Focus

Many times a speech or language disorder is not isolated, meaning the person also has ADHD or Central Auditory Processing or Sensory Integration Disorders or Autism. The symptoms overlap for many of these disorders.

I'm learning that I can know or try many different ideas to help a specific problem, but I won't get anywhere if I can't get the child to focus.

Here are a few ideas I have learned and I would love to learn more so please share if you could:

1. Introduce an auditory signal (simple watch beep, subtle piano note played at different intervals of time), when the person hears this signal he is to redirect his attention by giving eye contact, checking wiggles, turn off voice. This strategy can be helpful for a teenager who uses cell phones. Program an auditory signal as a reminder to focus every fifteeen minutes.
2. Use lists, which gives child visual indication of what needs to be accomplished and a sense of accomplishment in crossing off items
3. When person becomes unfocused, add some movement (also referred to as binaural integration -- use both brain hemispheres):
•  - throw a weighted ball
•  write name in the air with non-dominant hand
• ask child to write the sound a duck makes (or any animal)
4. Jury's still out on this idea but I've recently tried giving person a little "stress" ball that can be squeezed during the session. I'm hoping this takes away from obsessive tendencies.
5. Whisper Instruction
6. Slow rate of speech

That's all for now. Thanks for reading,

Colette