The end of 2013 is upon us; a busy

time for all; with a summer break

now on the horizon!

Wishing all a wonderful festive

season… and the best of luck to all

the preschoolers graduating to

Kindergarten in 2014.

I look forward to sending you

Volume 3 of the Talking Heads

newsletter in the New Year!

Welcome

What do we work on?

Speech Sound Development

(Articulation & Phonology)

Language Delays & Disorders

(Receptive & Expressive Language)

Learning & Literacy Difficulties

(Spelling, Reading, Writing)

Auditory Processing Difficulties

Voice Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders (low to high

functioning)

Developmental Delays

Stuttering (Child & Adult)

Dyspraxia

Social Communication Skills (1:1 and group

formats)

Talking Heads Speech Pathology

December 1st, 2013 Volume 2, Issue 4

Talking Heads

Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Summer Time =

Toilet Training Time

Tips for the child with ASD

2

Getting Ready to

Read

Seminar Feedback

4

Christmas Shop

Special

5

Social Skills Groups

Register your child

9

Email your Talking Heads Newsletter topic

of interest to sonia@talkingheads.net.au

Look forward to hearing from you!

Sonia Bestulic

Director/ Principal Speech & Language Pathologist

www.facebook.comTalkingHeadsSpeechPathology

SAVE THE DATE!!!

Wednesday February 26th, 2014

Children’s Hearing &

Communication

St George Private Hospital

Dr Zoran Becvarovski—ENT Surgeon

Sonia Bestulic - Principal Speech & Language

Pathologist

See Page 7

Wednesday 27th November

Sonia Bestulic (Speech Pathologist) & Fiona Murray (Teacher & Childrens Book Author) presented the seminar;

Getting your child ready for School Literacy Learning

The CRUCIAL RELATIONSHIP between;

Oral language and speech competence —> resulting transition to acquiring literacy skills.

As well as;

Thank you to all who attended and for the positive feedback!

What school literacy learning is

How to get your child ready for school literacy learning

Getting your child ready to read

How to build phonological awareness skills (pre-literacy skills)

How to build vocabulary

Do you have a topic of interest for a seminar presentation?

Feel free to email me!

Previous seminars presented include;

* Bilingualism * Autism Spectrum Disorders and Communication

* Speech Sound Development and their disorders * First Words—Practical Strategies

* Speech, Language & Literacy * Play Development & Social Skills

Seminar attendees learnt about;

Toilet training your child is a big task even for neuro-typical children. Parents often procrastinate over when to start

and we keep delaying it for whatever reason we can think of!

My biggest concern for children with an ASD is if they are not out of nappies by five years of age then they often start

to lose muscle control and can end up with long term bowel and bladder issues. Toileting is not something that the

child will grow into or get better with age. We all need to action ASAP!

Think Toilet TIMING not Toilet TRAINING

Create good routines around toilet timing. Have set times when the child

must go to the toilet. Examples include:

When they get up in the morning.

Before leaving the house at any time of the day.

Before bed (as part of the bedtime routine).

Any time they may not be able to access a toilet for an hour or

more.

Before going into any water (bath, swimming pool, etc).

Before getting into the car.

Before eating i.e. toilet, wash hands, eat.

When to Start Toilet Training

Signs of readiness in children with autism are not evident like they are with

neuro-typical children. The main sign of readiness is compliance, or the child's

ability to imitate. If you can get the child to do what you ask, and/or copy an action,

then they are ready.

Summer holidays are the best time to start. Generally a good guide is the first

summer after the child turns three. If you leave it later than this (i.e. four to five

years) you face the possibility that the child may be less obliged to comply and they

know how to push boundaries a little further. Plus habits around toileting will have

begun to form as the child has got more aware of bladder and bowel control.

Realistically you need to allow up to three weeks of intensive toilet training.

Most children will pick it up within a week, but a few can take up to three weeks. You

won't know where your child fits into this until you start. (Remember just one wee in

the toilet is progress, look for small signs to start).

Summer Time = Toilet Training Time

Tips for the child with an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

(By Sue Larkey www.suelarkey.com)

1. Avoid potties! Start out with the end in mind. Children with autism have trouble generalising and the last thing you want

is to have to carry their pottie around with you everywhere you go!

2. Visuals are very important. Make up some visuals to help the child understand the toileting process and to provide a

prompt.

3. Prepare lots of FUN activities to do with the child. Making going to the toilet fun takes the pressure off and makes it a

motivating place to go.

4. Rewards are one of the most important elements of toilet training - children need a motivator as it is just too easy to

continue to go in their nappy. Rewards need to be instant and powerful. Reward IMMEDIATELY and reward the same

every time.

5. Base yourself in or right next to the toilet for the first few days of toilet training. Have as many home comforts in the

room for the child to make it a fun environment.

6. Remove nappies. Once you start toilet training do not let the child put on any form of nappy until they go to bed at

night. If you let them wear them during the day at all they will learn to hold on until they are in their nappy.

7. Toilet time - put the child on the toilet every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time, increasing time as they get the hang

of it.

8. Teach the child the whole steps of toileting - including putting on underpants, flushing the toilet and washing hands.

9. Some children may have sensory sensitivities related to toileting. Sensory sensitivities need to be respected and

worked on.

10. Create good routines around toilet timing. Have set times when the child must go to the toilet.

Over the past few years I have had some amazing feedback from families who have previously struggled with toileting

training !

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Always remember it only takes ONE person to put a nappy back on the child and all your hard work can be ruined!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Resource for Toilet Training

Tips for Toileting: By Jo Adkins and Sue Larkey

A guide for parents and professionals toilet training children with an autism spectrum disorder. Contents include: When to

start toilet training, getting started, the use of rewards, techniques, dealing with accidents, sensory issues, bowel motions,

generalising, night time training, frequently asked questions, pages of visuals all ready for you to cut out and use! And lots

more! 60 pages of helpful hints and ideas.

CODE B17 $30 (incl P & H)

link to book http://www.suelarkey.com/Early_Years_0-5.php

10 Top Tips for Toileting

Open mid March through to mid January each year

Easter * Mother’s Day * Christmas In July * Father’s Day * Halloween

LEMAX Village Collection * Byers’ Choice Carollers * Dolls & Bears

Heartwood Creek & Disney Traditions by Jim Shore * Lladro & Nao

292 — 296 Rocky Point Road Ramsgate NSW 2217

Phone: 02 9529 2512

Believe . . . and the Magic will

Easter * Mother’s Day * Christmas In July * Father’s Day * Halloween

LEMAX Village Collection * Byers’ Choice Carollers * Dolls & Bears * Lladro & Nao

Heartwood Creek & Disney Traditions by Jim Shore * Classic Disney * Fontanini Nativities

Open mid March through to mid January each year

292 — 296 Rocky Point Road Ramsgate NSW 2217

Phone: 02 9529 2512

Not redeemable for cash. Redemption value not to exceed $5.00.

Authorized by The Christmas Shop Elves Expires 24.12.2013

Number 10. TALKING HEADS Promotional Voucher - October 2013

Use this voucher to save $5.00 on your next purchase at The Christmas Shop

292 — 296 Rocky Point Road, RAMSGATE NSW 2217

Telephone: 02 9529 2512 | www.thechristmasshop.com.au

* ONE VOUCHER PER CUSTOMER * MINIMUM PURCHASE $25.00

$ 5.00

Gift Certificate

* * * Not to be used on personalising orders or with any other offer * * *

MAGIC Money

Open Tuesday — Sunday

Opening Hours

Tuesday – Friday

9.30 - 5.30pm

Thursday 9.30 – 8.30pm

Saturday 9.30 – 4.00pm

Sunday 10.00 – 4.00pm

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

HEARING

&

COMMUNICATION Wednesday 26th February

Level 1, Boardroom

St George Private Hospital

Bookings: 9553 1400

Presented by:

Dr Zoran Becvarovski

Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon

St George Private Hospital

Sonia Bestulic

Director /Principal Speech & Language Pathologist

Talking Heads Speech Pathology

Diary

Date!

The stages of speech & language development

The link between speech, language, learning & literacy

Practical Strategies to support speech and language

development

The importance of childhood hearing screenings

The signs of hearing loss in children

What if my child does have a hearing loss?

Books make a

great

Christmas

present!

http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/spa-news-a-events/book-of-the-year-awards

Check out the

link below...

14 Gray St

Kogarah NSW 2217

PO Box 494

Phone: 02 9553 1400

Fax: 02- 9587 4577

E-mail:

sonia@talkingheads.net.au

Talking Heads Speech Pathology is an innovative clinic providing people a means to successful,

fulfilling communication interactions. A wide range of services are provided to both children and

adults by a team of experienced Speech Pathologists with valuable skills and knowledge that

contributes to a high quality service. The specialised team diagnose and manage a variety of

communication difficulties.

Clinicians are experienced and established Speech Pathologists that are exceptional in maintaining

and applying the latest clinical diagnostic and intervention strategies. The clinic is also known for

being rich in resources and developing creative, wholistic individualised client management

programs, ensuring each client successfully achieves their potential.

Services include; within clinic sessions/ home visits/ preschool/ school based sessions.

Group Therapy is provided for School Readiness in Terms 3 & 4.

Talking Heads Speech Pathology is an approved provider of services under the FaHCSIA initiatives;

Helping Children with Autism

Better Start (for vision and hearing impairment, Fragile X, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Prader Willi Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Kabuki Syndrome, Smith– Magenis Syndrome, CHARGE Syndrome, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, Cri du Chat Syndrome or Microcephaly).(

Talking Heads Speech

Pathology

Specialising in Paediatric Speech &

Language - Literacy Skills - Autism

Spectrum Disorders - Adult

Communication

W W W . TA L K I N G H E A D S . N E T . AU

Therapy areas may include;

Peer interaction and play skills

Conversational skills

Making friends

Listening skills

Negotiation skills

Social Skills Groups

Therapy is specifically designed to encompass the goals of

the group members.

Groups are run for various age ranges & include specialised

Autism Spectrum Disorder groups..

Wishing all a wonderful

Christmas

&

Happy New year!

The clinic’s final day for sessions in 2013 is;

Saturday, December 21st.

We re-open on Monday, January 13th 2014.