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0-3 Year Old page has information for those of you who want information regarding early intervention therapy strategies, ideas on what types of foods to introduce infants and in what sequence, and links to purchase lidded cups and other oral equipment. It also has links to sites that provide insights as to at what age children acquire various types of abilities.

GESTURE/PHONEME LIST is under "Speech Issues"

Deciding what type of response you want from your child is under "Communication Strategies"

LIDDED, BUT REGULAR EDGE, CUPS is under "Dysphagia/Swallowing"

I highly recommend using this type of cup over a sipper cup. A sipper cup continues

to promote an immature suckle-pattern versus an adult/regular tongue movement.

Talktools.net is a place I have been suggesting to people for lidded, but not spouted, cups to encourage mature drinking and strengthened lip muscles. They have a new cup design with a snack holder somehow attached to the cup. The description doesn't state how large this cup style is, so I still suggest the two handled one for those who know how to grade how much liquid they pour towards their mouth OR the metered/regulated flow cup (no handled) that allows a small amount to flow out no matter how long you hold the cup tipped towards your mouth.

Talktools.net also has oromotor toys ie chewy tubes and straws/whistles to improve

lips movements. A chewy tube is far better to use than a pacifier!

Books that I usually suggest:

The Out of Sync Child, by Carol Stock Kranowitz (go to her website, too)

Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program that allows you to see and heal the 6 types of ADD, by Daniel G. Amen, MD (go to his website, too)

A Mind at a Time: America's top learning expert shows how every child can succeed, by Mel Levine, MD

7 Kinds of Intelligences, by Howard Gardner (he has a website, too)

Ideas of Tasks to do with your child:

Puzzle Activity: hold up 2 pieces of the puzzle and ask which one she would like; if she doesn’t state the name of object in the puzzle, state do you want the ‘____ or the ____?”; if she doesn’t state one of the names, tell her you will wait until she tries to tell you. The final presentation style is to have her repeat the name of the object to receive the piece. Praise her for using her words instead of grabbing for the pieces.

Book Activity: instead of reading to her, have her read and praise her throughout for ‘reading’. Another venue is to point at objects in the pictures and have her state the names or have her point and you state the names (her stating the names if preferred). Asking who, what, where, when, questions in regards to the pictures also increases her vocabulary and comprehension. If she doesn’t know what type of response to give, present it as “Is the ____ or _____?” with one of the choice obviously not even close to being an answer.

Craft Activity: hold up 2 choices of colors or names of pieces uses and state “do you want the ____ or the ____?”. This includes color to choose for playdough, handing her cookie cutters by field of 2 choice instead of just grabbing for them.

Free Play Choice: ask where (which center) does she want to start her play. If she doesn’t know the name of the centers (kitchen, book, paint center), give her a choice of 2.

Choice of toys also is a way to incorporate communication goals. Instead of saying a yes/no question ie "Do you want your blocks?", ask "Do you want your blocks or a book?". Consider stating, "I'll wait until you tell me." and use pictures of the choices (even if they are rough hand drawings on paper) for the child to point to a choice and state the word.

Use gestures along with the words for “I want” to encourage later for her to state from just watching you do the gesture.

Have her imitate “my turn”, “move”, and “I want” phrases along with gestures in various interactions with peers.

Choice of drink: “Do you want _____ or water?” . If no response state “I’ll wait until you tell me.”