Change for Life in Werribee, Victoria | Speech therapist

Change for Life

Locality: Werribee, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 8742 4302

Address: 136 Derrimut Rd 3029 Werribee, VIC, Australia

Website: http://changeforlife.com.au/

Likes: 249

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Medical and health
• Disability service
• Psychologist
• Speech therapist

25.01.2022 Working on building fine motor and cognitive skills through dinosaur arts and crafts From: The ABA Team

24.01.2022 To all the amazing dads--WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY FATHERS DAY

23.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini, Begin the day with family time. Every day, a different person decides what the family does for the first hour of the day. For example, it can be puzzles, card games, a family walk, etc. Its empowering for each family member to feel a sense of collaborative control and ownership of each day.

22.01.2022 Good afternoon from Malini With the stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne set to continue for another 3 weeks, we are facing daily challenges on how to juggle our lives--work, school, health, connections with friends and family, and more. Over the next week, I will be talking about how can we make the most out of our time at home. Create positive memories for your children to talk about in the future. For example, you could do weekly theme nights, create a family gratitude tree, or let your children camp out in the living room. Focus on connection, relationships, gratitude, and having fun.

21.01.2022 School isnt all about work By Michael (Speech Pathologist) While your childs school is probably inundating you with copious amounts of curricula in order to ensure that he or she maintains their academic progress, it is very important to remember that school children arent doing calculus while chained to their desks all day! Think about some of the fun, or even just routine, things that your child might be doing at school every day and consider whether they might also be... worked into their school-at-home life. Some examples might include: A weekly show-and-tell session between siblings where they talk about something cool they have learned in school. Continuing to pack fun school lunches. Regular movement and physical activity breaksschool kids get to move around a lot nowadays, even outside of PE! Cooking and gardening are both on the agenda at many schools, and although these can be a bit messy, they are can provide a great break for your kids from crunching numbers and conjugating verbs. Many classrooms set aside some time throughout the day (most often after lunch break) for some mindfulness, or just for some rest and relaxation. Can you festoon at least some parts of the house in the work your child has produced? There is a reason that classroom teachers do this all the time: it helps make children proud of their hard work and accomplishments. Rather than diving straight into worksheets, reading, and writing, it can be good to warm up (not a scientific term) your childs brain by posing a riddle or some other kind of brain teaser that will get their brains into gear. There are many great and entertaining videos for this, such as Can you solve the bridge riddle? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yDmGnA8Hw0 published by TED-ED.

20.01.2022 When a Child isnt eating By Kim (Dietitian) Theres lots of reasons why kids dont eat, these are just a few to consider. How does your child sit at the table? Do they sit at the table? Is there any food they like on their plate? Are the portion sizes too big? Have you offered them something they dont yet have the skills to eat? How can you change the food to make it easier for them?... Image from @autism.nutritionist See more

19.01.2022 A great newspaper article on stuttering from Michael (our speechie) in the Indian Sun. https://www.theindiansun.com.au/2020/08/30/speak-easy-2/

18.01.2022 Good morning from Malini Catch the signs of anxiety early. One of the most important tools in managing anxiety is to recognize and address early warning signs of anxiety. ... Early signs of anxiety can look different for everybody. For some, it might be biting nails or being fidgety; for others, it can look like irritability. Become familiar with the warning signs your child displays.

13.01.2022 Good morning from Malini, As we reflect on how much fear we are going through globally and what all our world is looking at right now, it is especially important to look at the power of being positive. Why is this the case? The way we think can strengthen pathways in our brain that we need to reduce depression creeping into our life.

11.01.2022 Good morning from Malini, We have always found scriptures, poets, thinkers, mental health practitioners, encourage us to be positive or be grateful for thousands of years. Our science is catching up to back this more and more. Practice makes perfect- if we keep practising positive thinking we become better and better at it- the reverse is also true. Our brain learns to strengthen certain pathways with practice and we need to give it every chance to grow in the right direction.

11.01.2022 Good morning from Malini Focus on what you can control. Instead of dwelling on issues that are out of our control, teach your child to focus on the things they can control. Focusing on controllable tasks can help children think more logically and rationally.

10.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini. Encourage positive thinking. Reframing negative thoughts to be more positive is a great way to encourage positive thinking. Take time to share what you are grateful for during this time or to share what you appreciate about your child.

10.01.2022 Hello from Malini Many families are facing major changes in their day-to-day lives because of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). With all the unknowns that come with a new virus, its normal to feel anxious about the "what ifs" and the future. This stress does not just affect adults children are also at risk for anxiety, especially as their daily routines are affected.... When anxiety is not managed, it can affect both the body and brain, and cause feelings of helplessness and sadness. However, there are ways parents can help children cope with stress and anxiety about COVID-19. Check in frequently and listen. Check in with your child frequently about how theyre feeling and listen without interrupting. Hearing your childs concerns, validating their feelings and keeping communication open is an important way to support them during this time.

09.01.2022 Did you know? Food based activities - whether its in the kitchen cooking, food play or science experiments - will help your child to work on MANY skills. Such as gross motor, fine motor, coordination, listening, sequencing, spatial perception, planning, self-regulation and more!

09.01.2022 This may just seem like an ordinary monster mask, however in ABA it is great tool to teach labeling skills. I see silly eyes and crazy hair! From: The ABA Team

08.01.2022 Hello from Malini, This week I am sharing some great ideas people shared in sessions. We focused on how we could make our life more positive and mindful right now. 1. Find a way to REDUCE the noise that can add to our stress in a shared space ( put those ear phones on when you work) or shut the door of the entertainment room at busy times... 2. Dont underestimate how much noise the tv or electronics can make if you have it on a lot which we do when we are at home. 3. Create simple reminders for yourself and your kids to create a MlNDFUL NEW habit like a post it note on your snack box which you dive into after work mindlessly or the tv that you turn on without thinking to remind you of alternatives A question for the week that l will leave you to think about is what would you like your life and your family life to look like at the end of the school term? Lets share some thoughts about this unprecedented opportunity for mindful moments......

08.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini, A discussion we keep having is learning to get back into routine even for the most mundane things and everyday routines. This has been surprisingly hard with the current challenges for many. Let’s take our time to get back into things slowly and make time for mindfulness as we go through this transition.

07.01.2022 Fathers Day Certificates!! Just for dad By Kirsten Disability Consultant

07.01.2022 Happy Fathers Day from the ABA Team here at Change For Life.

06.01.2022 Here are some fun Fathers Day colouring pages. Colour them in special for dad or do them together as a fun Fathers Day activity! By Kirsten - Disability Consultant

06.01.2022 Dads BBQ Rub. Why not make dad a special bbq rub for the next time you all have a yummy BBQ dinner! What a great gift idea for Fathers Day! By Kirsten - Disability Consultant

05.01.2022 Good morning from Malini, Add a weekly tradition to your family so everyone has something to look forward to. For example, you can do family movie nights, cook recipes from different cultures, or do a video call with a different relative each week.

05.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini, Establish a learning environment that works best for your family. Try not to replicate the classroom. Each family has its own unique circumstances. Allow for flexibility, fun, and creativity.

04.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini, Helping others has always been recommended as the bast way to help ourselves. Let’s send that message of hope, positivity, and generosity to everyone around usin whatever small way we can. Have a wonderful and safe weekend.

03.01.2022 Figurative language - Michael (Speech Pathologist) The term ‘figurative language’ simply refers to any instance where language is being to convey a non-literal meaning. This can include idioms, metaphors, similes, and humour. Using figurative language is considered a higher-order language skill, because it emerges at a later period of language development and requires going beyond the conventional meaning of language in order to be used and understood. But the relatively-late... appearance of figurative language in the development of a child in no way means that the function it serves is in any way superfluous or unimportant. Figurative language forms become increasingly more prevalent in the language environments of children as they grow older. By year 8 of schooling, for instance, 20% of what a teacher says, and the work they assign, will utilise figurative language in some way. Being able to use and understand increasingly-sophisticated forms of humour is also a vital component of being able to integrate and get along with peer social groups. So what are some of the major types of figurative language? Idioms are the first to emerge, and typically the easiest for the child to grasp. An idiom is simply any phrase or sentence whose meaning cannot be deduced from a literal reading of the words: e.g., despite how it might sound on a literal reading, we know that stop horsing around does not typically refer to actual equestrian actions. A grasp of similes typically emerges next. They are not dissimilar to metaphors, and, in fact, contain metaphors, but they have a handy feature which signals the appearance of a metaphor. For instance, the use of ‘like’ in the sentence he was like a boiling teapot, signals to the reader or listener that what follows ‘like’ is bound to be a metaphor, and that the metaphor refers to the content leading up to ‘like’specifically, the subject ‘he.’ Deduct ‘like’ or ‘as’ from a simile and you have a metaphor! For example, the giraffe was a tall flag in the zoo represents a metaphor conveying that the giraffe at the zoo was a towering spectacle that attracted many visitors.

02.01.2022 Good Morning from Malini, Fill a small box or jar with things that make your children feel good (something soft or squishy to touch, lyrics or quotes from favourite songs or shows, a favorited book, a non-perishable snack they like, etc). Incorporate items that cover all five senses. Reach for the box anytime someone is feeling bored or overwhelmed with the changes/losses. It can help them regroup and get connected.

02.01.2022 Good morning from Malini, Today, I wanted to share my meditation of the day. At a time when we are so focused on being isolated from the outside world- can you think about another kind of isolation? ... How often do feelings of self-judgement, guilt, or shame isolate you from everyone? And what can you do help yourself? Lets start with a tiny bit of self-compassion and watch it grow and become a powerful part of your inner practice to connect to yourself and to others.

02.01.2022 Good morning from Malini Teach children coping skills for anxiety. The more anxious a child is, the more difficult it can be to use rational thinking to calm down. During these times, its important to use physical coping skills to decrease levels of anxiety.

01.01.2022 ROSIES WALK An adapted book.

01.01.2022 Fathers Day is this Sunday! Why not make dad something special just from you!! By Kirsten - Disability Consultant.

01.01.2022 Book recommendation: Hide and Seek, Author - Anthony Browne. By Michael (Speech Pathologist) This week I bring you another book by the wonderful author and illustrator, Anthony Browne. Ostensibly, the book is about the almost-universally adored childhood game of hide and seek, but it subtly and cleverly deals with some weightier topics as well. Perhaps the books strongest focus, though, is on perception and perspective. Many things that two siblings, who are the books centr...al characters, encounter on their journey into the woods turn out not to be what they seem at first. In fact, there is a rather large mismatch between the characters stated intention at the very beginning of the bookwanting to play hide and seek because theyre boredand what the reader might come to realise was their true intention all along: locating their missing dog. Discussing these differences about how things seem versus how they really are with your child is made all the easier by ingenious way that Browne has arranged the pictures on each page. When you query your child about whether a given character is hearing or seeing what they think they are hearing or seeing, there is almost always an illustration that your child can investigate to see whether that is or is not the case. This theme is reinforced by the illustrations in other ways, such as when the gnarled limbs of branches, or the coarse textures of the rocks, can be seem to resemble faces, animals, and other unexpected objects. This makes Hide and Seek a fascinating read, even for very young children who might be more reliant on interpreting the story through pictures than verbal language, as well as for older children who will be more attuned to what the characters are giving away through their speech.

01.01.2022 Working on attention, motor and imitation skills in ABA can be anything from stacking blocks to building castles out of tiny cups. From: The ABA Team