Get the Most out of Therapy for Children

In times of limited health care budgets, it can be frustrating for parents and children, when therapy sessions are few and far between. Emily has some great tips on getting the most out of therapy for children.

‘I’m so cross.  I had a speech & language session with our local community speech & language therapist and she said she couldn’t see us more than every six weeks!  How on earth is my son going to be able to progress at that rate??  I mean, seriously.  He’s three and can’t talk yet.  Surely they can see he needs some serious intervention? Bloody funding issues but I think they actually just don’t care.  I’m furious about it.’

I’ve heard this all too often – about Speech & Language, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy…any kind of therapy for children.  Yes there may be funding issues, and the frequency of appointments might well be less than the therapist would ideally be recommending, but every six weeks can be enough to make the difference.

Social Media in Schools – Communication with Parents

In an age of digital communication, it can sometimes seem as if schools are stuck in the past, pecking missives on ancient Olivetti typewriters, and sending them to parents via the often unreliable carrier pigeon of their pupils. Social Media can help, but it is not the perfect solution. We take a look at ways in which schools can update and improve communication with parents.

The New Media Stars

Do the names Zoella, Saccone-Joly, Tyler Oakley and Alfie Deyes mean anything to you? If you answered, “yes”, then we are going to guess that you have someone between the ages of 8 and 15 years living in your house! If you answered “no”, then read on to find out about the new media phenomenon that is taking the world by storm.

Απλοποίηση της γλώσσας• ναι ή όχι;

If this is all Greek to you (SORRY!), then do pop over here for the English version of why you shouldn’t dumb down your language for your kids. Μετάφραση – Μίλλη Σλαβίδου

Πως θα έπρεπε να μιλάμε στα παιδιά μας; Να ένα ζήτημα που βγαίνει και ξαναβγαίνει. Θα έπρεπε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε τις λεγόμενες μωρουδίστικες λέξεις, όπως τσιτσίκο για το κρέας και νάνι για τον ύπνο όταν είναι πολύ μικρά; Θα έπρεπε να απλοποιήσουμε τη γλώσσα καθ’ολη την παιδική ηλικία, και να αποφεύγουμε μέγαλες λέξεις, τα αποκαλούμενα λόγια ρήματα και άλλα πράγματα που θεωρούμε πολύ προχωρημένα και περίπλοκα; Με μια λέξη μόνο αποδίδουμε το νόημα, άρα να αποφεύγουμε τα συνώνυμα για να μην μπερδεύουμε τα παιδιά; Ποιο είναι το σωστό για την καλή ανάπτυξη και καλλιέργεια των παιδικών μυαλών;

The Woolly Hugs Charity

The worst thing that any parent can imagine is the death of a child. It is the stuff of nightmares, the kind that wake us at 3am, and send us to give our children a quick kiss, and a stroke of their hair. Just to know that they are safe. It was a dream, just a bad dream.

Sadly, for some parents, this isn’t a nightmare. It is reality. When the worst happens to a friend, it is difficult to know what to do, what to say, as no words can make things better, or heal the pain. No platitude can lessen the heartbreak, but still we are often consumed by the feeling that we must DO SOMETHING! Anything. It was this feeling of helplessness and empathy that lead to the foundation of the Woolly Hugs charity.

#PrettyCurious Workshop at the Science Museum

On Thursday 15th October, the basement of the Science Museum in London was filled with 15 and 16 year olds competently assembling circuits, designing smart gadgets and using laser cutters and 3D printers to bring their creations to life. The atmosphere was buzzing, filled with the excited voices of young engineers as they traded ideas and competed to see who could build the most impressive device. This was the first #PrettyCurious workshop, and all the teenagers were young women.