In any given day, we have numerous conversations on a variety of topics and for a variety of reasons. We often go through these conversations without even thinking about the implicit rules which govern person to person interaction. Yet, the ability to take appropriate turns in conversation is the basis for person to person interaction, and is a skill that must be mastered in order for children to acquire strong communication skills. Here are a few simple "Do's" and "Don'ts" which will help a child develop this skill.

When parents know what to expect in terms of the timeline for their child’s developmental milestones, they are more likely to recognize when their child is a bit behind and seek out the help of a professional. Do parents instinctively know what to expect in terms of their children’s development?

In light of the growing body of knowledge regarding the increased incidence of autism, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released two documents aimed at clarifying diagnostic practices and informing doctors about the various therapies and educational strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder. The second report, titled “Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders” lays out a framework against which potential therapies should be evaluated. Find out how well More Than Words stacks up against the AAP guidelines.

On April 2nd, 2008, people from around the world will take a moment to reflect on and raise awareness for what has become one of the most significant and wide-spread developmental disabilities facing tens of millions of people around the world – Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). With events and activities planned on six continents, World Autism Awareness Day stands to be one of the greatest victories ever realized by the autism advocacy community – raising awareness of autism and advocating for a publicly funded support structure which emphasizes early diagnosis and intervention

Several weeks ago, the University of Florida, working with “Autism Speaks”, launched what they call an “Autism Video Glossary” on their website. The website features short video clips of children who have been diagnosed with autism, in an effort to demonstrate the classic signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder to parents of young children.

Defining Hanen can be a tricky thing. While our operations do resemble a traditional for-profit business in some respects, the truth of the matter is that Hanen is a not-for-profit enterprise, and has been a registered Canadian charity since 1983! Many people assume that because we charge for our products and services, we are a business like any other – concerned only with the bottom line, but this could not be further from the truth.

On Monday, September 17, 2007, the National Post featured an article, “Cultivating Couch Spuds: Are all those videos for kids really helping them or just giving parents a break?” The article described how teaching videos for children are gaining in popularity, and considered how effective these videos are in helping children learn language and communication skills...

Promoting children’s literacy skills (especially early literacy) is a major concern of speech-language pathologists and early childhood professionals. Recently, one of the largest Canadian banks weighed in on the literacy debate, publishing a report on the state of literacy in Canada, highlighting the urgent need for action. The report indicates that Canada’s economy is faced with tens of billions of dollars in lost revenues as a result of the inadequate literacy skills of Canadians.