A child with autism doing puzzle in ESDM Early Start Denver Model early intervention session with a certified ESDM Therapist in Bondi Junction Mascot Sydney

ESDM – a puzzle is never just a puzzle

By | ESDM

Why is the ESDM different? In the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), children learn through active engagement in an activity. It is so much more than achieving the cognitive goal of matching the puzzle piece to the correct part of the puzzle. It is more than developing the fine motor skill of getting the puzzle into place. In the ESDM, every activity focuses around play. We target multiple goals and objectives across all areas of the child’s development in every activity. In an activity such as a puzzle, the Certified ESDM Therapist will also be targeting goals in the following…

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2 and not talking, speech pathology, early intervention, communication, ESDM, early start denver model, mascot, bondi junction, sydney

My child is 2 and not talking

By | Speech Pathology

Most children start using their first words between 12-16 months of age. Some children started using words at 9 months. Other children start to talk at 18 months. Like everything else, children vary in the age that they start talking. Does it matter if a child isn’t talking at 2 years? When a child is 2 and not talking then it’s time to take a closer look at what is happening. It helps parents to know what is ‘normal’ when they are concerned about their child’s speech and language development. Understand the difference between speech and language Speech is how clearly…

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My child can't read, literacy, reading, spelling, SOunds Write, speech pathology, mascot, bondi junction,

Why can’t my child read?

By | Literacy

Children who do not learn to read in the first few years of schooling will often struggle at school. This is because reading underpins most academic learning. When children have trouble learning to read, parents often ask “why can’t my child read?”. Reading involves a lot of different things. Students need a strong foundation to learn to read. There are 5 steps that are an important part of reading. When children develop their skills across all these areas, then reading success is more likely. Phonemic Awareness This is knowing that words are made up of sounds, that some words sound…

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Speech Pathology, communication development, late talker, bondi junction, mascot, speech development

Speech development in children

By | Speech Pathology

Developing Clear Speech Sounds Clear speech development is very important for children. It is part of their overall communication development, is critical to their friendships, and it integral to children’s academic success. Some children learn to speak clearly very quickly. Other children take longer to learn to speak clearly, and some children will need help with their speech. Our Speech Pathologists at our Bondi Junction clinic believe that it is much better to identify any speech development issues early and resolve them early. When children first begin to speak, most children can’t say a lot of sounds clearly. This is…

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Young girl showing progress in Early Start Denver Model ESDM session

ESDM – how we measure progress

By | ESDM

Autism is a complex neurodevelopment condition. Early intervention is key to helping children with autism. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an intervention for young children with autism. It was developed by the MIND Institute from The University Of California Davis. It is delivered by certified ESDM therapists and we are proud to offer this early intervention to our families. Choosing an intervention for your child Now that you have chosen the intervention for your child with autism, understanding the goals for each intervention is the next step. The intervention that you choose for your child should have very…

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A child W sitting with an Occupational Therapist in and Occupational Therapy gym in Bondi Junction and Mascot in Sydney.

Occupational Therapy and ‘W’ sitting

By | Occupational Therapy

What is W sitting? ‘W’ sitting is when you sit on your bottom, with knees bent, feet tucked under and out to each side in a “W” configuration. When should I worry if my child is ‘W’ sitting? Why do children W sit? W sitting is a position that provides a wide base of support for children to feel stable and balanced when sitting. Children with weak posture and /or difficulties staying balanced may adopt this position. Does it matter if my child sits like this? Our Occupational Therapists at our Bondi Junction believe that W sitting hinders a child’s development….

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school readiness, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, group therapy, Bondi Junction, Mascot, reading, writing

School Readiness

By | Speech Pathology

School Readiness Starting school is a very exciting time for children. There are so many wonderful things to learn and new friends to make. There are so many great school readiness activities that you can do before your child starts school. Many parents are keen to prepare their children for reading and writing. OneOnOne Children’s Therapy has made a booklet to develop your child’s school readiness. The NSW Foundation Font is used in the booklet. This is a free resource for everyone. Please remember that all children develop differently. Your child does not need to do the things in this…

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Reading, literacy, Sounds Write, Bondi Junction, Mascot

Why is reading so hard?

By | Literacy

Why is reading so hard for some children? Good readers have developed: great pre-reading skills recognise and understand the sounds that letters make can blend the sounds together quickly and fluently have strong vocabularies  great language skills can relate reading to their own experiences. Children who find reading difficult will have challenges in one or more of these areas. What do we do for children who have trouble reading? Some children find it much harder to learn to read and spell. As a consequence of this, they can fall behind at school. They may suffer self-esteem issues as they see…

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Child with autism having lots of fun in Sydney ESDM clinic

ESDM – having fun while learning!

By | ESDM

The ESDM makes learning fun It comes as no surprise to anybody when we say that children learn best when they are having fun. The question is ‘Why do they learn better when they are having fun?’. They learn better for many reasons, and a Certified ESDM Therapist is able to get a child to the this point many times during a session so that many learning opportunities occur. A key part of the ESDM is that the child is motivated by the activity, How does the ESDM do this? Planning the toys or activities before the session starts Having…

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Picky eating tips, tip #3, fussy eating, yuktoyum, group feeding therapy, feeding therapy

Picky Eater Tip #3

By | Picky Eaters

Picky eaters cause parents a lot of stress. Parents worry about their child’s nutritional intake. They try very hard to get their picky eater back on track. Sometime, the parents strategies work. Sometime, the whole thing keeps getting worse. Do you have a picky eater? Let’s look at Picky Eater Tip #3. It is important to set regular mealtimes and snacks. Why do we need to set regular mealtimes and snacks? You need to set a regular meal and snack time schedule. Track your child’s eating times for three days. Look at the pattern. Decide where you need to make…

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Child on a bolster swing in an Occupational Therapy clinic with an Occupational Therapist for developmental delay or autism in Bondi Junction and Mascot in Sydney

Occupational Therapy and core strength

By | Occupational Therapy

Core strength is very important for children’s development. It is the development of the torso muscles that stabilise, align, and move the trunk of the body. Poor core strength can cause poor posture which can also affect gross motor and fine motor skills. Building a strong core  is like building a strong foundation for your child. How does core strength develop? Core strength development starts as an infant. Ever wonder why “tummy time” is so important? When an infant has an opportunity to lie on his tummy, he learns to lift his head which helps to strengthen the neck and…

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Picky Eater tip #1, yuktoyum, fussy eating, picky eating, group feeding sessions, parent training for feeding probelms

Picky Eater Tip #1

By | blogs, Picky Eating

You have a picky eater and it is causing stress for your whole family. Parents who come into our Bondi Junction clinic clinic will often tell our Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists that what really worries them is their child’s nutritional intake. They worry that their child aren’t getting enough calories. They are concerned that they aren’t getting the minimum daily amounts of vitamins and minerals. Let’s look at Picky Eater Tip #1. It is not about the vegetables. When is comes to helping your picky eater become more adventurous, in the beginning we need to set aside concerns about…

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