POWER OF WORDS
Words have far greater power
Than this world will ever know,
For they can heal the broken-hearted
And cause the small and weak to grow.
They give hope to the tired and discouraged,
When said with a warm, loving smile,
And they can strengthen the step of the weary
As they travel that last rugged mile.
Yes, words can lift up the spirits
Of those who are bowed with despair,
For words can fill them with courage,
Because they show them how much you care.
Gentle words spoken at just the right time
Can soften a cold, hardened heart,
And in the dark times of doubt and of fear,
Strength, joy and peace they impart.
So think carefully about each word that you speak,
And how somebody may be affected,
For words can also kill and destroy,
If by love they have not been perfected.
So speak only words that encourage
And cause others in God's love to grow –
Yes, speak only words of hope and of life
So the power of God's love will show.
Improving your Memory: Tips and Techniques for Memory Enhancement
If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. However, the human brain is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving human memory requires slightly more effort.
Just like muscular strength, your ability to remember increases when you exercise your memory and nurture it with a good diet and other healthy habits. There are a number of steps you can take to improve your memory and retrieval capacity. First, however, it's helpful to understand how we remember
What is memory?
Simply put, memory is the mental activity of recalling information that you have learned or experienced. That simple definition, though, covers a complex process that involves many different parts of the brain and serves us in disparate ways.
Memory can be short-term or long-term. In short-term memory, your mind stores information for a few seconds or a few minutes: the time it takes you to dial a phone number you just looked up or to compare the prices of several items in a store. Such memory is fragile, and it¡¯s meant to be; your brain would soon read ¡°disk full¡± if you retained every phone number you called, every dish you ordered in a restaurant, and the subject of every ad you watched on TV. Your brain is also meant to hold an average of seven items, which is why you can usually remember a new phone number for a few minutes but need your credit card in front of you when you¡¯re buying something online.
Long-term memory involves the information you make an effort (conscious or unconscious) to retain, because it¡¯s personally meaningful to you (for example, data about family and friends); you need it (such as job procedures or material you¡¯re studying for a test); or it made an emotional impression (a movie that had you riveted, the first time you ever caught a fish, the day your uncle died). Some information that you store in long-term memory requires a conscious effort to recall: episodic memories, which are personal memories about experiences you¡¯ve had at specific times; and semantic memories (factual data not bound to time or place), which can be everything from the names of the planets to the color of your child¡¯s hair. Another type of long-term memory is procedural memory, which involves skills and routines you perform so often that they don¡¯t require conscious recall.
Certain areas of the brain are especially important in the formation and retention of memory:
The hippocampus, a primitive structure deep in the brain, plays the single largest role in processing information as memory.
The amygdala, an almond-shaped area near the hippocampus, processes emotion and helps imprint memories that involve emotion.
The cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, stores most long-term memory in different zones, depending on what kind of processing the information involves: language, sensory input, problem-solving, and so forth.
In addition, memory involves communication among the brain¡¯s network of neurons, millions of cells activated by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Stages of memory foundation and maintenance
There are three stages that the brain goes through in forming and retaining memories.
| Stages of Memory Foundation and Maintenance | ||
| Acquisition ¡ú | Consolidation ¡ú | Retrieval |
| New information enters your brain along pathways between neurons in the appropriate area of the brain. The key to encoding information into your memory is concentration; unless you focus on information intently, it goes ¡°in one ear and out the other.¡± This is why teachers are always nagging students to pay attention! | If you¡¯ve concentrated well enough to encode new information in your brain, the hippocampus sends a signal to store the information as long-term memory. This happens more easily if it¡¯s related to something you already know, or if it stimulates an emotional response. | When you need to recall information, your brain has to activate the same pattern of nerve cells it used to store it. The more frequently you need the information, the easier it is to retrieve it along healthy nerve cell connections. |
Tips for memory improvements
Do you feel that you have a poor memory? You may just have some less-than-effective habits when it comes to taking in and processing information. Barring disease, disorder, or injury, you can improve your ability to learn and retain information.
Brain exercises
Memory, like muscular strength, is a ¡°use it or lose it¡± proposition. The more you work out your brain, the better you¡¯ll be able to process and remember information.
Novelty and sensory stimulation are the foundation of brain exercise. If you break your routine in a challenging way, you¡¯re using brain pathways you weren¡¯t using before. This can involve something as simple as brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand, which activates little-used connections on the nondominant side of your brain. Or try a ¡°neurobic¡± exercise ¨C an aerobic exercise for your brain ¨C (see Keep Your Brain Alive Exercise) that forces you to use your faculties in unusual ways, like showering and getting dressed with your eyes closed. Take a course in a subject you don¡¯t know much about, learn a new game of strategy, or cook up some recipes in an unfamiliar cuisine. That¡¯s the most effective way to keep your synapses firing.
General guidelines to improve memory
In addition to exercising your brain, there are some basic things you can do to improve your ability to retain and retrieve memories:
- Pay attention. You can¡¯t remember something if you never learned it, and you can¡¯t learn something ¡ª that is, encode it into your brain ¡ª if you don¡¯t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intent focus to process a piece of information through your hippocampus and into the appropriate memory center. So, no multitasking when you need to concentrate! If you distract easily, try to receive information in a quiet place where you won¡¯t be interrupted.
- Tailor information acquisition to your learning style. Most people are visual learners; they learn best by reading or otherwise seeing what it is they have to know. But some are auditory learners who learn better by listening. They might benefit by recording information they need and listening to it until they remember it.
- Involve as many senses as possible. Even if you¡¯re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.
- Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it¡¯s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.
- Organize information. Write things down in address books and datebooks and on calendars; take notes on more complex material and reorganize the notes into categories later. Use both words and pictures in learning information.
- Understand and be able to interpret complex material. For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Be able to explain it to someone else in your own words.
- Rehearse information frequently and ¡°over-learn¡±. Review what you¡¯ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. What researchers call ¡°spaced rehearsal¡± is more effective than ¡°cramming.¡± If you¡¯re able to ¡°over-learn¡± information so that recalling it becomes second nature, so much the better.
- Be motivated and keep a positive attitude. Tell yourself that you want to learn what you need to remember, and that you can learn and remember it. Telling yourself you have a bad memory actually hampers the ability of your brain to remember, while positive mental feedback sets up an expectation of success.
Mnemonic devices to improve memory
Mnemonics (the initial ¡°m¡± is silent) are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by causing us to associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.
Common types of mnemonic devices include:
- Visual images - a microphone to remember the name ¡°Mike,¡± a rose for ¡°Rosie.¡± Use positive, pleasant images, because the brain often blocks out unpleasant ones, and make them vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional ¡ª they¡¯ll be easier to remember.
- Sentences in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember. Millions of musicians, for example, first memorized the lines of the treble staff with the sentence ¡°Every good boy does fine¡± (or ¡°deserves favor¡±), representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F. Medical students often learn groups of nerves, bones, and other anatomical features using nonsense sentences.
- Acronyms, which are initials that creates pronounceable words. The spaces between the lines on the treble staff, for example, are F, A, C, and E: FACE.
- Rhymes and alliteration: remember learning ¡°30 days hath September, April, June, and November¡±? A hefty guy named Robert can be remembered as ¡°Big Bob¡± and a smiley co-worker as ¡°Perky Pat¡± (though it might be best to keep such names to yourself).
- Jokes or even off-color associations using facts, figures, and names you need to recall, because funny or peculiar things are easier to remember than mundane images.
- ¡°Chunking¡± information; that is, arranging a long list in smaller units or categories that are easier to remember. If you can reel off your Social Security number without looking at it, that¡¯s probably because it¡¯s arranged in groups of 3, 2, and 4 digits, not a string of 9.
- ¡°Method of loci¡±: This is an ancient and effective way of remembering a lot of material, such as a speech. You associate each part of what you have to remember with a landmark in a route you know well, such as your commute to work.
Healthy habits to improve memory
Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information.
| Healthy Habits that Improve Memory | |
| Regular exercise |
|
| Managing stress |
|
| Good sleep habits |
|
| Not smoking |
|
Nutrition and Memory improvement
You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and ¡°healthy¡± fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. Research indicates that certain nutrients nurture and stimulate brain function.
B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid, protects neurons by breaking down homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic to nerve cells. They¡¯re also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen. (Best sources: spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans.)
Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene, fight free radicals, which are atoms formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Free radicals are highly reactive and can damage cells, but antioxidants can interact with them safely and neutralize them. Antioxidants also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and brain. (Best sources: blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, liver.)
Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are associated with cognitive function. They count as ¡°healthy¡± fats, as opposed to saturated fats and trans fats, protecting against inflammation and high cholesterol. (Best sources: cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; flaxseed and flaxseed oil)
Because older adults are more prone to B12 and folic acid deficiencies, a supplement may be a good idea for seniors. An omega-3 supplement (at any age) if you don¡¯t like eating fish. But nutrients work best when they¡¯re consumed in foods, so try your best to eat a broad spectrum of colorful plant foods and choose fats that will help clear, not clog, your arteries. Your brain will thank you!
Memory and aging
Several factors cause aging brains to experience changes in the ability to retain and retrieve memories:
- The hippocampus is especially vulnerable to age-related deterioration, and that can affect how well you retain information.
- There¡¯s a relative loss of neurons with age, which can affect the activity of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and their receptors.
- An older person often experiences decreased blood flow to the brain and processes nutrients that enhance brain activity less efficiently than a younger person.
However, in healthy older adults, these changes represent more of a slowing in the ability to absorb, store, and retrieve new information, not a loss. The factual information you¡¯ve accumulated over the years remains largely intact, as does procedural memory. You can make and recall new long-term memories; the process just takes a little longer.
Of course, some older adults do develop more significant problems with memory that are the result of diseases such as Alzheimer¡¯s or stroke; injury; poor nutrition; other physiological issues; or emotional problems.
A Very Beautiful Message
Mum's Love
When you were 1 year Old,She fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.
When you were 2years old,she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.
When you were 3years old she made all your food with Love.
You tahnked her by tossing your plate on the floor.
When you were 4years old,she gave some crayons.
You thanked her by coloring the Dining room table.
When you were 5years old,she dressed you for the holidays.
You tahnked Her by plopping into the nearest.
When you were 6 years old,she walked you to school.
You thanked Her by screaming "I M NOT GOING".
When you were 7 years Old,She bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the Next-Door-Neighbor's window.
When you were 8 years old,she handed you an ice-cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your Lap.
When you were 9 years old,she paid for piano lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.
When you were 10years old,she drove you all day,from soccer to gymnastic to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.
When you were 11years Old,she took you and your friends to the
Movies.
You thanked Her by asking her to sit in a different row.
When you were 12 years old,she warned you not to watch certain
TV Shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.
When you were 13years old,she suggested a haircut.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.
When you were 14 years old,She paid for a month away at
summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single Letter.
When you were 15, she came home from work,looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.
When you were 16,she taught you how to drive her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.
When you were 17she was expecting an important, call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.
When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.
When you were 19, she paid for your College,tuition,drove you to
campus carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn't
be embarrased in front of your friends.
When you were 20,she asked whether you were seeing anyone.
You thanked Her by saying, "It's none of your business".
When you were 21,she suggested certain careers for your future.
You thanked her by saying," I don't want to be like you".
When you were 22,she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.
When you were 23,she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.
When you were 24,she met your fiance and asked about your plans
for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling "Muuhh-ther.please!"
When you were 25,she helped to pay for your wedding and she cried
and told you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.
When you were 30,she called with some advice on the baby.
you thanked her by telling her "Things are different now."
When you were 40,she called to remind you of a relative's birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now"
When you were 50,she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to
their Children.
And then,one day,she quietly died.And everything you never did
came crashing down like thunder on your HEART.
IF SHE'S STILL AROUND,NEVER FORGET TO LOVE HER
MORE THAN EVER...
AND IF SHE'S NOT,REMEMBER HER UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
AND PASS IT ON..
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LOVE THY MOTHER,BECAUSE
YOU ONLY HAVE ONE
MOTHER IN YOUR LIFETIME!!!!!
--
Five Key Skills for Academic Success
It's never too early or too late to help your child develop the skills for academic success. Learn how to build these skills and stay on track all year long.
By GreatSchools.net Staff
It takes a combination of skills: organization, time management, prioritization, concentration and motivation, to achieve academic success. Here are some tips to help get your child on the right track.
Talk to your child. To find out which of these skills your child has and which he can develop further, start a simple conversation that focuses on his goals. Ask him about
| |
his favorite subjects, classes he dreads and whether he's satisfied with his latest progress report.
Listen for clues. Incorporate your own observations with your child's self-assessment. Is your child overwhelmed by assignments? He may have trouble organizing time. Does your child have difficulty completing his work? He may get distracted too easily. Is your child simply not interested in school? He may need help getting motivated.
Identify problem areas. Start here to help your child identify which of the five skill areas are trouble spots.
1. Organization
Whether it's keeping track of research materials or remembering to bring home a lunch box, children need to be organized to succeed in school. For many students, academic challenges are related more to a lack of organization than to a lack of intellectual ability.
Tips to help your child get organized:
· Make a checklist of things your child needs to bring to and from school every day. Put a copy by the door at home and one in his backpack. Try to check with him each day to see if he remembers the items on the list.
· Find out how your child keeps track of his homework and how he organizes his notebooks. Then work together to develop a system he will want to use.
· Shop with your child for tools that will help him stay organized, such as binders, folders or an assignment book.
2. Time Management
Learning to schedule enough time to complete an assignment may be difficult for your student. Even when students have a week to do a project, many won't start until the night before it's due. Learning to organize time into productive blocks takes practice and experience.
Tips to help your child manage time:
· Track assignments on a monthly calendar. Work backward from the due date of larger assignments and break them into nightly tasks.
· Help your child record how much time he spends on homework each week so he can figure out how to divide this time into manageable chunks.
· Together, designate a time for nightly homework and help your child stick to this schedule.
· If evenings aren't enough, help your child find other times for schoolwork, such as early mornings, study halls or weekends.
3. Prioritization
Sometimes children fall behind in school and fail to hand in assignments because they simply don't know where to begin. Prioritizing tasks is a skill your child will need throughout life, so it's never too soon to get started.
Tips to help your child prioritize:
· Ask your child to write down all the things he needs to do, including non-school-related activities.
· Ask him to label each task from 1 to 3, with 1 being most important.
· Ask about each task, so that you understand your child's priorities. If he labels all his social activities as 1, then you know where his attention
is focused.
· Help your child change some of the labels to better prioritize for academic success. Then suggest he rewrite the list so all the 1's are at the top.
· Check in frequently to see how the list is evolving and how your child is prioritizing new tasks.
4. Concentration
Whether your child is practicing his second grade spelling words or studying for a trigonometry test, it's important that he works on schoolwork in an area with limited distractions and interruptions.
Tips to help your child concentrate:
· Turn off access to email and games when your child works on the computer.
· Declare the phone and TV off-limits during homework time.
· Find space that fits the assignment. If your child is working on a science project, he may need lots of space; if he's studying for a Spanish test, he will need a well-lit desk.
· Help your child concentrate during homework time by separating him from
his siblings.
5. Motivation
Most children say they want to do well in school, yet many still fail to complete the level of work necessary to succeed academically. The reason is often motivation. Tapping into your child's interests is a great way to get him geared to do well in school.
Tips to help motivate your child:
· Link school lessons to your child's life. If he's learning percentages, ask him to figure out the price of a discounted item next time you shop.
· Link your child's interests to academics. If he's passionate about music, give him books about musicians and show how music and foreign languages
are connected.
· Give your child control and choices. With guidance, let him determine his study hours, organizing system or school project topics.
· Encourage your child to share his expertise. Regularly ask him about what he's learning in school.
· Congratulate your child, encourage him and celebrate all his successes.
Often what holds children back from trying is the fear of failure or the memory of a time they didn't do well. You can help break this cycle by celebrating your child's successes, no matter how small, and by giving him opportunities to succeed academically.
The Best We Can Be - Honouring Our Children
Everything we do and say in the presence of our children makes an impression on them.
We may think we can get away with swearing or gossipping in front of them when they can’t talk, but we have forgotten that just because they can’t talk doesn’t mean they don’t hear.
They are sensitive sponges absorbing their environment in ways we will never know.
Even if the words don’t make sense to them, they make an impression, as does the energy behind the words.
We Honor our children when we acknowledge that they are fully present from the very beginning and when we offer ourselves to them in ways that model the best of what humans can be.
When we bring a child into the world, a great welling up of love and hope fills our hearts.
We unequivocally want the very best for our children, and we want to be the best parents a child could ever want. We begin to see ourselves and our lives in a different light, and things that seemed okay before we had a child suddenly reveal themselves as problematical.
This can lead to a somewhat mincing review of our habits of speech, thought and feeling, our relationships, and our physical habits.
We may feel that we have put ourselves under a microscope, which can be stressful.
However, it can also lead to a great healing of our own unresolved issues and, in turn, it enables us to be good parents to our children. Talking to other conscious parents about this life transformation can be very helpful.
Our desire to become the best we can be is often strongest at the very beginning of a child’s life and sometimes loses its intensity as we grow accustomed to their presence.
However, it is never too late to look at ourselves and notice whether we are offering our best to our children.
That original welling up of love and hope can inspire us throughout our lives to be the best we can be.
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Kitchen
Vastu for kitchen takes into consideration various things, which when properly placed, pave way for safety in the kitchen. Some of the essential determinants considered are: proper location of the kitchen, direction and placement of doors and windows, placement of cooking gas, gas cylinder, sink, refrigerator and other electronic gadgets etc.
Here are some Vaastu tips for kitchen:
· The ideal place for the location of kitchen is the southeast corner. An alternative choice can be the northwest corner of the house.
· As per the Vastu remedies for kitchen, certain directions, which are a total no for the construction of the kitchen, are: Northeast, mid-north, mid-west, southwest mid-south or the center.
· Make sure that the cooking platform does not touch eastern or northern side wall.
· The best direction for cooking is facing east, as this direction is considered to be auspicious.
· No shelf should be placed above the cooking platform.
· Refrigerator can be placed on the northwest corner in the kitchen.
· While constructing the kitchen, make adequate provision for cross ventilation.
Speech and language therapy !!!!!
The people who find it difficult to verbally communicate with others can resolve their problems by undergoing a certain kind of therapy
Hassan was first evaluated for speech and language difficulties at the age of three years and one month. His parents at the time reported that he uttered only a few words. His most frequent communicative attempts involved gesturing, producing certain favourite syllables (such as ba) and whining. According to his parents, it looks as if he understood much of what is said to him. Hassan’s motor development seemed within normal limits.
Azra, age 46, suffered a stroke. One month after her stroke, her verbal output was limited in quantity and had difficulty finding the appropriate words to complete a sentence. Characteristically, she spoke in short phrases, and some grammatical problems were evident. Her comprehension was considerably better than her speech although she had problems comprehending complex instructions and messages.
Language is our most human characteristic. It is essential to learning, working and enjoying family life and friendship. Think of a person who cannot communicate verbally; who has difficulty in telling others his needs and thoughts; and sho cannot enjoy a conversation with others because he cannot participate in it. Or think of a child who is facing learning difficulties because he has problems in speech and language. Some of these individuals need the speech and language therapy.
What is speech and language therapy?
Speech and language therapy is a treatment programme designed to regain and increase/improve the person’s ability to communicate with others.
How does speech and language therapy work?
We correspond by encoding our thought into language and conveying to others using speech, language and gestures.
• Speech
• Language
• Body gestures and facial expressions.
Let’s examine them one by one
Speech is a very coordinated process. During which we use our breath to produce sound (voice). This is then shaped by movements of our lips, tongue, teeth etc., (articulation) into meaningful words. These words come out of our mouth fluently in a form of a sentence. Thus speech consists of three parts: voice, articulation and fluency.
Language gives us rules to make words and also rules to put them together to form meaningful sentences.
We also use our facial expressions, hand gestures and body movement to communicate.
The speech and language therapy encompass all these areas and it is the job of a speech and language therapist to assess, diagnose and then design a treatment programme to correct or rehabilitate the person so that he/she can communicate efficiently.
Who is a speech and language therapist?
The speech and language therapist is a person who specializes in this type of treatment. Such therapists either have a master’s degree or a diploma in speech and language therapy with ample clinical experience. A speech and language therapist may specialize in certain kind of problems; so it is important to choose a speech and language therapist carefully.
Who needs speech and language therapist?
Any person who has difficulty with verbal communication or swallowing due to any reason physical or cognitive should consider the speech and language therapy.
What kind of problems does the therapy treat?
There are four kinds of problems that the speech and language therapy can treat. They are:
• Speech
• Language
• Cognition or thinking skills
• Swallowing problems
The person with speech problem may have difficulty in producing voice, articulation or fluency. These problems make such persons’ speech less clear and harder to understand. Examples include stuttering, a lisp and garbled speech after stroke, loss or impairment of the voice.
Language is the use of symbols, such as words, numbers or gestures that have meaning. The person with language problems may have trouble understanding or accurately choosing words, numbers or gestures. Such people may lack the necessary vocabulary needed to understand or have difficulty putting the words together to make a grammatically correct sentence. In order to communicate accurately with others, they must be able to pay attention, concentrate and use various thinking skills. For treatment of certain language problems the speech and language therapist may need to work on these thinking skills.
We depend on swallowing in order to get the nutrients we need to live. Swallowing difficulties is a general term used to describe the inability to move food from the mouth to the stomach. By and large swallowing can be divided into three phases:
• Oral phase — sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat
• Pharyngeal phase — triggering the swallowing reflex, squeezing food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway ( aspiration ) or to prevent choking
• Esophageal phase — relaxing and tightening the openings at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing food through the esophagus into the stomach.
Difficulty may occur in any of these phases. A person may have swallowing problems if there is an injury or illness that affects the nerves or muscles in the tongue, mouth or throat such as cerebral palsy, stroke, cleft palate or cleft lip. Swallowing problems can also happen if there has been surgery to remove parts of the mouth or throat.
Illnesses for which the therapist is usually consulted
• Congenital problems like cleft palate or cleft lip
• Cerebral palsy children, if there is impairment in their speech and language
• Stuttering
• Articulation errors
• Delayed speech in children
• Language difficulties
• Children with learning difficulties specially learning language
• Psychological problems like autism, ADHD, mental retardation and conversion disorders
• Hearing impairment
• Abnormal childhood languages.
• Voice problems like harsh voice may have physical or functional reasons.
• After trauma which result in loss of language or speech
• After stroke which result in loss of speech & language (aphasia, dysarthria)
• Apraxia (disorder of impaired voluntary movements)
• After cancer surgery involving mouth or throat.
• Swallowing problems
When someone goes to a speech and language therapist he/she will listen to your problem and assess you by giving you certain tests. These are not the usual tests as in school or in laboratory. The therapist may physically examine the areas involved. You may be required to answer certain questions. Repeat certain words or sentences. The therapist will record your responses on paper or may use a tape recorder.
Usually the physician has referred you to a speech therapist but if there is need to refer back or a further investigation is a necessity you may be referred to the appropriate physician by the speech therapist.
The speech and language therapist will design a treatment programme which is best for the patient. This will be based on many factors. Some of them are:
• The type and the extent of illness
• Disability
• Type and extent of handicap (if present)
• Motivation of the person
• Home situation
• Extent of the speech impairment
Depending on the above mention factors the range of treatment includes:
• Counseling.
• Physical strengthening exercises.
• Training and repetitive exercises.
• Exercises to build language skills.
• Use of devices that can make it easier for some people to speak and communicate.
The speech and language therapist also works closely with family members or significant others.
How long does the treatment last?
Every patient will see a speech and language therapist for his/her individual reason/problems. Each will receive a specific treatment programme to suit his/ her needs. The number of times you see a speech and language therapist depends on your specific reason for seeing one. Just like some diseases take longer to treat than others. Some speech problems take longer to correct than others. You may see your therapist once a week or a few times a week and your treatment can take any where from a few weeks to a few months to a few years.
The best thing patients can do for themselves is practise, practise and practise. Repeat the same exercises at home that have been taught in the therapy session. Don’t just rely on work you do during your sessions with the speech and language therapist. The more you practise, the shorter your therapy will be and the sooner you will be speaking comfortably and confidently.
Where does one find such a therapist?
Speech and language therapists work in a number of environments that include:
• Hospitals
• Special schools
• Health care centers
• Some times they visit patient’s home
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Drawing Room
Here are some Vastu tips for drawing room:
· The north direction is ideal for the construction of drawing room.
· As per Vastu for drawing room, it is advisable to keep square or rectangle shape furniture.
· Southern and western corners of the room are perfect for placing the furniture.
· As per the Vastu advice for drawing rooms, there should more of open space in the northern and eastern corners.
· The perfect place for placing sofa lies in northwest.
· TV can be kept in the southeast direction and showcase cum almirah in the southwest corner.
· Seating arrangement for the guests should be done in such a manner that the guests face southern or western direction.
· Center table can be in the shape of square, rectangle or even round.
· Avoid placing L shape sofa in your drawing room.
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Dining Room
Vastu for dining room makes sure that the food you are eating will have positive effects on you and your family. There are plenty of things that are required to be considered, while giving the right Vastu remedies for dining room like the proper location of dining room, proper placement of dining table, position of electronic gadgets, the direction you are facing while eating food etc.
Here are some Vastu tips for dining room:
- The ideal location for the construction of dining room is the West portion of the house.
- Construction should be done in such a manner that the dining room and kitchen both are on the same floor, lying adjacent to each other.
- Square or rectangle shape dining table is just perfect for the room.
- Dining table should not be sticking to the wall.
- The most suitable wall colors for the room are the shades of pink and orange.
- If you want to place a fridge in the dining room, then southeast direction would be just apt.
- If you want to make provision for the fitting of washbasin in your dining room, then the right place would be either eastern or northern corner.
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Bathroom
Here are some Vastu tips for Bathroom:
- For bathroom construction, the most appropriate location lies in the eastern portion of the house.
- There must be a provision for proper lighting and cross ventilation.
- As a part of Vastu remedies for bathroom, it is suggested that the geyser should be placed in the Southeast corner.
- Drainage system should be in the northeast direction. Therefore, it is advised that the taps and showers should be fixed on the northern side.
- As per Vastu for bathroom, the door should not be in the southwest direction of the bathroom.
- For keeping the washing machine, the suitable directions are southeast and northwest.
- Bathtub can be placed on the west side.
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Children Room
Here are some Vastu tips for children's room:
- The best direction for constructing children's room is west. North or East directions can also be used for constructing kids' room.
- Vastu for children room suggests that a married couple should not use East direction bedroom. There is no problem if an unmarried child uses that room.
- Bed can be placed in the southwest corner.
- As a part of Vastu guidelines for children room, it is recommended to avoid placing the mirror just on the opposite side of the bed.
- Do not place the furniture sticking to the wall, as it obstructs the flow of positive energy.
- The study desk should be placed in such a manner that the child faces eastern, northern or northeastern corner while studying. East is the most appropriate direction, as it paves way for enhanced concentration.
- Avoid placing the electronic gadgets like TV and Computer in the kids' bedroom. But still if you wish to install one, then for computer, the right place is Southeast corner and for TV, Northwest corner would be fine.
Protect Your Children from Lawn-Mower Injuries
Spring marks the onset of what Johns Hopkins Children's Center specialists call lawnmower injury season. Lawnmowers can cause devastating injuries in children and are the leading cause of amputations in teens, Hopkins Children's experts warn.
"Every spring and summer we see children so badly injured by lawnmowers that they need amputation or extensive reconstructive surgery," says Rick Redett, M.D., director of reconstructive and plastic surgery at Hopkins Children's, Maryland's designated pediatric trauma center where the most severe cases are treated.
Many more children with less serious injuries end up in local emergency departments, Redett says.
Each year, lawnmower accidents send 9,400 U.S. children to the hospital, causing injuries more severe than any other tool or device, research shows. The most common injuries are lacerations, fractures and amputations of the fingers, hands, toes, feet and legs.
Most injuries occur when a person operating a ride-on mower is unaware that a child is behind the mower and shifts into reverse, backing over the child.
Hopkins Children's experts offer the following prevention tips:
- Keep children under 6 years old indoors while a power mower is in operation.
- Don't allow a child under 12 to use a walk-behind mower.
- Keep children under 16 off ride-on mowers, even with a parent.
- If you are mowing and see a child running toward you, turn off the mower immediately. Children can fall and slip into the blade, especially if the grass is wet.
- Wear protective goggles and close-toed shoes when operating a mower or when near one.
- Before mowing, clean the lawn of debris such as sticks and stones, which may get caught in the blades and propelled out.
- If injury occurs, call 911 right away and apply pressure to the wound to stop bleeding while you await an ambulance.
- Buy mowers with a no-reverse safety feature that requires the operator to turn the mower around instead of shifting into reverse.
Know about Vastu - Vastu For Home
The term Vastu, meaning a dwelling place, was initially used to refer to the homes of gods and human beings. But now the scope of this study has expanded to the extent of including almost all types of constructions, and then be it a plot, commercial complex, industry, shop/showroom or spiritual place like temple. These days, it has become a trend of consulting a Vastu expert for residential Vastu.
Read further to know about Vastu for Home...
Here are some Vastu tips for house:
- The best direction for master bedroom construction is southwest, while for other rooms; central, southern and central west directions are appropriate.
- If you wish to construct a bedroom in the northwest direction, then prefer using it as a guest room or as a room for daughters.
- Southeast direction is not right for bedroom purpose.
- For children's room, the perfect direction is west or north. Place their study tables in the northern or eastern corner of the room and make sure that while your kids are studying, they should be facing east direction.
- Avoid sleeping with your head facing north side of your room.
- Green color is recommended to be used for wall painting in the study room, as it enhances intelligence.
- For prayer room, yellow or sandal wall color is just perfect.
- For placing TV or computer in the living room, southeast corner is just right.
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