Speech in Everyday Activities

While I was going through The Autism Workbook by Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP who does Teach Me To Talk, I came across a quote that just made me say wow.

Now twenty to twenty-five hours a week could seem like a lot when you look at it as a big number, but break it down it's only 3 hours a day. You don't have to sit there for 3 straight hours putting on a show like Blue's Clues. It can be included in everyday activities that you might not even think of as doing anything engaging or practicing speech.

Waking up

When you get your kiddo from their crib in the morning you say hello to them, make eye contact, talk to them. "Hello. Did you sleep well?" or "Good morning. We had a rough night." Reach your hands to them and say "up" when you're going to pick them up from their crib and "down" when you put them down or lay them down to change them. Do they need some cuddles before they're ready to get up a go, you can talk to them about what you'll do that day or look at a book.

Diaper changes

Diaper changing time happens multiple times a day and each time is a few minutes where you can be engaging and interacting one on one with your child. Start out by just telling them what's going on "I'm going to change your diaper. Let's lay down." Name the items, diapers, wipes, cream. You tell them they're wet or poopy, however you would like to put it, long before they are getting ready to potty train.

You can even give them instructions during diaper time. Teach them to get a diaper, let them hold it until it's time to put it on. Then ask for it so they can hand it to you. Ask them to lay down and then to stand up when you're done.

When it does to get to potty training time, you can use that time when they're waiting on the potty to be face to face talk about what they're doing. You could look at books together, there are tons of potty training books out there. It's sometimes when you can interact and they may be pretty stuck there until they go.

Mealtimes

At mealtimes, I like to say give options when you can. Sometimes it's not possible and that's perfectly ok. When you can though give choices, "Do you want blueberries or strawberries this morning?" Or "Do you want an apple or crackers for a snack?" Sometimes to start, for the ones that always want both options, offer a preferred and nonpreferred item so they learn they can pick the one they want. You will know which one they really want that way and kind of show two options but then really offer that preferred item. "Pick one, I know you want strawberries no one really wants liver."

Always tell them what you're giving them. "We're having cereal and banana for breakfast." Or even when you're making it. "I'm getting your chicken nuggets and apples ready." They may be able to help cut the banana with a kid knife or even apple pieces without the peel. Older kids can help get their food together. You can have them follow directions to put their plate in the sink. They can ask for more.

Dressing Time

You can give choices, which pajamas or shirt to wear. Always tell them what you're putting on them. Name body parts as you put their clothes. See if they will give you their foot to put in their pants or to put on their socks. Talk about the characters or things on their shirt and colors.

Bath Time

Bath time can be a good time to work on body parts as you wash them or ask them to wash, "Wash your feet." It can also be a space where they may pay more attention to you. They can't really go anywhere so you can play with making different sounds and hopefully, they'll be more interested in paying attention to you so they'll imitate more. After the bath, you can sit them in on the counter to play in the mirror, make silly faces, practice making sounds.

Bedtime

Bedtime is a good time to wind down. I find reading books is a good activity at bedtime, snuggle in a chair. You don't even need to read the book word for word. You can talk about what's on the pages. You can name the items, ask them to point to items on the page. Even if they don't want to sit and snuggle at first, keep reading and they eventually will want to join in the fun. Make it a routine, kids often do well with routines and it helps to hear the same words repeatedly.

When you think about it 5 minutes waking up, 5 minutes for every diaper change about what 7 times a day, mealtimes can be 20-30 minutes 3 times a day and maybe 2 snacks, Bathtime like 10 minutes and bedtime maybe 10-15 minutes. Add that all up and it's easily two and half hours of great interaction and opportunities for engagement. Don't miss out on the little that you can do each day to make your child a better communicator. You can fit speech activities in all aspects of your day.

What other ideas do you have to fit speech into your day?

Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP. (2020). The Autism Workbook. Standford, KY: teachmetotalk.com.