What is a Speech Pathologist’s role? It is the Speech Pathologist’s role to maximise an individual’s communication to help improve their quality of life ( Speech Pathology Australia, 2020 ). So, what is Augmentative Alternative Communication? ·      Augmentative Alternative Communication, or AAC, is another way to communicate besides spoken word.   ·      AAC makes use of a variety of strategies, techniques and devices which can help support children with communication diffic

As a parent, you're always looking for healthy, enriching activities for your child, ones that foster creativity, build life skills, and maybe even pull them away from screens for a while. One such activity, which has been quietly transforming kids’ lives for decades, is the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). You might have heard of D&D in passing—or remember it as a niche game from the '80s but today it’s enjoying a massive resurgence. And it’s not just ab

When we picture resilience, many of us imagine a child who “toughs it out,” doesn’t cry, or bounces back without missing a beat. But this version of resilience misunderstands how developing brains work. True resilience is rarely quiet and calm. Real resilience is something children learn and develop, slowly, gently, with the help of the safe adults around them. Resilience is not a trait that children either have or don’t have, rather as a skill that unfolds through connection

Communication is a big part of how children connect with the world around them. It helps them build friendships, express their needs, learn at school, and develop confidence. A Speech Pathologist works to support and maximise a child’s communication skills so they can participate more fully in everyday life. Speech Pathologists support children with many areas of communication, including speech sounds, language development, understanding instructions, social communication, a

If your child seems to resist even the simplest requests like brushing teeth, getting dressed, coming to the table and this happens daily, you're not alone. You might feel like every task turns into a battle, and despite your best efforts, nothing seems to work. For some families, this extreme resistance is more than just typical childhood defiance. It might be a sign of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) a profile of autism that’s often misunderstood, but very real. What Is