Customer Reviews

Improving Speech and Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders - An Oral Motor Program for Home and School

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I cannot emphasize enough the hope this book has given me for my 12 year old son. This book explains what an oral-motor program is with case summaries of boys with autism who have school programs. The items to use and how to do it are all detailed within the pages of this book.

It is described in detail what the various techniques will achieve for the child with feeding issues and lack of imitation or initiating speech sounds. This should be done both in the home and school and can be practiced with teacher, therapist or aide at school and be a program for all students. This can easily be adapted into the school schedule and photos can help the nonverbal child know what is expected.

I highly recommend this book and wish it was around 9 or 10 years ago when my child was younger. I liked that the photos and case summaries are of boys in the age range of my son who is 12. There is help for the child that stuffs food in their mouth, and cannot tolerate new foods. This is a quick read of only 121 pages. You will need a highlighter with this book.

I have a 3-1/2 year old daughter who has a diagnosis of PDD-NOS and who has just started seeing an oral motor speech therapist. She has very limited speech and has great difficulty trying to get her words out. She also has a great number of sensory issues and difficuly eating certain foods and textures. This book has really educated me and prepared me for my sessions with the oral motor therapist. And since we only meet with the therapist once a week, this book has really given me some great ideas and questions to ask and suggestions on how to carry out our treatments at home. This is really a very informative and useful book.

This book provides easy to understand information for parents, teachers, and other professionals working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. It is important for people to understand that there are steps that need to be accomplished prior to attempting and succeeding at the next step. This book really opened my mind to understanding the difficulties involved with oral motor deficits and how many areas it can impact.

Teachers ESPECIALLY need to understand how sensory issues affect development and ability to function - please please please read this!!

Many things that are simply elementary to most children prove to be a challenge to the autistic. "Improving Speech & Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Oral-Motor Program for Home and School" is a guide full of suggestions for those who care for children with autism. Establishing these skills early, like normal children, is vital to establishing them for life. The book covers helping the child eat, dental hygiene, speech therapy, and sentence formation, among other daily challenges. Any parent or caretaker of an autistic child needs "Improving Speech & Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders".

My ASD son will be turning 4 soon and his oral motor issues have been one of the greatest challenges we face. I bought this book because I needed more to go on than my instincts. I needed clear understanding of the problems, real explanations about those complex issues, and a precise course of action I can take. This slim book provides ALL that. I am reading it over and over again, and I will continue to do so until I feel comfortable in the knowledge I have gained to then design a program at home that will work best for my child, in which it is appropriate to his age, and in an order and sequence that he is able to follow with the least resistance. I am also keeping in mind that I gotta make it F-U-N. There are terrific suggestions and ideas a-plenty in this book. It was money well spent. I highly recommend it.

This book written by Maureen Flanagan gives advise that is easily incorporated into the classroom and home. It helped me have a better understanding of why children with autism have difficulty eating a variety of foods and initiating communication with others. This a great resource book to give to parents whose child has received a diagnosis of autism.

I enjoyed this clear and concise book on an aspect of the care and treatment of autistic children. It is an easy to understand work on a complicated subject and one that defines the important role of speech therapists. Of special interest was the need for early identification and treatment. I gave several copies to friends with autistic grandchildren. They found it very helpful in relating to the problems the children and their parents faced.

Families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders can be overwhelmed by a daunting array of treatment options. Ms Flanagan's book offers a comprehensive, clinically sound and integrated aproach to understanding sensory systems, typical development, and therapeutic choices as well as practical techniques for home and school. The book is a must have for parents and therapists facing difficult choices about every aspect of oral-motor development and more.

Kathleen Rodriguez, PT
Pediatric Therapy Associates, Owner

This book is easy for parents, caregivers and teachers to read and to understand. It explains many terms often used by professionals and gives concrete examples on how to help a child who has autism eat and speak better. The developmental checklist for eating and speaking was especially helpful. I highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent resource for anyone who works with children with autism spectrum disorders, including parents, teachers, and therapists. Comprehensive information is well organized and presented in a clear and concise fashion. I highly recommend this book as a valuable addition to any treatment repertoire.
Susan Zwany, OT/L, Occupational Therapist