can be both exciting and extremely nerve wracking at the same time. Truthfully there is no “right” way to do things and there isn’t going to be a miracle solution. If you are a new parent, hopefully a few words of encouragement can help put your mind at ease. 

The most important thing to remember is that there is no ideal or perfect parent. With that being said here are some encouraging words from real parents:

“Trust your instincts more than what others will tell you ‘is the right thing to do’”

“Saying ‘no’ isn’t easy. Being a parent doesn’t always mean that your kids are happy with you. Being your kids biggest fan is the most important part of the job! Choose your battles carefully, making sure it is really worth the fight.”

“Do not judge other parents (and their parenting styles) and their kids. You have no idea what goes on in their life. Also, make sure you keep your other identities in life- as wife, friend, employee, etc.”

If you want to read more quotes from real parents, or add your own advice, read here! https://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/words-of-wisdom-for-new-parents-from-real-parents

Kaitlyn Vitucci, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

The teen years can be difficult for both the parents and teenagers themselves. Teenagers naturally start to develop some sense of independence, and this can make parenting especially difficult. While teenagers start to explore new activities and find themselves they naturally start to pull away, however it’s still important to maintain a healthy parent-child relationship. With this in mind, there are a few ways to help!

One of the most important things is to validate their feelings. Rather than simply trying to give solutions or tell them whatever they’re upset about isn’t a big deal, just listen to them and give them an understanding ear. This makes it a lot easier for the teen themselves to confide in their parental figure. 

Parents typically set the rules and boundaries for their teens, and sometimes the teens don’t listen, regardless it’s important to explain your rules and why they’re set in place. This can give a sense of respect and understanding between the parent and child. 

It’s not uncommon for teens to have emotional outbursts, or anyone of any age, but it’s important for the parent to control their emotions in response. It might be easier for an adult to control their emotions and emotional responses, so it’s crucial to calm down before responding. If you find that you might need some more time to cool down, take a break and talk about the issue at hand at a better time. 

Hopefully some of these tips helped and if you’re interested in reading click here!

https://childmind.org/article/tips-communicating-with-teen/

Kaitlyn Vitucci, Research Assistant UConn KIDS

 

Emily Jackson is a doctoral candidate and research assistant in Dr. Bernard Grela’s Child Language Lab in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences department. She is an OSEP scholar in the Early Childhood Intervention Doctoral Consortium (ECiDC) and is interested in early childhood language development, parent perspectives and experiences, and IDEA Part C Early Intervention services. Emily is collecting data for her dissertation study titled, Cultural variation in parental ethnotheories on early childhood language development and disorders: Exploring Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents’ perspectives (BRANY IRB #23-281-910). The purpose of this research study is to improve speech language pathologists’ understanding of cultural variation in Hispanic and non-Hispanic, white parental beliefs and practices related to young children’s language development.

The is a one-time commitment of about 2 hours total. The study can be conducted in person or online based on participant’s preference. Parent volunteers will have their child’s language evaluated by a licensed speech language pathologist using a standardized language assessment (about 20-30 minutes). Parents will answer questions to assess the language skills of children under 36 months. Children 3-5 years old will be asked to participate in a language assessment by answering questions about pictures. Parents will then participate in an audio-recorded interview about their beliefs and practices related to their children’s language development (about 1 hour). The study will conclude with parents completing a series of online surveys (about 20 minutes).

 

Emily’s research has focused on culturally responsive practices in speech language pathology. Emily also works as an early intervention SLP conducting evaluations and providing home visiting services to parents of children under 3 years old who have developmental delays or disabilities. This clinical work has inspired her research as she aims to better understand cultural variation in parents’ experiences to shape recommendations for SLPs and related service providers.

 

In her free time, Emily enjoys playing ice hockey in the winter and going to the beach in the summer.