Odds are that you, or someone you know, has suffered from a concussion (or multiple). But did you know that concussions are actually considered mild forms of traumatic brain injury? Concussions are serious…and therefore should be taken seriously.

The CDC estimates that nearly 3 million incidences of sports-related concussions occur every year, and this doesn’t even include all the other causes of concussion! Even more concerning is that half of concussions go unreported or undetected. Football accounts for more than half of all concussions. Girls soccer comes in second, and girls have roughly twice the concussion risk of boys within the same sport.

But, team sports aren’t the only place to look for these. Concussions are common in snow sports, accounting for 20% of injuries in skiing and snowboarding. Unfortunately for shredders, snowboarders have 50% higher rate of head and neck injury compared to skiers.

Signs and Symptoms of a Serious Concussion

• Dazed, stunned, or confused
• Disoriented to time, place, events, or unable to recall events
• Answers questions slowly, forgets instructions
• Loss of consciousness (not always!)
• Mood or behavior changes
• Headache, nausea, vomiting
• Imbalance, dizziness, blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Difficulty concentrating or feeling sluggish, hazy, or groggy

Most concussions should resolve within 7-10 days, but if symptoms persists, you may need to talk to your doctor, or see a PT/OT to get a screen.

Concussions are Serious! BEWARE: Second Impact Syndrome

Research suggests that a person who suffers a second concussion before the initial concussion has healed, has a 100% chance of permanent brain damage and a 50% chance of dying.

An example of this happening may be a football player who sustains a concussion and continues to play then receives another blow to the head. This leads to rapid and profound brain swelling, and possible complications of Second Impact Syndrome include:

• Learning disabilities
• Personality changes
• Walking disability
• Other brain or nerve disorder
• Permanent brain damage or death

When to go to the Emergency Room (in the first 48 hours)

• Loss of consciousness or seizures
• Increased headaches
• Slurred speech
• Repeated vomiting
• Abnormal confusion or unusual behavior
• Limb weakness

What to do if you or your child sustains a Serious concussion

Rest, rest, and more rest…but seriously, physical AND mental rest for the first 48 hours (no school). Then, slowly and gradually return to work/school. Once your child is able to do one hour of homework at home for 1-2 days, they may try to return to a modified school schedule. No return to sport/activity until able to return to school successfully

Diet: reduce inflammatory foods, such as processed foods with saturated fat and refined sugar, processed meats, fried foods, etc., and eat enough to fuel the brain.

Lastly, consider scheduling an appointment with a PT, OT, or speech therapist, as we are trained in concussion screening, vestibular management, return to sport, and return to learn.

Resources/References

1. Concussionresourcecenter.org
2. Cdc.gov/headsup/index.html

Having raised 5 children and now watching my children and their journey of parenting, I can fully agree with the following statement. Being a parent is a beautiful and rewarding journey, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. As parents, it is our responsibility to create a nurturing and supportive environment for our young children to thrive in. Here are some key ways to be a supportive parent, encouraging the growth and development of our little ones as you go along the journey.

Parenting with Unconditional Love and Acceptance

One of the most important aspects of being a supportive parent is to love and accept your child unconditionally. Let them know that they are valued and cherished, regardless of their achievements or mistakes. The statement, “I love you, but did not like what you did,” can be used to let your child know you love them, even when they make mistakes. This will build a strong foundation of trust and self-worth, allowing them to feel safe and secure in their own skin. 

Foster open Communication

Encourage open and honest communication with your child from an early age. As your child grows so do their emotions. At an early age, help them identify simple feelings of being happy, sad, mad, and frustrated. Technology may be stealing communication away. Tablets and iPads are often used to make things better, or easier, so put phones away and turn off screens during family time. Mealtime is a perfect place to foster communication. It may be helpful to create a safe space where they feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions. Listen attentively, without judgment, and validate their feelings. This will help them develop strong communication skills and build a healthy emotional intelligence. 

Parenting with Structure and Boundaries

Children thrive in an environment that provides structure and clear boundaries. Establish consistent routines and rules, which will help them feel secure and understand what you expect of them. However, it is important to be flexible and adapt to their individual needs. Balancing structure with flexibility will allow them to develop their own sense of autonomy and decision-making skills. 

Nurture Their Interests and Talents

Support your child’s interests and talents by providing opportunities for them to explore and develop their skills. Encourage them to pursue their passions, whether it be through sports, extracurricular activities, hobbies, or creative outlets. This can be challenging if their passions are not anything you are familiar with, or even enjoy. By nurturing their interests, you are helping them build self-confidence and a sense of purpose. Be cautious of comparing a child to siblings or other peers, rather, focus on the uniqueness and special talents/gifts that you see in your child.

Be a Role Model

Children learn by observing their parents’ behavior. Be a positive role model by demonstrating kindness, empathy, and resilience. Growing up, I never heard my parent argue or fight. While this made for a peaceful home in that regard, it did not allow me to watch how parents handled conflict. When I, as parent myself, had my first marital fight, I fully thought that the marriage was headed straight for divorce. Show them how to handle challenges, disagreements, and setbacks with grace and determination. By modeling healthy behaviors and attitudes, you are setting them up for success in their own lives. 

Most important, remember being a supportive parent is a continuous journey of learning and growth. It requires patience, understanding, and a genuine commitment to your child’s well-being. Remember, you are their biggest cheerleader and advocate. So, embrace the joys and challenges of parenthood, and watch your child flourish into a confident, resilient, and compassionate individual. 

Check out Big Life Journal for more resources to help with parenting and your individual journey!

Paced bottle feeding is a method of bottle feeding that allows the infant to be more in control of the feeding pace by slowing down the flow of milk. It also helps prevent digestive issues. Whether the child is exclusively breast fed and needing to take an occasional bottle, the child is entirely bottle fed, or a preterm infant is beginning their feeding journey; paced bottle feeding is recommended.¹

Steps to Implement Paced Bottle Feeding

• Step 1: Choose a slow-flow nipple with optimal nipple shape. Recommended bottles are the following: Lansinoh Slow Flow, Evenflo Slow Flow, Dr. Brown’s Slow Flow
• Step 2: Positioning is key. Support child side lying and upright.
• Step 3: Offer bottle at a slight angle, gently touching lips with the nipple. When baby accepts, place nipple in mouth.
• Step 4: Let your baby set their own pace. When baby slows, pause to let baby rest by tipping the bottle downward but not removing nipple from mouth.
• Step 5: Watch for hunger or fullness cues and respond. Do not force the baby to finish the entire bottle. After implementing this strategy, babies will start to learn to pace themselves. You will notice them taking their own sucking breaks and then return to feeding.

Paced bottle feeding allows for a healthy feeding relationship by optimizing milk intake per the child having the control of flow of milk therefore, decreasing digestive issues. It prevents discomfort by decreasing the occurrence of swallowing excessive air that can lead to discomfort or gas. Paced feeding also supports the breastfeeding relationship as it mimics the natural rhythm of breast feeding. The mimicking of the rhythm decreases the occurrence of a child developing a preference of breast over bottle or bottle over breast. Self-regulation is also promoted by paced bottle feeds as it allows the child to recognize their own hunger and fullness cues.

Overall, paced bottle feeding supports a child’s development, promotes a healthy feeding relationship, and promotes the child and caregiver bond. Debra Beckman, M.S. CCC-SLP, has a great video demonstrating this technique.

References

1. Bushell, S. (2022, September 28). Why you should practice paced feeding when bottle feeding your baby. The Children’s Nutritionist. https://childrensnutrition.co.uk/full-blog/paced-feeding/

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a device or system that replaces or supports natural speech. AAC can be no-tech or low-tech, including such things as gestures, writing, drawing, manual sign, picture communication boards, letter boards, etc. It might also be high tech. This includes using an application on an iPad or tablet (i.e., Proloquo2Go, LAMP, TS Snap) or using a computer with vocal output, called a speech generating device. AAC can be a great tool in early intervention.

Individuals of any age with various different reasons in which they experience difficulty communicating might use AAC. This article will discuss how any child not verbalizing spoken language might use AAC. These children may exhibit a wide range of diagnoses, including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, developmental delays, and more.  Any child whose needs require more than speech alone to communicate may qualify to use AAC. 

Will AAC in Early Intervention Hinder Spoken Language?

A common worry or assumption is that AAC may hinder a child’s spoken language. This is a concern because AAC is not targeting spoken speech and language. Actually, the opposite is true. AAC research has shown that it can support speech and language development (Schlosser & Wendt, 2008). Research has demonstrated that AAC can help improve natural speech when using a multi-modal approach focusing simultaneously on natural speech and AAC. AAC provides a child with a mechanism to communicate, since they are unable to communicate using speech. Some children’s language abilities exceed their speech abilities. AAC provides them a way to use their language skills through a different outlet. This can reduce frustration related to communication, sometimes decreasing challenging behaviors arising from communication breakdowns. Additionally, implementing AAC early can increase vocabulary, development of grammar, and receptive vocabulary. 

In some cases, AAC will not be a long term need. As your child develops speech skills, they will generally use the path of least resistance to communicate. Therefore they will likely use spoken language if they are able to. 

If you think AAC might be a helpful early intervention tool for your child, your child’s speech language pathologist can help guide you through the process of receiving and implementing AAC. 

Small talk may sound easy enough, but it is a challenge for many adults, let alone children who grow up in a world of texting and social media. Teaching your child to engage in small talk makes them more socially aware and helps them communicate across generations. Use some of the following ideas to begin teaching your child to engage in small talk.

Meet and greet. Firstly, walk around your neighborhood and greet familiar neighbors. Begin with a simple hi/hello and introduce yourself and your child. When your child becomes comfortable with this, have them introduce themselves. From there, expand their small talk using some of the following ideas.

People watch. Sit and watch people in parks, on the sidewalk, shopping, whatever is available in your community. Guess at what the people may be interested in, how they might relate to their communication partner, and what their facial expression/body language may indicate.

Car talk. Practice small talk in the car where eye contact and body language require less attention. Practice longer topics while driving.

Small Talk Topic List

Brain storm a list of topics with your child. Small talk is a brief interaction so keep the topics brief. Some examples are the weather, the dog they may be walking, bicycle they are riding, how they are enjoying the day, what they may be doing at the moment. Prepare a few questions and practice them when greeting neighbors as above, and depending on your child, you may wish to make a list of topics NOT to use.

Wh-questions. Teach your child to use who, what, where, when, why questions vs. yes/no questions. For example, when meeting a dog walker ask, “Where does your dog like to go?” or “What does your dog like to play?” rather than “Are you walking your dog?” or “Does your dog like to play?”

Share. Teach your child to share something about themselves. It may be a new sport they are starting, a favorite game, book or movie. Provide guidance about topics that are and are not appropriate.

Holidays. Role play questions to ask grandparents, aunts, uncles, and adult friends. Give your child a little background information on each person who is likely to be present, such as a grandparent’s favorite old movie, aunt’s pet, friend’s new car, etc.

Remember to end it well. Give your child some standard phrases to exit the conversation. Phrases could be, “It was nice to meet you.”, “Enjoy the rest of of your day”, “Hope to see you again”, etc.

Check out MOSAIC’s blog to learn more about topics related to your child’s development.

As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to understand the different developmental stages of play in children ages 0-5. Play is not just a fun activity for children, but it’s also a crucial part of their development. Through play, children learn about the world around them, develop their social skills, and build their cognitive abilities. In this article, we’ll explore the different stages of play in children. We will also talk about what you can do to support their development. 

First Developmental Stage of Play

The first stage of play is solitary play, which typically occurs in infants and young toddlers. During this stage, children play alone and do not show interest in interacting with others. They may engage in activities such as exploring toys, touching objects, and making sounds. As a caregiver, it’s important to provide a safe and stimulating environment for your child to explore during this stage. 

Second Stage

The second stage of play is parallel play, which typically occurs in toddlers. During this stage, children play alongside each other but do not interact with one another. They may engage in similar activities, such as building with blocks or playing with dolls. As a caregiver, you can encourage parallel play by providing your child with toys and activities that they can engage in alongside other children. 

Third Stage

The third stage of play is associative play, which typically occurs in preschoolers. During this stage, children begin to interact with each other and share toys and materials. They may engage in activities such as pretend play, playing dress-up, or building a fort together. As a caregiver, you can support associative play by providing opportunities for your child to play with other children and encouraging them to share and take turns. 

Final Developmental Stage of Play

The fourth and final stage of play is cooperative play, which typically occurs in older preschoolers and early elementary school-aged children. During this stage, children work together to achieve a common goal, such as building a tower or playing a game. They may engage in more complex activities that require cooperation and communication. As a caregiver, you can support cooperative play by providing opportunities for your child to work with others. Encourage them to communicate and problem-solve together. 

In conclusion, understanding the different developmental stages of play in children ages 0 to 5 is crucial for supporting their development. By providing a safe and stimulating environment, encouraging parallel play, supporting associative play, and promoting cooperative play, you can help your child build their social, cognitive, and emotional skills. Remember to be patient and supportive as your child navigates these different stages of play. Enjoy watching them grow and learn through play.