Talking Children Podcast
by Sarah Verdon
The Talking Children Podcast© is designed to translate the latest research of a wide range of topics related to communication development in to accessible knowledge and tools that parents, caregivers and professionals can apply to daily interactions with the children in their lives.Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingChildrenPodcast
Episodes
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Language Intervention and Intensive Interaction with The Happy Space
In this episode we chat with fellow speech pathologists Carla and Jamima from The Happy Space Allied Health about evidence-based early intervention, language intervention, their intervention tool the Game of Language Abilities (GOLA), Intensive Interaction for minimally verbal children and much...
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Lifemaxxing for neurodivergents
Lucia and Sarah explore the phenomena of "maxxing" and how it can be applied to improving quality of life for neurodivergent people. Key references LaPoint SC, Kiernan B, Heinly J, Hector BL, Benevides TW, Maddox B. Quality of Life Defined by Autistic People: A Thematic Analysis. Autism in...
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Accent or error
In this episode we look at why people have different accents, understanding speech diversity and when a speech pathologist might get involved. Clark, E. L., Easton, C., & Verdon, S. (2021). The impact of linguistic bias upon speech-language pathologists' attitudes towards non-standard dialects of...
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Why you so obsessed with me? Neurodivergent Special Interests!
In this episode we explore the pure joy and peace that comes from engaging in special interests. Neurodivergent people often have special interests which were formerly referred to as "obsessions". We talk about neuroaffirming approaches to supporting special interests and share some special...
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Hidden tips for early identification and early intervention for communication needs
Early intervention is so important! But have you ever wondered how to spot the earliest signs of communication delay and neurodivergence? We've got you covered! In this episode we talk about early signs of developmental language disorder (DLD) and Autism, ADHD, and other communication needs.…
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Kids + Periods, PMS and PMDD
In this episode we look at everything you need to know about supporting a young person who is experiencing periods. We also talk about how PMS and PMDD can present in neurodivergent individuals and what can help based on our own experiences and the latest literature. Periods are tough on…
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The Power of Personal Narratives with Dr Carol Westby
In this episode we chat to everyone's favourite speechie, Dr Carol Westby to learn all about her research and practice with children especially neurodivergent children, multilingual children and children who have experienced trauma. Carol talks about the power of narratives in assessment and...
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Assessing children who speak more than one language with Josephine Ohenewa Bampoe
In this episode we talk with soon to be Dr Josephine Ohenewa Bampoe about the tool she has created to assess multilingual children in Ghana. We talk about why assessing multilingual children can be challenging and what we need to consider when making a differential diagnosis. Josephine also...
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Embracing disability in Early Childhood Settings with Jenny Nechvatal
In this episode we welcome special guest Jenny Nechvatal to the show. Jenny is an early childhood educator, disability inclusion advocate and mother who draws upon her lived experiences to provide support and advice for both educators and parents. Jenny has a particular interest in Autism and...
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So what do you do again? The role of the speechie explained!
Speechie, SLP, speech pathologist, speech and language therapist... we go by many names but not everyone is quite sure of what we do. In this episode we give an overview of the speech pathology profession, who we work with, what we do and when you might need us. We talk about our work with…
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Alexithymia - Understanding emotional blindness
In this episode with discuss alexithymia and how this can present in children. This is common among neurodivergent people especially Autistics. We also provide lots of tips to support kids who experience this. Resources Brene Brown 87 emotions...
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Child Autonomy: Thinking about children's human rights
In this episode we discuss the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child and to what extent we are applying these rights to the lives of children in every day contexts. We specifically discuss the nuances of talking about autonomy, control and consent with people who have communication…
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A strong sense of social justice: Apparently a pathological symptom?!?!
Today we talk about how important fairness and social justice is to neurodivergent people. We talk about different ways this might present in your child and supportive approaches to managing an unjust world. We also reflect on how unfathomable it is that this is seen as a deficit or sign of...
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Early language stimulation
In this episode we talk about the best ways to support a child's early communication development. If you are the parent of a young child or perhaps you are worried about your child's development and want to support them to develop their speech, language and communication skills this episode is…
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Spoon theory and burnout: Understanding ability vs. capacity
In this episode we look at how neurodivergent people's ability can be extremely different to their capacity. We discuss what this looks like for autistic and ADHDers in both childhood and adulthood and strategies to get in front of burnout using spoon theory as a conceptual model. Research links:...
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Why are transitions so hard? ADHD Paralysis meets Autistic Inertia
In this episode we discuss why neurodivergent people find transitions (both small and large) so challenging. We discuss the concepts of ADHD task paralysis, sensory issues, executive function, aversion to change and autistic inertia and how all of these elements are at play when transitions are...
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Just keep stimming!
This week we return with an episode on self stimulatory behaviour or "stimming". We dive into the research behind why neurodiverse people stim and how it can be beneficial when supported and de-stigmatised. Key references Charlton, R. A., Entecott, T., Belova, E., & Nwaordu, G. (2021). “It feels...
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To medicate? Or not to medicate?
In this episode we look at pharmacological treatments frequently used for children, particularly neurodivergent children. We discuss the evidence, the pros, the cons, the side effects and the stigma associated with medication for children. References cited: Mechler, K., Banaschewski, T., Hohmann,...
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Coming to terms with your child's diagnosis of neurodivergence
In this episode we talk about the challenges that parents face when finding out their child is neurodivergent and how to take a fresh perspective on this situation
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Wicked: A neurospicy hot take :)
In this unscheduled episode we deep dive into the movie Wicked and how it relates to the autistic experience. Hopefully this will be a fun holiday listen for you!
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There were signs....
In this episode we discuss the early signs of neurodivergence and how they presented and we missed in our early lives. We hope this episode will help you to understand the unique ways that neurodivergence can present in individuals and empower you to identify early signs in yourself and/or your...
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Surviving the holidays: A neurospicy guide
In this episode we tackle all the big issues to help you and your loved ones prepare for a sensory friendly and neurodiversity affirming festive season. We cover everything from food to clothes to presents and surviving crowds and unfamiliar people.
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Perfectionism
This week we look at how being a perfectionist is a common trait among the neurospicy and how this can lead to side quests, procrastination and self doubt. We discuss some ideas that can help you understand and overcome perfectionism in yourself and your children.
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ARFID Intervention
In this episode we look at neurospicy approved approaches to intervention for ARFID - Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. For more info see: Białek-Dratwa, A., Szymańska, D., Grajek, M., Krupa-Kotara, K., Szczepańska, E., & Kowalski, O. (2022). ARFID—Strategies for dietary management in...
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Girl-tism
On today's episode we are discussing the unique presentation of Autism in girls. We discuss the way that gender bias in research and society means that girls and women are less diagnosed, later diagnosed and are less accommodated.
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Neurodiversity and Chronic Illness Part 2
In Part 2 of this series we look into the genetic link between neurodiversity and chronic illnesses. See references below: Carrozza, C., Foca, L., De Paolis, E., & Concolino, P. (2021). Genes and pseudogenes: complexity of the RCCX locus and disease. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12, 709-758....
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Neurodiversity and Chronic Illness Part 1
A huge body of research shows that neurodiverse individuals are significantly more likely to experience just about every chronic health condition. In Part 1 we look at the statistics and research that investigates these co-occuring conditions. In part 2 of this series we will deep dive into the...
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Fact or Fake? Neurotypical vs. Neurodivergent social communication styles
In this episode we posit a new theory that maybe our discussions on social interactions in neurodiversity are all backwards, could it be that the neurodivergents have got it right all along?
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Advocacy for Neurodiversity
This week we discuss all the ways that we can advocate for our neurodivergent friends, family members (and ourselves) at school, university, work and in social settings.
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The future of cleft care
This week Lu talks to special guest Dr Anna Cronin about the latest research and future directions in the care of children with cleft lip and palate. Find out more about Anna's work here: https://www.acu.edu.au/research-and-enterprise/our-people/anna-cronin Research we discuss: Cronin ,A. (2020)....
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The effect of trauma in early childhood
This week we look at the affects of trauma upon children's development in early childhood and how we can support secure attachment and health development.
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Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria
This episode explores the phenomenon of of Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, which is very common among people with ADHD.
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Literal thinking
Autistic people are often told they "take things too literally" but this might look different to what you think. In this episode we share some examples of literal thinking and how it impacts the communication on neurodivergent people. Here is a link to the autism online assessment we talk about…
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BONUS: Cleft and craniofacial awareness month episode
July is cleft and craniofacial awareness month! In this bonus episode, cleft advocate Lucia Flint shares what she wishes everyone knew about cleft palate and her dreams for future advocacy and research. Follow Lucia on instagram @thecleftspeechie Follow us on instagram @talking.children.podcast
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Object Permanence in Neurodiversity
This week we talk about the phenomena of object permanence or impermanence or object constancy. This is sometimes known as "out of sight out of mind" or "if my eyes don't see it my brain deletes it". Its to do with monotropism and an inability to remember or maintain attention on things we cannot...
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Monotropism
This week we look at monotropism. This is a feature of neurodiverse attention. It is also known as hyperfocus, flow stream, hyperfixation, special interest or obession in Autism and ADHD. We discuss what monotropism looks like in real life and how to view it from a strengths-based perspective.…
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Executive Functioning
This episode looks at aspects of executive functioning in the brain, we discuss potential challenges in executive function and identify everyday hacks and work-arounds for supporting people with executive functioning challenges.
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Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
In this episode we discuss Auditory Processing Disorder, which is very commonly experienced among people with ADHD and Autism. We look at the prevalence, what it is, how to recognise APD in yourself and others and strategies that can help.
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Sensory Processing
In this episode we deep dive into all the ways that sensory processing issues can show up in our lives. Some people are sensory seeking while others are sensory avoidant, others are somewhere in between depending on the context and the stimulus. We discuss our own sensory processing and...
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Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
In this episode we discuss childhood apraxia of speech also known as CAS. We talk about this motor speech disorder, its prevalence, features and approaches to treatment.
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Neurodiversity, mental health and abuse
In this episode we look at the statistics around the experience of mental health issues among people who are neurodiverse. We also discuss why neurodiverse people are more vulnerable to abuse and what strategies we can put in place to reduce this vulnerability in children from an early age....
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Parents' perspectives of raising children in Australia
In this episode Lucia shares her honours research looking at the experiences of parents in raising children and supporting communication development in Australia.
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Evidence based literacy instruction
This week we are sharing some insights into providing evidence based reading instruction - teaching kids to read, write and spell. Helpful links for literacy: https://www.learnwithlee.net/ https://twitter.com/lifelonglit?lang=en https://www.readingdoctor.com.au/...
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Gestalt Language Processing
Have you ever heard of the term echolalia? Maybe its Gestalt Language Processing! This is a newer area of research in understanding different ways of acquiring language. Many Gestalt Language Processors are neurodiverse and so we see these types of communicators a lot in our work. This episode...
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ARFID - Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
Picky eating, problem feeder and ‘the white diet’, we’ve heard it all before. But is there more to it than that? In this episode Sarah and Lucia discuss ‘Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder’ also known as ARFID. This episode unpacks; - What is ARFID? - What is the DSM5 diagnostic…
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Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
In this episode Sarah and Lucia discuss Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) also known as a Pervasive Desire for Autonomy. This frequently occurs within neurodiverse children with Autism and ADHD and can be especially challenging for children, parents, teachers and speech pathologists. This…
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Screen time vs. Digital literacy
In this episode Lucia and Sarah discuss the pros and cons of screen time when it comes to children's language development. Recent research shows that screen time reduces the amount of interaction that children have with their parents, but is it all bad news? Or could there be some benefits when…
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ADHD
In this episode Lucia and Sarah discuss: What is ADHD? What are some common features? What are common myths about ADHD? What can we do to support ADHD?
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Cleft and facial differences with Lucia Flint
In this episode I chat with Lucia Flint who shares her experience of being born with a cleft lip and palate, its the impact on her life and her family's experiences of accessing services. Lucia talks about moving from patient to health practitioner and everything she has learnt along the way. For...
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Getting the most out of speech therapy with Dr Katelyn Melvin
In this episode paediatric speech pathology researcher discusses her work on how families can be best supported to engage in speech therapy with their children.
About this show
The Talking Children Podcast© is designed to translate the latest research of a wide range of topics related to communication development in to accessible knowledge and tools that parents, caregivers and professionals can apply to daily interactions with the children in their lives.Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingChildrenPodcast
Hosted by
Sarah Verdon