A father cheering on his young son while he completes a puzzle.

What is Cognitive Flexibility?

Working with children can be a challenge. There may be times within the school day when students need to transition, whether physically or from one task to another. When it is time to transition to a writing lesson after recess, many kids may be upset with the disruption. Of course, most children will be able to make the move back into the classroom and get to their writing, but some children will still struggle with the transition. Practicing this from week to week makes it easier for the majority of kids. When you practice this with your students you are improving their cognitive flexibility.

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A child drawing a chalk rainbow on the pavement.

Maintaining Progress with Speech Therapy Exercises

Winter and summer breaks are an excellent way to prevent both students and school professionals from being worn out. However, it is also important for students to stay consistent with not only their school work, but also any therapy they are doing during typical school hours. Progress can be lost both academically and socially during extended breaks if a student doesn’t practice what they have been taught in class and therapy.

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A teletherapist during an online session.

Integrating Speech Teletherapy in Schools

Many schools are having trouble finding enough speech-language pathologists to work with their students. The increased demand for these professionals is not only within schools but also to work with other populations. Many SLP candidates are opting to work with adults, such as those who have had strokes and veterans who may have had injuries that resulted in the loss of speech. One major factor for the increase demand is the increase in the number of children that require assistance with speech therapy.

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A mother and a daughter in front of a laptop.

Benefits of Speech Therapy for Children

School-based therapy can cover a wide range of services from psychologists, school nurses, speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, sign language interpreters, and more. The goal of the school district is to create a comprehensive team of professionals who can come together to create the best learning environment for students with developmental disabilities. For example, special education teachers can help teach students who are unable to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Speech-language pathologists can help these students learn the communication skills they need to make themselves heard. Occupational and physical therapists can help them with any physical challenges they need to overcome.

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A child using a therapy swing in a physical therapy room.

Therapy Swings – How They Help Students at School

In sensory therapy, some approaches work better than others. One proven therapeutic treatment is the use of therapy swings. There are many versions of swings available today, each with specific functions and purposes. Occupational therapists incorporate them into sensory integration therapy with various goals depending on the student’s needs. More and more schools use these valuable tools today than ever before, and students across the spectrum of learning challenges can benefit significantly from them. Whether students need to calm down, recover from overstimulation, or develop their sensory processing capabilities, a swing may offer the solution.

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