Supporting the Oral Sensory Need to Chew #ARKTherapeuticProducts #selfregulation #speechtherapy

This week I've been looking for a safe outlet for one of my teen clients who has a significant sensory need to chew. Although it is important for his self-regulation, it can seriously impede our speech-language therapy sessions. I've tried oral chewing tubes found in my local stores, but he's made short work of them and my wallet can't afford to keep up with replacements. The hunt has been on for an alternative that can withstand his level of need. Thankfully, ARK Therapeutic has come to my rescue. They offer an incredible variety of sensory chews with different toughness levels. After talking with a very helpful representative about my sensory-seeking friend, she was able to recommend the XT, Medium-Firm Chewy for him. I really appreciate that ARK Therapeutic was developed by an experienced speech-language pathologist who understands firsthand the needs that clinicians are trying to meet. Check out the sensory chew necklaces I've been trialing this week...

Family Game Night: Unearth #BrotherwiseGames

Dice and cards? We're in! Unearth from Brotherwise Games takes beautiful artwork and combines five dice and broad strategy into a family fun card game. Lots of games have great artwork but few also use probability and hexagonal puzzle placement to make the whole experience fun.

Educational Apps for Kids: Smarty Ears Phonological Awareness Lab

Phonological awareness is a critical foundational reading skill for kids. As an SLP, I work on this skill often with my school-age clients. Over the years, I've relied on hands-on manipulatives and paper-based activities to target these goals. The problem is, my days are filled with travel between the clinic and several schools every day. Lugging around materials for a full load of clients can become very cumbersome. When a friend told me about Smarty Ears Phonological Awareness Lab, I was really excited about the idea of transporting materials on my iPad instead of hauling around overflowing bags. The big question though...does the app offer quality activities that can replace some of my paper-based tasks? After reviewing it on my own and trialing it with a few of my clients, the answer is YES! This app is well worth adding to your bag of tricks. Not only would I recommend it for SLPs, it's a fantastic app for teachers and parents as well. Check out what it has to offer as well as my thoughts on each component below...

Family Game Night: Boss Monster #Brotherwise Games

My childhood was during the great NES revolution and many an afternoon was whiled away enjoying the classic video games of the era. And now, combining my beloved memories with our family game nights comes a stunning dungeon building deck! Boss Monster is exactly what it looks like: a card game where you build a five room dungeon that various heroes must battle through to reach you, the Boss of the level. That's right, you are the bad guy! Brotherwise Games has definitely hit a home run here. 

Waterpik® Chrome PowerSpray+™ Dual Shower Head #homemakeover #homeupgrades

This month we are focusing on easy ways to update our home. Our bathrooms had been looking pretty tired, but we found that simply upgrading the shower head makes a big difference. It's an affordable start to modernizing the room. Forget bringing in a handyman because this is about as easy as any DIY project can get.

We chose the Waterpik® Chrome PowerSpray+ Dual Shower Head for it's sleek design and multi-spray versatility. It provides six handheld spray and one rainfall spray setting. The 2-way diverter of this Waterpik® model allows you to switch easily between the handheld and the fixed mount shower head. Both heads feature a variety of spray settings that allow the water force to be adjusted. It's like a spa experience for your home! 

Explaining Foster Care Adoption thru Storybooks: Elliot by Julie Pearson #adoptionpicturebooks

Some of you may know that our family has begun navigating our way through the adoption process. We've decided to adopt through the foster care system, which is as exciting as it is daunting. With as many questions as we cross off the list, it still manages to grow longer rather than shorter. One critical question we're focusing on this week is:

How do we help our children feel secure in their foster care adoption story? 

Bosch 500 Series dishwasher with advanced PrecisionWash technology and AutoAir @BestBuy, @BoschHomeUS, #ad

A little fresh air equals a lot more dry with the new Bosch 500 Series dishwasher available at Best Buy just in time for the holiday season! The latest dishwasher from Bosch delivers an incredible, sparkling clean and dry technology with advanced PrecisionWash technology and AutoAir.

Home Study Information #AdoptionTips

The Home Study

The term “home study” encompasses all of the paperwork, interviews, and verification needed for adoption agencies to freely communicate back-and-forth regarding potential matches. Your home study is the first thing requested when you inquiry about potential adoption matches.

Educational Apps for Kids: Tiny Hands Super Bundle #languageskills #speechapps

Looking for ways to practice beginner language skills? The Tiny Hands Super Bundle offers ten different learning apps to support learning of colors, shapes, first words, matching, categorization and logical thinking. Each app is super colorful and engaging for little ones and the games are a fun way for adult and child to interact together. Learning through play can be so powerful and Kids Academy kept this philosophy in mind when they developed their Tiny Hands apps. Their mission is to help identify and nurture the talents of children at the earliest stage, boost their academic abilities and give them a head start in the world. Check out my thoughts on each app in the bundle below!

Ditch the Soda and Try Kombucha: A Healthy Holiday Drink Alternative #holidayhosting

Guest Post By: Amy Hernandez

During the holidays everyone loves to celebrate and dig into all the yummy food on the table. But if this year you are trying to cut back on sweets and fats then the holiday season can be quite a challenge. But it shouldn't be! An easy trick to getting something sweet in your system without overdoing it with those holiday cookies is by, putting healthy sugars and supplements in your body like those found in kombucha.