#Speech Therapy Tools

[noisycowboyglitter]

Holistic Speech Pathology Therapy for Optimal Communication

Speech Pathology Therapy, also known as Speech and Language Therapy, is a specialized field focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing communication and swallowing disorders in people of all ages. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with a diverse range of clients, from children with developmental delays to adults recovering from stroke or brain injury.

Buy now:19.95$

This therapy addresses various issues, including articulation problems, fluency disorders like stuttering, voice disorders, and language disorders affecting comprehension or expression. SLPs also work with individuals who have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or those using alternative communication methods.

Treatment approaches are tailored to each client's needs and may involve exercises to strengthen oral muscles, language intervention activities, articulation therapy, and the use of technology-based tools. For children, therapy often incorporates play-based activities to make sessions engaging and effective.

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Speech pathology therapy not only improves communication skills but can also enhance quality of life, self-esteem, and social interactions. It plays a crucial role in educational settings, healthcare facilities, and private practices, supporting individuals in achieving their communication goals and overcoming challenges related to speech, language, and swallowing.

Autism Awareness Month, observed annually in April, is a dedicated time to increase understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This month-long observance aims to educate the public about the challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families, while also celebrating their unique strengths and contributions.

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During this time, organizations, schools, and communities host events, workshops, and campaigns to raise awareness. These activities often focus on promoting inclusion, addressing misconceptions, and highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.

Autism Awareness Month also serves as a platform for self-advocates to share their experiences and perspectives. It emphasizes the need for support services, research funding, and policies that improve the lives of those affected by autism.

The puzzle piece ribbon and the color blue are often used as symbols during this month to represent autism awareness.

Gifts for people with autism should be thoughtfully chosen to match their individual preferences and needs. Sensory items like weighted blankets, fidget toys, or noise-canceling headphones can provide comfort and stress relief. For those with special interests, books,

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collectibles, or experiences related to their favorite subjects are often appreciated. Practical gifts that support independence, such as organizational tools or adaptive gadgets, can be helpful. Tech devices with autism-specific apps or features may enhance communication and daily living skills. Always consider the person's sensory sensitivities and unique interests when selecting a gift to ensure it's both enjoyable and beneficial.

[speechgearss]

Enhance Communication Skills with Innovative Speech Therapy Tools

Welcome to Speech Gears, your premier destination for cutting-edge speech therapy tools designed to empower individuals on their journey toward improved communication. Our collection of speech tools has been meticulously curated to address various speech impediments, language development challenges, and communication difficulties faced by children and adults alike.

Discover a diverse range of innovative speech therapy tools crafted by experts in the field, each intended to cater to specific needs and aid in speech enhancement. Whether you're a speech-language pathologist, educator, parent, or individual seeking tools for personal development, our selection offers solutions that are both effective and engaging.

From articulation exercises to language-building activities, our inventory encompasses a multitude of tools, including:

Articulation Cards and Games: These interactive cards and games target specific speech sounds, making practice sessions enjoyable and effective.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices: Explore our range of AAC devices designed to assist individuals with non-verbal communication needs, fostering independence and expression.

Language Development Tools: Engage in activities that promote vocabulary expansion, grammar skills, and comprehension through a variety of fun and educational resources.

Oral Motor Tools: Our assortment of oral motor tools aids in strengthening oral muscles, improving speech clarity, and enhancing swallowing abilities.

Speech Therapy Apps and Software: Access user-friendly apps and software designed to facilitate speech practice and language development conveniently from your device.

At Speech Gears, we prioritize quality, effectiveness, and accessibility in our selection of speech therapy tools. We understand the importance of personalized approaches to speech therapy, which is why our products cater to diverse learning styles and speech goals.

Empower yourself or your loved ones to overcome communication barriers and achieve speech milestones with the aid of our comprehensive speech therapy tools. Browse through our collection and embark on a transformative journey towards improved communication skills today.

Unlock the potential for clearer speech, enhanced language capabilities, and increased confidence with Speech Gears' range of speech therapy tools. Start your path to effective communication and empowerment now.

Visit our website to explore our complete collection of speech therapy tools and take the first step towards a more confident and articulate future.

[speechgears]

Exercises with speech therapy tools enhance communication abilities and overcome speech difficulties. The five exercises in this blog article address articulation, fluency, voice projection, and general communication clarity, among other speech-related issues.

[scurvgirl]

Apparently there is an AI being called 'Jessica' and it's creator company calls it "the best speech therapist in the world."

There is no doubt in my mind that this program doesn't come anywhere close to providing speech therapy services. It might make some predictive models for AAC use better, which is great, but if AI could do what I do...they would have been talking and communicating with us directly at the very least. This is not me being uppity about my profession, but it is a HIGHLY trained and cognitively intense field. It is NOT client puts in x input so I provide Y response. It is incredibly complex.

Look, I'm less worried about my job than I am worried about this company taking advantage of people by saying this...program is thr equivalent to attending speech therapy. That is unequivocally false, predatory messaging.

The path to more accessible and affordable medical care in the US is through our governing bodies and not through profit minded, unethical, lying companies who make millions off selling false hope. Trust me, I understand being kept from this service is WRONG, but this is not a replacement.

[headspace-hotel]

"New (old) perspectives on self-injurious and aggressive biting" published in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis / Nine Inch Nails- The Hand that Feeds

I was troubled to see a trend of claiming that Autistic people who do not support Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are a group of "low-support-needs" autistics who are monopolizing the conversation and taking resources away from autistics with higher support needs—I think it is misunderstanding.

Individual positive or negative experiences with ABA are irrelevant here—the fundamental core of the therapy is behaviorism, the idea that an autistic person can be "treated" by rewarding "desirable" behaviors and punishing "undesirable" behaviors, and that an increase in desirable behaviors and decrease in undesirable behaviors constitutes successful treatment

In researching I found that ABA practitioners have published statements condemning conversion therapy. They refer to an unfortunate historical association between ABA and conversion therapy, but it is not association—ABA literally is conversion therapy; the creator of it used it to try to "cure" little boys that were too feminine.

ABA is considered "medically necessary" treatment for autism and the only "proven" treatment, in that it is proven to create decrease in "undesirable" behaviors and increase in "desirable" behaviors.

Undesirable behaviors for an autistic person might include things like stimming and talking about their interests, desirable behaviors might include eye contact, using verbal speech, playing with toys in the "right" way.

The BCBA behavior analyst code of ethics does not prohibit "aversive" methods (e.g. electric shock) to punish undesirable behaviors

The code of ethics only discusses the consent of the "client," not the person receiving the treatment

Many people will say "my child's ABA therapist would never make them repress harmless stims, give up their interests, use electric shocks...They understand the value of neurodiversity and emphasize the consent of the child..."

But consider...if nothing binds or requires an ABA therapist to treat stimming as important, nor restrains them from using abusive techniques, nor requires them to consider the consent of a person being treated, what protects vulnerable people other than luck? The ABA therapist still has an innately unethical level of power over a child being "treated."

Furthermore, consider: can a therapy built on the goal of controlling the behavior of a person who cannot meaningfully consent to it, especially without hard limits or protections on the kinds of behavior that can be coerced or controlled, ever be ethical?

I found many articles that discuss teaching "compliance" in autistic children, treating "compliance" as a reasonable goal to strive for without qualification...

The abstract of the above article struck me with a spark of inspiration. Biting is an undesirable behavior to be controlled, understandably so, since most would feel that violence should not be allowed. But I was suddenly reminded of the song "The Hand that Feeds" by Nine Inch Nails, which is a play on the saying "Don't bite the hand that feeds you," meaning don't lash out against someone that is kind to you.

But doesn't "the hand that feeds you" implicitly have power over you through being able to give or withhold food? In this case, kindness can be a form of coercion. Thus "biting the hand that feeds" is used in the song as a metaphor for autonomy and resisting coercive power. The speaker asks the audience if they have the courage to test the benevolence of their oppressors, or if they will remain compliant and unquestioning even though they know deep down that it isn't right.

Likewise the article blunders into something unintentionally poetic when it recognizes that biting is an innately possible behavior in response to "aversive" stimuli or the "removal of reinforcers." Reinforcers and aversives in ABA are discussed as tools used by the therapist—the presentation of a preferred food would be a reinforcer, for instance (and is often used as such in ABA).

The journal article considers biting as a behavioral problem, even though the possibility that someone may bite can never be eliminated. Contrastingly, "The Hand that Feeds" highlights the coercive power behind the ability to control your behavior, even when that control appears benevolent and positive, and argues that "biting the hand that feeds you" is not only a possibility but a moral imperative.

Consider: In what circumstances would you bite someone? To defend your own body? To defend your life? Are there circumstances in which biting would be the reasonable and the right action to take?

What authority decides which behaviors are desirable or undesirable, and rewards or punishes compliance or resistance? Who is an authority—your therapist? Your teacher? Your caregiver? Any adult? Any person with the power to reward or punish?

In what circumstances might compliance be demanded of you? In what circumstances would it be justifiable not to comply? What authority decides which circumstances are justifiable?

Can you imagine a circumstance where it might be important for a child to not comply with the demands of an adult? For a citizen to not comply with the demands of a government? Which authorities demand compliance in a right and just manner, and which demand compliance to things that are evil and wrong? Which authority has the power to differentiate the two? Should you trust them? Will you bite the hand that feeds you?/Will you stay down on your knees?

[thebibliosphere]

I'm sorry screens are causing such issues for you recently. And that people's responses have been wildly unkind. I wanted to mention, if screens are the issue, have you considered using speech to text / text to speech software? There is a learning curve with any of these, but it would allow you to work on things with out needing to engage in the screen itself. Which seems to be a major barrier for you at the moment.

There are a number of built in tools depending on your platform that you could enable to use. If possible, use an attached microphone as built-in microphones can struggle due to the fan. If it's helpful, I'm happy to talk specific tools, but please ignore if this seems to be in the same vein as the 'just dim your screen' crew. Wishing you the best.

I’ve been using text to speech since about 2019 for a lot of what I do. My phone is actually reading this ask to me right now! Yay technology!

But I also suffer from vocal cord dysfunction so my voice often gives out a lot and it affects my breathing. So I have to be careful. (Possibly starting speech therapy soon to help with this so fingers crossed.🤞)

It’s also hard to edit on. Like I’ve got the punctuation down quite well while talking in real time. But when it comes to doing major edits I need my screen and a keyboard.

I’ll figure something out that works for me. I’m just not there yet while we’re still in the “putting out the fire” phase of what has been a prolonged neurological event with systemic wide consequences.

My brain needs time to heal from being in a constant migraine from May until August. So does the rest of me. I can’t work through this, not the way I used to. I have new limitations. And that’s okay.

It doesn’t feel like it right now. But it will be.

[shaymoo22]

Sunnyside Pediatrics Pt 1

I had so much fun building this lot, and I'm excited to share with you all! This lot features a consultation room, two private medical rooms, a room shared by occupational therapy and speech therapy, and a therapy gym for physical therapy and occupational therapy. There are staff rooms as well for aesthetics and gameplay purposes.

This lot took a lot longer than I thought. At first I made an elaborate build that was shown in my previous WIP post. After play testing that build, I found that it was too much for casual gameplay. So I scrapped it for this intimate build and I am so pleased with it! Reminds me of my pediatric clinic when I was smaller, except this is more modern.

Lot Size: 30 X 20 Lot Type: Generic Packs Used : Get Famous, City Living, Get Together, Get to Work, My Wedding Stories, Parenthood, Toddlers Stuff, Romantic Garden This lot uses items from Private Practice Mod by SimRealist to function as a real clinic. I am sure there are other mods that can be used such as Healthcare Redux by adeepindigo for story telling purposes.

Disclaimer: Items placed with TOOL mod and bb.moveobjects on

As always, thank you to the AMAZING cc creators who help bring this game to life! All CC included in this build are public access!

Download (Tray and CC): Google Drive

[cuddlytogas]

there was some Twitter madness recently where someone left a comment on someone's art to the effect of, "Ed shouldn't wear a dress, he's a man!" which I do disagree with on principle, but unfortunately, it brought out one of my least favourite trends in the fandom

so, naturally, I had to write a twitter essay about it. and I already largely argued this in a post here, but the thread is clearer and better structured, so I thought I'd cross-post for those not on the Hellsite (derogatory). edited for formatting/structure's sake, since I no longer have to keep to tweet lengths, and incorporating a couple of points other people brought up in the replies

so

I want to point out that the wedding cake toppers in OFMD s2 aren't evidence that Ed wants to wear dresses. Gender is fake, men can wear skirts, play with these dolls how you like, but it's not canon, and that scene especially Doesn't Mean That.

People cite it often: 'He put himself in a dress by painting the bride as himself! It's what he wants!' But that fundamentally misunderstands the scene, and the series' framing of weddings as a whole. I'd argue that Ed paints the figure not from desire, but from self-hatred; it's not what he wants, but what he thinks he should, and has failed to, be.

(Yes, I am slightly biased by my rampant anti-marriage opinions, but bear with me here, because it is relevant to the interpretation of the scene, and season two as a whole.)

The show is not subtle. It keeps telling us that the institution of marriage is a prison that suffocates everyone involved. Ed's parents' cycle of abuse is passed to their son in both the violence he witnesses then enacts on his father, and the self-repression his mother teaches, despite her good intentions ("It's not up to us, is it? It's up to God. ... We're just not those kind of people. We never will be."). Stede and Mary are both oppressed by their arranged marriage, with 1x04 blunty titled Discomfort in a Married State. The Barbados widows revel in their freedom ("We're alive. They're dead. Now is your time").

But even without this context, the particular wedding crashed in 2x01 is COMICALLY evil. The scene is introduced with this speech from the priest:

"The natural condition of humanity is base and vile. It is the obligation of people of standing ... to elevate the common human rabble through the sacred transaction of matrimony."

It's upper class, all-white, and religiously sanctioned. "Vile natural conditions" include queerness, sexual freedom, and family structures outside the cisheteropatriarchal capitalist unit. "The obligation of people of standing" invokes ideas like the white man's burden, innate class hierarchy, religious missions, and conversion therapy. Matrimony is presented as both "sacred" (endorsed by the ruling religious body), and a "transaction" (business performed to transfer property and people-as-property, regardless of their desires), a tool of the oppressive society that pirates escape and destroy. That is where the figurines come from.

When Ed, in a drunk, depressive spiral, paints himself onto the bride, he's not yearning for a pretty dress. He's sort of yearning for a wedding, but that's not framed as positive. What he's doing is projecting himself into an 'ideal' image of marriage because he believes that: a) that's what Stede (and everyone) wants; b) he can never live up to that ideal because he's unlovable and broken (brown, queer, lower-class, violent, abused, etc); c) that's why Stede left. He tries to make himself fit into the social ideal by painting himself onto the closest match - long-haired, partner to Stede/groom, but a demure, white woman, a frozen, porcelain miniature - because, if he could just shrink himself down and squeeze into that box, maybe Stede would love him and he'd live happily ever after. But he can't. So he won't.

The fantasy fails: Ed is morose, turns away from the figurines, then tips them into the sea, a lost cause. He knows he won't ever fulfil that bride's role, but he sees that as a failure in himself, not the role. It's not just that "Stede left, so Ed will never have a dream wedding and might as well die." Stede left when Ed was honest and vulnerable, "proving" what his trauma and depression tell him: there's one image of love (of personhood), and he'll never live up to it because he's fundamentally deficient. So he might as well die.

This hit me from my very first viewing. The scene is devastating, because Ed is wrong, and we know it! He doesn't need to change or reduce himself to fit an image and be accepted (as, eg, Izzy demanded). Stede knows and loves him exactly as he is; it's the main thread and theme of season two!

(@/everyonegetcake suggested that Ed's yearning in these scenes includes his broader desire for the vulnerability and safety Stede offered, literalised through unattainable "fine" things like the status of gentleman in s1, or the figurine's blue dress. I'd argue, though, that these scenes don't incorporate this beyond a general knowledge of Ed's character. Ed is always pining for both literal and emotional softness, but the significance of the figurines specifically, to both Ed and the audience, is poisoned by their origin and context: there is no positive fantasy in the bride figure, only Ed's perceived deficiency.

Further, assuming that a desire for vulnerability necessarily corresponds with an explicit desire for femininity, dresses, etc, kind of contradicts the major themes of the show. OFMD asserts that there is nothing wrong with men assuming femininity (through drag, self-care, nurturing, emotional vulnerability, etc), but also that many of these traits are, in fact, genderless, and should be available to men without affecting their perceived or actual masculinity. It thematically invokes the potential for cross-gender expression in Ed's desires, especially through the transgender echoes in his relieved disposal, then comfortable reincorporation, of the Blackbeard leathers/identity. It's a rich, valuable area of analysis and exploration. But it remains a suggestion, not a canon or on-screen trait.)

Importantly, the groom figure doesn't fit Stede, either. Not just in dress: it's stiff and formal, and marriage nearly killed him. He's shabbier now, yes, but also shedding his privilege and property, embracing his queerness, and trying to take responsibility for his community. In a s1 flashback, Stede hesitantly says, "I thought that, when I did marry, it could be for love," but he would never find love in marriage. Not just because he's gay, but because marriage in OFMD is an oppressive, transactional institution that precludes love altogether. All formal marriages in OFMD are loveless.

So, he becomes a pirate, where they reject society altogether and have matelotages instead. Lucius and Pete's "mateys" ceremony is shot and framed not like a wedding, but as an honest, personal bond, willingly conducted in community (in a circle; no presiding authority, procession, or transaction).

That is how Stede and Ed can find love, companionship, and happiness: by rejecting those figurines and their oppressive exchange of property, overseen by a church that enables colonialism and abuse. Ed is loved, and deserves happiness, as he is, no paint or projection required.

ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY: draw Ed in dresses! Write him getting gender euphoria in skirts! Write trans/nb Ed, draw men being feminine! Gender is fake, the show invites exploration, that's what 'transformative works' means! But please, stop citing the cake toppers as evidence it's canon. Stop citing a scene where a depressed Māori man gets drunk and projects himself onto a rich, white, silent bride because he thinks he's innately unlovable and only people like her can find happiness, shortly before deciding to kill himself, as canon evidence it's what he wants.

(Also, please don't come in here with "lmao we're just having fun," I know, I get it. Unfortunately, I'm an academiapilled researchmaxxer, and some of youse need to remember that the word "canon" has meaning. NOW GO HAVE FUN PUTTING THAT MAN IN A PRETTY DRESS!! 💖💖)

[concerningwolves]

Hi! 👋🏼

First off, I just wanted to thank you for all that you do on your blog, not only has it been helpful to keep things in mind when writing, but I also genuinely enjoy learning more about sign language; I’m trying to self-learn it because it’s just that interesting to me hehe. (Also my church has a Deaf Service and I’d really like to be able to talk to the people there.)

I do have a question, but feel free not to answer; I’m currently working on a story where a very young child has acquired deafness after a severe illness (vaguely Hellen Keller vibes), and I was wondering if you know of any things I should specifically keep in mind when writing about the aftermath (immediate and long-term) of it? The setting is mildly fantasy where sign language exists, but hearing aids and cochlear implants have yet to be invented.

Thank you again for your blog, and the care you put into all your posts!

You're very welcome, and thank you! ☺️ It's always lovely to hear that people are helped by this whole... [insert vague hand-wave at my blog] thing I'm doing

Things to consider with a young character who loses hearing after illness

I don't know anything firsthand about what it's like to go deaf, so the first thing I'll recommend is to find stuff written by people who do. A search on r/deaf for "lost hearing" brings up a lot of different threads; for example, this post where people discuss things they wished they'd done/known when they first lost their hearing might provide some good insight.

As another starting point, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard has a fair few videos on her channel about her experiences as a deaf person, and specifically as someone who lost her hearing in her late teens. These two in particular might be helpful to you:

So You're Losing Your Hearing...

This is a video for people who think they're losing their hearing, but while it's not strictly about lived experience, it could certainly be helpful to note both the issues Jessica discusses and the solutions to them.

For example, she mentions isolation is a big problem, and talks about the importance of using the tools provided by the internet to find communities of people in the same boat. Even without the internet (or some fantasy equivalent), people are very community driven and prone to bonding over shared experiences, even if those experiences aren't wholly analogous. Are there other disabled characters in your story that your recently deaf character could speak to? Other d/Deaf characters? Who does she have by way of support and community? – these are all good things to think about.

Why I Don't Sound Deaf

In this one, Jessica talks about her experiences and her relationship with speech and sign languages as someone who lost her hearing. With applying this to your character, her age is important – the "golden period" for acquisition of a new language is typically thought to be before ten years old. Theoretically, the younger someone is when they lose hearing, the easier it will be for them to learn sign language. As Jessica points out in the video, sign language has a different grammatical structure, and because of this she finds it easier to use Sign Supported English instead of BSL. A much younger child, if given immediate or near-immediate access to sign language, is likely to take to it far more easily.

More on speech and language acquisition (or: the evils of consonants)

The impact of hearing loss on speech isn't something I can speak to (pun unintended) with great knowledge or certainty, but I can sort of extrapolate based on personal experience with learning to speak while not being able to hear well. (I had speech therapy, but that was as much to do with my narrow jaw + teeth overcrowding as with language difficulties caused by deafness). I misheard a lot of words and phrases – I spent years thinking that the "big girl swings" were "barbecue swings" 😅

It's worth looking into what level of speech your character would have based on her age, and using that to work out how much verbal proficiency she could retain (if any). Muscle memory accounts for a lot, so if your character already knows how to say certain words or phrases ""properly"", she could retain that ability. It's not an automatic or effort-free process, though: I'm in my twenties and I still have to consciously think about how my mouth is shaping sounds every time I speak. I don't think that will ever change.

If your character is young enough that she's still learning to speak, there will likely be a more marked impact on how her voice sounds. Different phonemes – units or "parts" of sound in speech – are uttered at different frequencies, which affects how easy/difficult they are to hear and therefore learn. This is, AFAIK, one of the biggest causes of the slurred/indistinct speech that people tend to expect d/Deaf people to have. Consonants are evil little fuckers, by which I mean they're spoken at higher pitches so anyone with loss in the high frequency range (hi!) is more likely to miss them. There are different types of consonants, too! And yes, each type presents its own challenges, because consonants exist purely to vex and frustrate everyone with high-frequency hearing loss and/or speech difficulties. For example, labiodental fricatives (e.g., the 'f' in fan and the 'v' in van) are particularly tricky, because they sound virtually indistinguishable.

StudySmarter has an easy-to-understand comprehensive breakdown of phonetics. You don't need to become an expert in phonetics, but reading through this will help you understand how sounds are formed in speech, which is helpful to keep in mind when thinking about your own character's speech. Pay particular attention to the phonemes that sound similar (like the aforementioned fan/van) or are soft/breathy (like the 's' in 'sound' or 'h' in 'half') – these are the most common problem areas, as are distinctions between 'sh' and 's'. If they feel soft or breathy in your mouth, they're probably going to be harder to hear.

Deafness and illness as trauma, and adjusting to change

Last thing I'd suggest thinking about is the experience your character has with the illness itself, and how she feels and copes with the changes to her life caused by acquired deafness. Illness can be a traumatic experience, especially when it has long-term after effects. If you've ever lost the ability to do something you can usually do, even temporarily, you'll probably be familiar with the frustration, and sometimes humiliation. It's also hard to overstate just how much auditory information there is in the world, and how much hearing people rely on that information without knowing it. Suddenly losing that ability isn't going to be easy, even if your character is young enough that they won't be able to remember anything different once they're grown up. Add to that the realisation that your body isn't as reliable as you thought it would be, that you suddenly can't trust your own health, and possibly not being able to understand why that's the case. That's a lot to deal with! And you shouldn't be afraid to show your character going through it!

Thinking back to my own childhood experiences, the strongest emotions connected to my deafness are confusion, embarrassment and alienation. Confusion because the world can be confusing when you're constantly missing auditory cues; embarrassment because unfortunately not everyone is kind and accommodating when you make mistakes due to missing aforementioned auditory cues/information (and sometimes even if people are lovely about a mistake, you can feel stupid for making it anyway); and alienation because of a sense that I was somehow "different". Thing is though, this was normal for me. I have never known anything different. But my relationship to and understanding of deafness as an identity has evolved hugely throughout my life. So, once again, age is going to be a deciding factor in how your character adjusts.

From some rudimentary googling and fuzzy memories of my brief stint as a Psychology student, children develop social awareness (awareness of how others think and feel) and self-awareness (awareness of own existence and how others perceive you) fairly early on, but these awarenesses take time to develop fully. Basically, this means that your character’s age will influence the scope of their reaction to acquired deafness. Some examples as a frame of reference:

A two-year-old is going to be primarily focused on their immediate emotional experience – they can’t hear things they could hear before, it’s confusing. They will also likely be aware if people treat them differently, but unlikely to have a socially-installed idea that they are now different.

A four- or five-year-old, on the other hand, has probably developed enough social and self-awareness to understand that certain people in society get treated differently. They might already have a sense that this is unfair, or they might still be trying to understand why this is the case – it depends on what they’ve learned about disability from adults around them.

(I mentioned above that you can feel stupid/embarrassed for making a mistake even if people are genuinely supportive regardless. The first time I vividly remember someone making me feel stupid and embarrassed for not hearing something, I would have been 4 or 5. The first time I can recall feeling stupid because I was aware that other people didn’t have that problem and that I’d made a social faux pas, I would have been about 7 or 8)

By early adolescence (ages 10–13), children are more aware of, and possibly more susceptible to, peer pressure and social norms [1]. Any understanding of and biases/prejudices concerning disability will be more deeply ingrained, as will concerns about the social impact of going deaf.

The support network that your character has access to is going to be crucial to how they manage this change at any age, so think about the characters in their immediate family/community and how they’ve acted towards disability and social difference.

[1] In a fantasy setting, you as the author are in charge of what those social norms and attitudes are, and I always encourage authors to examine their own biases when worldbuilding them. How are disabled people viewed and treated in your world? Have you made it similar to your own social and cultural experience? If yes, is that because you see that as the norm, or is there a narrative or worldbuilding reason for that? Are there any assumptions about the current or historical treatment/existence of disabled people that have influenced your worldbuilding?

Tropes to watch out for

There are three main tropes to be wary of when a character acquires a disability of any kind:

The acquired disability as an inherent tragedy akin to a death sentence and nothing else. As I’ve already said, an acquired disability can be significantly emotionally difficult, especially if the circumstances around acquisition were traumatic. Acknowledging and exploring this is important. The problem is when writers leave it there – the character is disabled, their previous way of life is lost to them, and therefore the character no longer has any worth to the story (and, by implication, to society). Think of the trope of the ex-athlete (or any other hobby/profession, although fighters and athletes are the most common components off this trope) who acquires a disability and then becomes a bitter, depressed hermit who lives in a state of misanthropy and misery because their life is effectively over. (This happens to Will in Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Content warning for assisted suicide there). The main issue with this trope isn’t its content, per se, but its execution: Writers rarely examine why someone might end up like this (hint: institutional and internalised ableism, and lack of structural support for disabled people), and instead treat it as an inevitability because they cannot conceive of disabled existence as anything but inherently miserable.

The second trope is when a character manages to “throw off” the disability. These characters either only remain disabled as long as the disability is narratively useful, are magically cured, or overcome the disability by an act of willpower (sometimes only for narrative effect). The issue here is the content: the idea that disability can be overcome or cured by sheer willpower (or yoga, or the right diet, or religion) is pervasive and actively harmful to real-life disabled people, because it implies that disability is somehow our fault. Closely related to this trope is the one where an acquired disability never tangibly impacts a character (or only does so when it would be dramatic); you see this primarily with characters who use prosthetics effortlessly or, in the case of the latter, characters who appear abled until their disability can cause tension or drama in the plot. Again, the content is the issue: disability is flattened to nothing but a plot device, with no thought given to how it affects characters (and therefore real disabled people).

Finally, there’s the idea that an acquired disability is actually a “blessing in disguise” as a type of inspiration porn. That’s an icky trope, but I think it has some itty bitty grains of potential – crucially, the fact that there can be joy in disabled existence. Someone who acquires deafness might not see it as a blessing in the same way as some congenitally deaf people do, but they may still come to appreciate and embrace (aspects of) Deaf culture. Or perhaps they just manage to develop a neutral relationship with their acquired deafness. That’s fine, too!

A solution is to all of these is to consider the practical and proactive aspects of recovery, as well as the emotional fallout. Consider:

How does your character adjust?

How do the people around her adjust?

What support does she have? / What support systems are available?

How does she make sense of her new reality?

What accessibility aids does she have access to, and what are they like to use?

Long story short, nuance and consideration of different aspects of the disabled experience are key.

Hopefully this’ll help! (I’ve also wanted to talk about acquired disability in fiction for a while, hence the wall of text lol). Best wishes for your writing, anon ☺️

[greenmoons]

Being Autistic in college

I thought I'm in a better place with my autism. Don't get me wrong, I love being autistic. But I thought I matured enough to blend in at the neurotypical world.

It's annoying me how it's still hard for me to do assignments in teams. I thought it won't bother me anymore to share my grade or working as a team, but I'm doing everything and taking control over the situation.

People say I'm tactless but I'm really trying not to be. I'm only being honest, why saying one of the students ditched from the whole semester is rude and tactless? It's a fact and everyone knows it all I did was to say it out loud.

I thought my dichotomous thinking won't stand out. But arguing about what the definition of ditching is? Not missing even one lesson even though it's the only lesson I have that day? Arguing why others don't take their studies seriously if they chose to go and study?

Not understanding why they try to convince me I need a boyfriend or how to blend in a conversation about actually everything, because I tried so hard to have general knowledge on every subject so if I have a chance I always could participate in a conversation.

Always get criticism on my voice tone. Yes, I have an autistic accent people feel it and always say I'm talking to loudly, I can't control it I failed in speech therapy, I'm not yelling on purpose.

Trying so hard to handle my anxieties so if one student wants to go up in an elevator I would do it with her even if I never using elevators because I'm afraid to get stuck in them. Of course, the only time I'm agreeing to be in an elevator I got stuck inside and having a panic attack. What a karma.

Being overwhelmed and almost having a panic attack so I'm putting my headphones up but then I'm not respecting my professor even though I told him why I need to do it.

Why when I'm doing something it's because I'm autistic and it's not fit to the world? Someone else could be with headphones all the time and no one will say anything to him about it. Students can sleep on their table at the lessons but if I would dare to lower my hand to the table to calm myself I'm unrespectful and not acting suitable enough??

I'm learning special education. I decided I don't want to do masking; I want to be myself; I want to be proud being autistic. I want to be autistic because I'm learning with students who will go be teachers for neurodivergence kids, I'm learning with professors who suppose to give us tools to work with diversities, so everyone should get used to it. I'm working so hard to fit myself to the world, why can't the world do only a bit to fit to myself?

[ericasucks]

My daughter is 2 years old, and she is experiencing developmental and speech delays. As a mom, I knew there was something different about my baby early on. She never made eye contact with us, and she has always had a hot temper. She goes into these meltdowns that are hard to bring her out of. I see how frustrated she gets because she can’t properly communicate her needs.

I went through the Early Intervention evaluation process with my Regional Center, and she’s been approved for speech, occupational and early intervention therapy. I can’t begin to put into words what a relief this is to me. The overwhelming fear I used to hold because I didn’t have the resources or tools to help my baby communicate. I’m not afraid anymore, because I’ve accepted that things won’t ever be easy with us, and that’s completely okay. I’m hoping this will allow me to develop ways to be the most attentive and receptive parent I can be, and for her to develop the resources and tools she needs to tell me what she wants.

Today I finished scheduling all of her therapy, and I’m on cloud 9 🥹 I can’t help but cry.

[screamingfromuz]

hi. i know this isn't an easy question to answer but i'm very lost right now so i would appreciate any advice. how can you deradicalise someone away from conspiracy theories? my white roommate has been liking israel did 10/7 posts, as well as some praising mob attacks on random diaspora jews, and i'm really scared. it's all because of twitter. i've given her my login info for a couple of newspapers i subscribe to but she hasn't been reading them. i've sent her links to books/podcasts but she doesn't open them (just says oh thank you and then nothing). she doesn't listen when i tell her bluntly she should stop getting her news from the site run by a neonazi. i am not a zionist and i know i'm significantly more pro palestine than her (she didn't even know who ben gvir was or what the west bank was the one time we talked about it, i really think it's just a Correct Twitter Opinion for her), but i'm scared she'll dismiss me as anti palestinian and deem me a bad jew if i say anything and i'm not in a position to move out rn. i'm so nervous and feel like i'm walking on eggshells all the time. please let me know if you know of any resources for this kind of situation. i don't know what to do

first, I know you said you cannot move out right now, but get an escape plan ready, just in case. Deradicalization should never come at the cost of your safety.

two, efficient deradicalization does not use facts, sending articles and podcasts is useless because of the nature of ideologies. Althusser explained that ideologies have a central place in the perception of reality of someone, your ideology is part of you, and forcing change on others never ends well. If you want to deradicalize her, you must engage in a conversation that acknowledge emotions and the way people get defensive when their opinions are challenged. Talk about the emotional reality of the matter, ask her why she thinks that it was an inside job, or what makes her comfortable attacking random Jews and them deconstruct that belief with her. If you feel comfortable, you can ask if she thinks it's ok if you were attacked, if she would praise people that would put you in danger.

this will require the trickiest thing in deradicalization, you must not come from a place of moral superiority, you must come from a place of equality and serve as a companion and not a guide. deradicalization is placing a mirror in front of someone and helping them examine themselves and develop empathy for "others".

this is a long process, that often requires you to teach people a whole new language. I can tell you that part of deradicalization here is simply getting the term "Palestinian" into the vocabulary.

I will warn you, it only works if the other person has a desire to change. deradicalization is a lot like speech therapy, it will take time.

this is a great video that might give you tools. Daryl Davis is am amazing person and a role model for how to deradicalize people.

good luck love, be safe.

[supermoongirl9]

Chiron remediations for the signs and houses : some ideas

Chiron in Aries/1H: going somewhere alone, working out regularly, trying something for the first time

Chiron in Taurus/2H: buying something nice, spending on something you really wanted, setting up a saving account

Chiron in Gemini/3H: spending time with siblings or cousins, being friendly to your neighbors, making a speech, interrupting someone just to see how it feels hahaha

Chiron in Cancer/4H: spending time with your family, coming back in your childhood home, learning about ancestors

Chiron in Leo/5H: embracing being the main character, buying art tools or new lingerie or sex toys (reconciliating w ur creative/sexual side)

Chiron in Virgo/6H: teaching things to others, going to the library, making a list of things you've done instead of what u need to do

Chiron in Libra/7H: planning a wedding, eloping, going on a honeymoon without being married, saying ily to your partner more

Chiron in Scorpio/8H: telling someone a secret about urself (u can do it when they sleep lol), instauring new emotional and sexual boundaries

Chiron in Sagittarius/9H: traveling somewhere alone, taking that class about that topic you've always be interested in, visit a religious building just to appreciate the vibes

Chiron in Capricorn/10H: laugh about a past embarassment, be silly in public, believe in the future, write ur goals

Chiron in Aquarius/11H: organize/go to a group activity, talk to more than 5 people a day, write ur craziest dreams somewhere

Chiron in Pisces/12H: have a dream journal, invest more in shadow work (can be therapy or reiki or anything helping w helping u feel and release)

[speechgears]

SpeechGears Speech Therapy Tools: Clarity Of Speech | Autism Speech Therapy Activities | Benefits Of Speech Therapy

Both toddlers and adults can benefit greatly from speech therapy tools. Speech therapy for kids can reduce their general difficulty of speaking, early language development, and preparedness for school. It can aid with swallowing and vocal quality and boost independence and self-esteem. Speech therapy for adults can help with particular problems and benefit social and professional lives. Additionally, speech therapy can improve a person's capacity to speak, carry out daily tasks, pay bills, and more. It can also help with relationship building and brain growth.

[red-hibiscus]

A paraphrased excerpt from the speaker at my (linguistics) department graduation:

"Language discrimination is thinly veiled racism, classism, and xenophobia"

This being about how people, including professionals, look down upon certain accents or dialects because they're somehow less than. The distinction between prestigious accents and dialects and those deemed as 'lower class' should not exist. And as linguistics it's our job to set things straight.

Through my years of study I was always taught that linguists were descriptivist, simply studying and analyzing what the world presented to them. We're not prescriptivists. We don't tell people how they should speak. It goes against what I've been taught. That all languages and dialects, spoken or signed, carry the tools needed to communicate high level concepts.

It's one thing to give someone speech therapy because they have trouble being understood due to an actual speech problem. It's another thing to look down upon 2nd language learners and speakers of dialects that aren't the prestigious standard.

As a linguist from an immigrant family I'd like to slap everyone who looks down on others for the way they speak.

[masterqwertster]

Bells Hells C2 Class Swap AU

Basically just giving the Hells the same class as their player's Campaign 2 characters and getting a bit different approaches to the plot beats.

Orym: School of Divination Wizard

Divination goes with Orym's ridiculous perception

He specifically chose to learn divination magic in order try to foresee and forewarn if an attack against Zephrah is coming

He's also very upset that his divinations have had trouble turning up anything about Will and Derrig's killers

Fearne: Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian

Obviously her Storm Aura is desert, because that's the fire barbarian

She uses a great sickle like Deni$e since she does have a Moon Sickle in canon

Fearne is probably a bit more like Lionel in that she's a happy, excited barbarian most of the time. Of course her "always got for the kill" policy means she gets vicious when serious.

Probably also prone to a lot more headbutting as an attack given her goat-like nature as a faun and melee fighter class

Laudna: Way of Shadow Monk

She's always had an affinity for shadows and spookiness, so this subclass fits.

Also Witchy Bitches magic through ki ability

Delilah is still around, but definitely more as a haunting spirit and unwanted advisor, since there's no warlock multi-class. Maybe she grants Way of the Long Death abilities because of the whole necromancer patron thing, though a multi-subclass is probably overpowered

Imogen: Order Domain Cleric

Obviously, Imogen has no clue where her divine gifts come from (it's Predathos/being Ruidusborn)

Order Domain because it's whole deal is mind fuckery to bring people into your sense of order (which also matches with Ruby Vanguard cult shit)

Maybe a slight reflavor that it's not a sense of order she's imposing, but a sense of blackmail from mindreading

Chetney: Hexblade Warlock/Oath of the Ancients Paladin

Oath is about toymaking and bringing joy and light to children (so his god is the All Hammer since that's the crafting god)

Also not that great at Kindle the Light because he's a bitter, crotchety old man. Mercy and forgiveness have sort of fallen off the menu

Fighting Style is Dueling, 'cause he wants to shank a bitch with bonus damage

Definitely looking forward to the day he gets powerful enough to not suffer the drawbacks of old age (Level 15) 😝

Look, the little man uses carving tools as his weapon of choice, it had to be Hexblade

His patron is some sort of wolf-ish Krampus-equivalent, for punishing the Naughty. It just goes with his Christmas Special origins

Pact of the Chain for a wolf familiar. Though it's probably not a normal wolf...

FCG: Mastermind Rogue/School of Enchantment Wizard

Mastermind rogue could actually be used for therapy, if your intent is to manipulate someone into being their better self instead of doing whatever you want them to do

Also the mimic speech patterns is how FCG ended up with their accent in canon, so...

Plus ability to spam the Help action as a bonus action, and this bot wants to be helpful!

Honestly, School of Enchantment is more support and mind fuckery skills for them

This version is just very magic-enhanced therapy focused

Which also kind of lines up with the Care and the Culling background of manipulatively helpful to get in close before driving in the knife

Ashton: Order of the Lycan Blood Hunter (reflavor)/Forge Domain Cleric/ Phantom Rogue (reflavor)

Taliesin technically has 3 character from C2: Mollymauk, Caduceus, and Kingsley, bringing 3 different classes to the table between them, so options to mix and match for multi-class or just go straight

Order of the Lycan is the blood hunter subclass closest to barbarian. Though I'd give it the dunamancy reflavor of amplifying Ashton's elemental power/heritage/potential, so the hybrid form is basically going earth elemental, while the heightened senses maybe get replaced with a Blind Sight or an earth vibration Perception check ability with advantage

Fighting Style is Dueling, because their hybrid elemental form is big/strong enough to wield the hammer one-handed. Play whack-a-mole for bonus damage! 😂

Honestly considered War Domain because they're a fighter, but found I liked Forge Domain for being a bit more elemental. Dash of dunamancy is that he's an earth genasi with growing potential for fire magic, thus crossing an elemental boundary. Basically, they're going from pure earth to volcano.

Also, Forge Domain fits his love for punk handicrafts, and is definitely a domain that can be picked up in Bassuras

God would probably be the All-Hammer because he's the crafting god.

Though an argument could be made for unwitting Luxon follower, as it reaches through time for its galaxy brain chosen one. Ashton just thinks they believe in the light of the stars or some shit

Phantom rogues draw on the souls of the dead, so I reflavor this as drawing on their other possible lives in the galaxy brain. There's always a version that knows something relevant when they're infinite possibilities 😉

I recommend cleric and one of the other two classes if you want multi-class. Just rogue or blood hunter for a singular class as the cleric-dunamancy connection I cooked up is a bit weak

Some Events/Points of Interest

Chet actually was a werewolf, once upon a time. But he got cured of it, and that led him to one of his classes, depending on if it was a kind savior (paladin) or making deal to lift the curse (warlock). And he respects and remembers that time of his life with his Pact familiar

Thanks to his divination skills, Orym probably had a good feeling about what was coming the day he met the Crown Keepers, and the day he met the rest of Bells Hells. And a bad feeling the day Bertrand died, and the day he faced Otohan (both in Zephrah and Bassuras)

If Ashton is a blood hunter, Orym definitely has thoughts and extreme curiosity about their hybrid form. Which he can't be blamed for because he's Ashari

Imogen was considered a useful problem in Gelvaan, because her psychic/mindreading abilities were off-putting, but her healing abilities as a cleric are, well, "god-sent." Smaller towns are always grateful to have magic healing available and all

FCG is more pushy about his therapy attempts. And more subtle in execution, as they feel the need. He just really wants to help everyone's mental state, and is too inexperienced to quite understand when he needs to back off for a while

Laudna takes advantage of her oddly pliable body to move in strange ways for her dope monk shit. Like, she's very flexible to the point of accidental joint dislocation, so people aren't always ready for the ways she can move

And Laudna can fit herself into some tiny spaces because of the way she can fold herself up. Sometimes Imogen would sneak her into town in a large bag while it was just the two of them

Fearne takes protecting Orym very seriously (because he's a squishy wizard in this AU), but it can be tricky in a fight given her area-of-effect Storm Aura damage. There were definitely a few times Orym got singed pretty good at the beginning of their relationship