Teach Special Education......

Within the few years I've been a special education educator, I have realized that more special educators are needed. Especially, here in Saudi Arabia. I have been reading about the shortage of special education teachers here in the kingdom as well as therapists and other occupations that relate to special education. Where are all of the special education teachers???

The Youtube video below points out positive characteristics of special educators in America. The aim is to encourage people to become caregivers for children with special needs. Please watch.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XsaK3pWyII

Helping Hands Support Services- for children with special needs

Just wanted to tell you all that I have launched a new in-home services program for children with special needs. The name of the program is Helping Hands Educational Program.

7 services for families are offered with in the program. The services are based upon the developmental need of each child. Each service is planned specifically to tailor the SPECIFIC need of the child.  The reason I have decided to start this is basically for the same reason I started this blog; just because there are not many resources and services for children and families with special needs. So I decided to change that and offer services in the home of the family, to help children develop and help families get ahead.

There are hourly fees that apply to each service. Enrollment consists of completing an application and an assessment on the child and family. Scholarships and payment plans are available for families who have financial difficulties.

If interested, please contact Helping Hands at helpinghandsep@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your support and please don't forget to inform your family and friends who currently reside in KSA about these services.

Speech Impediments

Many children suffer with speech disorders. With acquired preventions and specialized pathologists, children with this disorder will have proper guidance and support. There are a variety of reasons for these disorders but daily practice and recognition and concentration can make the issue easy to deal with. Taking precautions to make sure your child has no hearing and speech issues early on is also beneficial. Obtaining information about your child’s issue is a good way to help you understand why your child does what he or she does. Reaching out to other parents with the same issues may also help in understanding speech disorders. As children, having your parents support is very important. As a parent, knowing your child strengths is also important. 

The best treatment is prevention and early intervention by a speech pathologist. Speech training is an involved and time consuming endeavor that can have profound results with consistent treatment. (Bowen, 1998)

Speech-language pathologists select intervention approaches based on the highest quality of scientific evidence available in order to help with articulation disorders and increase fluency in those who stutter. (Glausiusz,2007)

 Depending on the nature and how severe the disorder may be, common treatments may range from physical strengthening exercises, instructive or repetitive practice and drilling, to the use of audio-visual aids and introduction of strategies to facilitate functional communication. Speech therapy may also include sign language and the use of picture symbols.  A few clinics that specialize in fluency disorders may use computerized techniques to find the issue. By gathering as much information as possible about the way someone speaks, the pathologist can develop a treatment plan that meets each individual's needs. (Kidshealth.org/teens)

          The Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing offers Early Intervention programs for children with speech issues. They offer free hearing screens for infants 6 months and under. They test for audiological problems that may effect the speech of an individual and offer treatment that suites both child and parent.  The Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing has adopted the American Speech -Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) standards of practice, which has been certifying professionals since 1952. 

More and more children seem to suffer disabilities, in particularly speech impairments.  This problem has become very wide spread among our children, and helping them should be at the forefront, as for all other disabilities children are effected with.   These solutions and treatments can help the children we care about in communicating with others.