As the weather gets warmer, it is a perfect time to get outdoors and play. Playing outside is great for exploring the world, learning new things and staying active. Outdoor play is also good for vision development – research shows that playing outside in early childhood may reduce the risk of nearsightedness later in life.… Continue reading Help protect your baby’s eyes in the sunshine
Author: Ashley Waito PhD, SLP(C), CCC-SLP, Reg. CASLPO
I am a registered speech-language pathologist, currently working as a Health Promotion Specialist with Toronto Public Health. I have a range of clinical and research experience working with infants, children and adults of all ages. My work focuses on communication development in infants and toddlers, as well as feeding/swallowing safety and communication accessibility across the lifespan. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and being outdoors as much as possible! I am also on my own parenting journey with my first child - and have learned so much from other Public Health professionals on the Pregnancy to Parenting blog.
Early Abilities programs have moved to Surrey Place
Looking for support for your child's speech and language development? Does your newborn baby need a hearing screen? Do you have a child with permanent hearing loss, low vision or blindness? As of April 2022, the Toronto Preschool Speech and Language, Blind-Low Early Intervention and Infant Hearing Programs have moved from Early Abilities at Toronto… Continue reading Early Abilities programs have moved to Surrey Place
What is a newborn hearing screen – and does my baby need one?
Before a child can communicate using speech and spoken words, they need to hear the sounds and words we use. If a child has an undetected hearing loss, they may miss certain sounds and words in speech, causing a spoken language delay. The Infant Hearing Program provides free Universal Newborn Hearing Screening for all babies… Continue reading What is a newborn hearing screen – and does my baby need one?
Your baby’s speech, hearing & vision health matters
In Canada, the month of May is dedicated to raising awareness about communication, hearing and vision health! Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing information about your child's speech, language, hearing and vision – with tips to monitor your child's development, expand their skills and set them up for success in school and… Continue reading Your baby’s speech, hearing & vision health matters
Did you know? Telehealth Ontario is now Health Connect Ontario!
Times of illness can be very stressful for parents and caregivers. It's normal to feel worried and have lots of questions, such as: How serious are my/my child's symptoms? Do we need to go to a doctor? Is it safe to breastfeed if I'm sick? Who can I contact for health advice and support? If… Continue reading Did you know? Telehealth Ontario is now Health Connect Ontario!
Have you heard? Hearing is key to communication!
Did you know that audiologists are key members of the speech and communication team? That's because hearing is a critical part of your baby's health and development! Before they can say sounds and words, babies need to hear those sounds and words to learn what they mean. An undetected hearing loss can impact their development… Continue reading Have you heard? Hearing is key to communication!
How do babies communicate when they are too young to talk?
When I mention "communication", a lot of parents think I only mean talking. But there are so many ways that you and your baby communicate that don't involve any words at all – through gestures, body movements, touch, and facial expressions. These forms of (non-verbal) communication are important stepping stones to talking. How your baby… Continue reading How do babies communicate when they are too young to talk?
Baby talk: Let’s get moving with action words
Children expand their vocabulary by hearing the words we use. We tend to be really great at labeling objects (think: "A car! A ball! A puppy!"). But of course, we need other types of words to build sentences. Action words (verbs) are really important for building sentences, but they can be trickier to teach. Here… Continue reading Baby talk: Let’s get moving with action words
May is Speech and Hearing Month!
May is one of my favourite months. Flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining a little longer each day – and bonus – it's time to celebrate communication and hearing! Since it's Speech and Hearing Month, I thought this would be a good time to highlight our four most popular blog posts about communication… Continue reading May is Speech and Hearing Month!