Why the Author Created these Programs

I am a strong proponent of “drawing out the best in each child.”  I realized early on that I was having more success treating my clients’ speech disorders than some of my colleagues.  We often used the same worksheets, same programs, and similar methods of positive reinforcement, so what was I doing differently?  Once I began to supervise other therapists, I began to understand the answer to that question.   In short, there is a big difference between “drawing out the best in each child” and “pushing in our own ideas.”  

When I examined what was available to help parents and children deal with noxious oral habits such as thumb and finger sucking, nail biting or pacifier, I realized that there were many scattered suggestions, but few organized tools to help them in a positive way. The market offers interceptive methods that place pressure on children to stop. Some methods advocate forms of punishment such as nasty tasting substances on the fingers or nails.  Others try to force the child to change by using tightly fastened coverings on the hand or fingers, some of which are hard materials that can injure the oral tissues if the child attempts to suck the digit while wearing them.  None of these approaches were satisfactory to me and none of them fit with my credo of “drawing out the best in each child.”  

When I developed these programs, I wanted to offer a positive, relationship-building programs to parents and children as well as to professionals. I wanted to eliminate the frustration that many parents experience when trying to get a child to stop a habit.  And most of all, I wanted to give the parent what he or she needed to become a “partner” with their child.   Thus, these programs were envisioned and created…..to offer an unstressful, “fun” way for parent and child to accomplish their goal as a “team.”  I offer you the opportunity to provide this simple, step-by-step, enjoyable, yet inexpensive programs to your child.