Beware of That “Summer Slide”

Over the decades, “use it or lose it” has included everything from physical conditioning and money to mechanical systems and faith. Scientists, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and other health professionals likewise adopted the maxim to simplify and summarize the principles of neuroplasticity for the rest of us.

From birth to death, the human brain is in a constant state of adaptation and change. That beehive of activity is never more pronounced than in the learning process among young children. As we age, much of our knowledge is already embedded into our subconscious, routine and daily lives, “… just like riding a bicycle.” Developing brains are more readily altered than mature ones. Among infants, toddlers and even adolescents, absent stimulation and practice, lessons-learned can be too quickly un-learned. At any age, one demographic facing the greatest potential risk is those who have, or may have, speech, language or communications disorders.

Subject to any number of variables, there is a significant consensus among experts that most students begin a new school year, after a 2 to 3-month summer break, upwards of a month behind the reading level at which they finished the previous year. Among STEM disciplines, the negative impact can be even more substantial. Neither approaches the level of vulnerability that is shared by students in need of special education programs. Speech and Language continuity among this population is critical to the overall maintenance and reinforcement of communication skills.

Certainly every child (and adult) is entitled to summertime recreation, a break from the routine and to just enjoy acting like a kid. But the integration of structure, social interaction, reading and other learning experiences can be productive, reinforcing, and entertaining at the same time. The alternative is to descend into that summer slide and jeopardize previous progress and accomplishments in speech and language development. Leading practitioners in most communities will be able to provide guidance in how to most effectively complement their therapy with family activities throughout the season. Some of the most prominent will even expand their services in order to enhance continuity between school sessions.

In lay terms, as efficiency and Mother Nature dictate, connections required to send and receive information, control functions, throughout our bodies can be re-routed, created or deleted. Educators and therapists agree that the learning experience is a prime example of “Use it or lose it”.

At Avid, we’re committed to the continuous learning process by extending services into the summer months. We offer an IEP extension-summer-program as well as a variety of socials skills and language development programs. With a multilingual (to include American Sign Language) staff of licensed SLPs, client programs are both customized and comprehensive. We’re proud to service the greater Orange County area, and we are currently accepting new clients.

“From our first evaluation, throughout therapy, we encourage family input and involvement. We are committed to our clients inside or outside our offices – at home, in school, at work or on vacation.”

–Avid Team

See asha.org for additional resources.