Spelling and the Reading Connection
How the Speech Language Pathologist Can Help
By Vicki R. Skraitz, M.Ed.

There is a connection between how well a child can spell and how well a child can read. Spelling is a language skill. Teaching spelling improves reading skills. Reading and spelling require the ability to segment and blend syllables and phonemes (phonological awareness). If a child demonstrates difficulties in reading by omitting or adding sounds when decoding, omitting or adding letters when spelling, or demonstrates letter reversals when spelling (flod for fold) then a consideration should be given to having the child work with a licensed Speech Language Pathologist.
The Speech Language Pathologist can help the child develop the phonological and phonemic awareness skills necessary to improve reading and spelling skills. Attention needs to be paid to developing the orthographic knowledge needed for spelling. Both reading and spelling required knowledge of sound-symbol correspondences. Difficulties with orthographic skills may show up in letter-sound confusions or substitutions (cas for catch). A child who demonstrates difficulty with rules of combining letters may spell the word ‘cry’ as ‘kry’ or ‘jrum’ for ‘drum’. There are patterns that govern spelling within root/base words. Children experiencing difficulty with vowel recognition and sounds may spell ‘rain’ as ‘ran’. They have been taught that the letter [a] has different sounds and usually they choose the ‘long’ vowel sound when spelling words that have vowel combinations [ai].
Reading and spelling become more fluent when clear mental orthographic images of words are established. Children need to be able to remember what the words look like in addition to knowing how they sound. Difficulties with mental orthographic image (MOI) include reading words adequately but not spelling them correctly. A child may also read words or spell words differently each time they are encountered – the same word is spelled differently each time or pronounced differently each time.
To improve spelling a child needs to improve phonemic awareness (the letter-sound connection). They also need to improve orthographic knowledge and morphological awareness (units of speech, words). Improving the MOI (mental orthographic image) will also help to enhance a child’s ability to spell and read.
In summary, the Speech Language Pathologist can help prevent written language problems by fostering language acquisition and emergent literacy. The SLP can also identify those children at risk for reading and writing problems.
Interventions can be provided that help a child who demonstrates difficulty with spelling and reading in order to improve those skills resulting in better grades. There are positive effects of differentiated instruction that focuses on a multiple linguistic factors approach for teaching spelling. There is also a positive impact of spelling instruction on word-level reading skills when no direct reading instruction is being provided in addition to the regular classroom curriculum. Spelling trained children perform better on word reading tasks.
Vicki R. Skraitz, M.S., a Licensed Speech Language Pathologist at the Waterdam Academy for Special Needs, can be reached at (724) 941-2100 or (724) 255-4263.

Good Advice For Parents
of Children With Special Needs'
Compiled by Nancy Kennedy

For parents, having a child with special needs means a lifelong journey filled with emotional highs and lows, and daunting choices and challenges. But this unexpected journey can also be an enriching life experience, graced by profound personal growth, learning, deepened spirituality and many joys. While every child is unique, and raising a child is challenging under any circumstances, the “special needs” child with medical, developmental, emotional and/or educational problems places exceptional demands on parents, who must find personal and community resources that enable them to cope, adjust, thrive and meet the myriad needs of their child and family.
Every family will develop their own individual style but there are certain aspects of parenting a special needs child that are commonly experienced by families. These include the need for emotional support; access to essential services, information and educational resources; opportunities for respite; therapeutic relationships with professionals; and the development of effective coping skills.
Experienced professionals and parents from throughout the region have offered the Guide to Good Health advice for parents of special needs children.

Emotional Support
“Other parents are the best source of emotional support and advice. Others can’t understand what you feel, and that lack of understanding makes you feel isolated. The Internet facilitates peer support because you can tap into resources without ever leaving the house. Professionals underestimate the emotional needs of parents and tend to focus on information and education, but the emotional impact is huge. "Many parents have symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, and the original emotions can be triggered again and again, even years down the road."
Jennifer Benger, Psy.D., Director of Psychology, Children’s Institute, parent of special needs child
“Sometimes you can anticipate the tough times, and if you think ahead and prepare yourself emotionally, it’s easier. Plan for things that will help you through it. For example, choose a friend that you can talk to, who will listen and understand. Look back on all the other storms you have weathered, even listing them, to boost your confidence.”
Tina Calabro, writer who specializes in disability issues; parent of special needs child
“Every parent has multiple support persons but sometimes they get conflicting messages from them. This can be avoided through coordination of care, by having the physician, case manager, family members and others involved sit down and talk together. Schools and hospitals are used to having team meetings like this so ask for one.”
Amy Fenn, LPC, Program Director, Family Based Mental Health, Pressley Ridge

Coping with Grief and Loss
“When you have a child with special needs, grief is going to be an ongoing part of your life. Each parent has to find a coping style. Whether it’s your faith, gathering information or leaning on a support group, you have to find a way to regain that a sense of control.”
Julie Hladio, Family Advisor, Alliance for Infants; parent of a special needs child
“Our grief doesn’t fit in with other kinds of grief; it can’t be addressed by the usual groups, which are for those whose loved ones have died. A new bereavement group for our region will give parents of special needs children a place to talk and be heard, with the compassion they need.”
Kelly Fraasch, founder/director, Parent Resource Network; parent of special needs child
“There is a constant unfolding of grief for many families. It gets re-activated at developmental milestones, when your child isn’t reaching them. I marvel at the courage and love of parents who are in constant pain; give yourselves credit for your dedication.”
Paul Polinko, MSW, Clinical Social Worker, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Accessing Services
“If you have concerns about your child’s development, ask your pediatrician for a developmental assessment. We often get children later than we should because this is delayed, either because the parent is fearful or the pediatrician has underestimated the parents concern. Early Intervention is absolutely the way to go; children whose problems are addressed early generally do better. You only need a 25% delay in one area of development, such as speech delay, to qualify for services. Having an assessment takes a lot of stress off the parent; if he’s fine, then you’ll know that and if he has a delay, he’ll get Early Intervention. Either way, it enables you to move forward.”
Deborah Uram, MS, CCC, Director of Special Programs, Early Learning Institute
“I recommend that parents keep a journal of their child’s medical history. Keep all your information in it: diagnoses, doctor’s appointments, surgeries and medications the child is taking. Parents often have to take the child to many specialists and it’s helpful to have that information organized and in one place. It makes accurate information available to everyone involved in the child’s care, and that means better care.”
Kim Reblock, RN, BSN, Hospital Director, Transitional Infant Care,
The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
“Sometimes a diagnosis is slow in coming, but having one makes a huge difference because it gives you an avenue for action. Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can find services, books and online information, or join a support group and find other parents. Not knowing what is wrong, versus knowing and being able to go forward from there, is like night and day. Not knowing what’s wrong is far more frightening.”
Julie Hladio, Family Advisor, Alliance for Infants, parent of special needs child

Advocacy and Dealing
with Professionals
“Parents must trust themselves and keep trying to access the services they believe their child needs. A child with a learning disability, ADHD or autism may first seem to have behavioral problems, and parents may be pushed towards a psychiatrist and medication as the solution, when the behavior actually has a sensory basis. If sensory integration is the real issue then OT can help them to self regulate. Know what all the options are and explore them.”
Connie Hoeke, OTR/L, M. Div., President, Therapeutic Specialists
“Trust your intuition and when you have concerns, follow them until you are satisfied. You could be wrong, but what if you aren’t and you lose time in addressing a problem because you didn’t act on your concerns? If something doesn’t make sense to you, question it; talk to other parents about it and get a second opinion.”
Julie Hladio, Family Advisor, Alliance for Infants, parent of special needs child
“Learn to be an advocate, because this is a role that you will play for the rest of your life. Your child needs your advocacy, and every time you stand up for him, you get stronger.”
Kelly Fraasch, founder/ director, Parent Resource Network, parent of special needs child

Self Care and Stress Management
“It’s easy to be consumed with the needs of your child. Nurture other parts of your life whenever possible. Call a sitter and go on a date with your spouse; spend one-on-one time with your other children. My older son was thrilled when I spent an entire day with him, riding the subway to the end of the line – his request. He rarely has me all to himself and we had a wonderful time. Taking time for yourself restores you.”
Tina Calabro, writer who specializes
in disability issues; parent
of special needs child

“Let others help care for your child. This is hard, because you’ll be fearful of errors. You have to trust others and accept that no one will do it as well as you. But if they are “good enough” then let them help so that you can step back and get a break. You can’t continue to do a good job if you’ve been up all night, every night, and are chronically exhausted.”
Jennifer Benger, Psy.D., Director of Psychology, Children’s Institute;
parent of special needs child
“Be really nice to yourself. Don’t feel bad for wanting a break; it’s healthy. If you find that the usual support systems, like grandparents, can’t help, then you and your spouse can at least give each other a night off. Get involved with a service organization in order to meet other families, and then you can relieve each other now and then.”
Paul Polinko, MSW, Clinical Social Worker, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh


Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Alliance for Infants and Toddlers
www.AFIT.org • (412) 885-6000

The Children’s Therapy Center
(724) 942-6126

The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
and Lemieux Family Center
www.childrenshomepgh.org
(412) 441-4884

The Children’s Institute
www.amazingkids.org
(412) 420-2202

The Early Learning Institute
www.earlylearninginstitute.org
(412) 922-8322

Parent Resource Network
www.parentresourcenetwork.org
1-800-NICU-PRN

Therapeutic Specialists, Inc
www.tsiot.com • (412) 833-6663

Western Pennsylvania
School for the Deaf
412-371-7000 •  www.wpsd.org