Talking Children Podcast

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 dives into what GLP is and how we can support people who communicate using Gestalts.

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 criteria for ARFID?

- What are the commonly co-occurring factors alongside ARFID?

- How is ARFID managed and treated?

- Who is involved in supporting people with ARFID?

- The link between ARFID and neurodiversity.

Key references used for this episode

Brigham, K. S., Manzo, L. D., Eddy, K. T., & Thomas, J. J. (2018). Evaluation and treatment of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) in adolescents. Current Pediatrics Reports, 6, 107-113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-018-0162-y

Cobbaert, L., & Rose, A. (2023). Eating disorders and neurodivergence: A stepped care approach. Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia.

https://nedc.com.au/assets/NEDC-Publications/Eating-Disorders-and-Neurodivergence-A-Stepped-Care-Approach.pdf

Dovey, T. M., Kumari, V., & Blissett, J. (2019). Eating behaviour, behavioural problems and sensory profiles of children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), autistic spectrum disorders or picky eating: Same or different?. European Psychiatry, 61, 56-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2019.06.008

Hay, P., Mitchison, D., Collado, A. E. L., González-Chica, D. A., Stocks, N., & Touyz, S. (2017). Burden and health-related quality of life of eating disorders, including Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), in the Australian population. Journal of Eating Disorders, 5,

1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-017-0149-z

Zimmerman, J., & Fisher, M. (2017). Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 47(4),

95-103.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2017.02.005

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 episode offers understanding of the underlying processes in PDA and helpful strategies to support children.

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 it comes to using screens with our children?

Tune in to find out!

Key references: Brushe, M. E., Haag, D. G., Melhuish, E. C., Reilly, S., & Gregory, T. (2024). Screen Time and Parent-Child Talk When Children Are Aged 12 to 36 Months. JAMA Pediatrics. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6790 Madigan, S., McArthur, B. A., Anhorn, C., Eirich, R., & Christakis, D. A. (2020). Associations between screen use and child language skills: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(7), 665-675.

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?

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 support related to cleft lip or palate see the following resources:

https://cleftpalsnsw.org.au/

https://www.cleftpalsvic.com/

https://www.cleftpalsvic.com/hospitals_and_links/books/

https://allisonfors.com/cleft-lip-and-palate-books/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/cleft-palate-and-cleft-lip

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.

In this episode I discuss Dr Anna Cronin's research on the experience of cleft lip and palate in early childhood. 

In this episode I talk with Shaun Zeigenfusz to discuss developmental language disorder (DLD) which affects 2 children in every classroom.

In this episode I talk about the diagnostic criteria for autism and common features of autism in children.

Part 2 of our Autism series. In this episode I answer some of the most commonly asked questions about Autism with special guest Lucia Flint. We cover topics such as whether autism is becoming more common, masking, stimming, regression and meltdowns. This episode is busting common myths with the latest research on neurodiversity affirming practices.

In this episode I speak with Rich Stephens, a speech-language pathologist and person who stutters. Rich is the founder of SAY: Australia, a Melbourne-based national not-for-profit organisation that supports, empowers, and educates young people who stutter aged 7-18 years and the world that surrounds them.
Rich discusses his experience of finding a community with other people who stutter, accepting himself and supporting young people who stutter to do the same.
SAY: Australia runs FREE comprehensive and innovative educational arts programs that address the physical, social, and emotional impacts of stuttering. Their aim is to build a community of acceptance, friendship, and encouragement for young people who stutter.
They also run a summer camp for young people who stutter.
For more information see:
https://www.sayaustralia.org.au/
Or contact Rich: rich@sayaustralia.org.au

This taster gives a quick introduction of what to expect from the Talking Children Podcast.

In this episode I unpack the 6 steps to the SPRING approach to supporting communication development in children.

In this episode I discuss the science around Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and how they impact upon children’s development with a particular focus on language development.
I also discuss how we can support children to health from their trauma and create positive relationships to enhance lifelong outcomes.

In this episode I explain what baby sign is and its potential benefits. I then provide step by step tips for introducing baby sign with a little one.

This episode looks at children who are learning to speak or use more than one language. In Australia, 1 in 6 children start school speaking a language other than English, so there are many parents and teachers who are eager to know how best to support their language development.
I draw upon the research to share 5 key facts and dispel 5 common myths around multilingualism in children.

This episode discusses the importance of early identification and early intervention for communication difficulties. I draw upon research evidence to discuss the risks of waiting and the benefits of acting early upon concerns about a child’s communication. I talk about the important role both parents and teachers play in this process. I also discuss the communication milestones developed by Speech Pathology Australia and how these can be used to help identify children who may need support for their communication.

This episode introduces stuttering in early childhood. The types of stuttering behaviours are described and information is provided about risk factors and when to seek help. The episode concludes with a list of dos and don’ts when talking with a child who stutters.

This episode discusses how children learn the sounds in their language. We talk about the typical processes that children go through when learning their sounds and at what age sounds are acquired by children in English. Strategies for supporting children to learn their sounds and an activity for identifying whether a child might need support with their speech development are provided.

This week’s episode explores the way that babies communicate in their first few months of life including eye contact, facial expressions, babbling and gesture. We also describe how adults use “baby talk” to communicate with babies and help them to learn language. I then share three ways that adults can engage with babies to help lay the essential early foundations for language learning and communication.

In this episode we cover the basics of how children learn language and discuss the importance of interaction with primary caregivers. This episode lays the foundation for understanding all of the future topics we will cover on the podcast.

I unpack the simple mantra of: talk, read, play to help support children’s language development from their earliest moments.

This episode provides an introduction to the Talking Children Podcast.