14° Terrace Review — Wesnesday, February 10, 1988 “Concern escalating over speech therap There is growing concern over a shortage of speech pathologists in the province. Terrace Child Development Centre program director Maureen McGuire said recently that although Terrace is in better - shape than most areas there is still a need for better service here.. by Tod Strachan According to McGuire, to successfully prepare pre-school children with speech delays for the regular school system they need to work with a speech pathologist for about 20 minutes a session at least. three times a week, - ‘The problem is that we don’t have enough therapists to give that three-times-a-week inten- sive treatment,”’ she explained. At the present time the center is offering treatment to about 75 children. McGuire said in order to meet that demand the Centre needs a minimum of two full- time speech therapists working 7.5 hours a day, five days a week. And even that schedule doesn’t take into consideration other duties, such as liaison . work with parents and pre- . school staff that the speech pathologist is required to do. McGuire explained that the main cause for the problem is within Ministry of Health, who have “‘rearranged the structure in which they allocate pathologists’. over the recruiting and the place- centers,”? she said, ‘“They are now placed within the com- munities (in public health units) through the Speech and Hearing Division of the ministry.” She said the problem in the Northwest is best demonstrated in the Smithers Child Develop- ment Centre, where she said they don’t have a speech pathologist at all. The speech pathologist in Smithers, because of the chang- ed authority within the ministry is restricted to working only within her office and serves the center’s children from that of- fice. McGuire said the result is that Smithers is under-staffed and some children may not receive treatment. “Tes ridiculous, It’s almost as though people don’t have any voice in the situation. It’s all been left up to Speech and Hear- ing,’’ she said. It was impossible to tell if the program delivered recently in the R.E.M. Lee Theatre by the Acrobats of the Pagoda was specifically tailored for a western audience or consisted of material commonly presented in their Chinese homeland. In either case they showed a well- developed sense of what appeals to a North American audience, _ and if it was any indication of what the Chinese themselves go the show proved that there are differences between the two cultures. by Michael Kelly With the exception of a terse introduction by ‘the individual who. was presumably the trans- lator for the 16-member group, “The ministry has lost contro! - ment of pathologists within ~ A view through a cu for in the way of entertainment . probably more similarities than - the show was all body language; y Ss hort ag e | : Australian speech pathologist Jeanette Sprott, shown here with her stu- dent Ben Erickson, Is working at the Terrace Child Development Centre on a temporary work permit, but she'll be leaving at the end of February. Despite the return of a reguiar staff member to the Centre at the sama time, the speech therapy resources at the CDC fall far short of the demand for sarvices. ._ McGuire said the Terrace Child Development Centre has asked the Ministry of Health to provide the center with two full- time pathologists to serve children directly from the center — in order to avoid a situation similar to what is occurring in Smithers. The Terrace Child Develop- ment Centre presently has two, half-time speech pathologists, Sheila Pretto and Susan Phillips (Phillips is presently on materni- ty leave) who make up one full- time position. McGuire said the Centre has been extremely fortunate during Phillips’ absence to have Australian speech pathologist Jeanette Sprott working a full- time position at the center. But she has only been hired for a six- month “professional working session’? in Canada, and she leaves at the end of the month. McGuire said Phillips will return and there was no translation re- quired, The performance con- sisted of circus-style vignettes scored to traditional - oriental music, beginning with a couple of good-natured lions (two acrobats to a costume) that somehow managed to dance across a scaffold-like arrange- ment of vertical posts; and con- cluding with a pair of outsized, glow-in-the-dark dragons that whirled, writhed and intertwined around the unlit stage, guided with poles by invisible, black- costumed dancers. In the in- tervening acts, acrobats leaped through narrow hoops, danced across high wires, somersaulted while balancing plates (fourteen of them!) on ends of rods, and whipped around from a trapeze that descended through the ceil- ing of the theater. Loe Each succeeding segment rein-' ® forced the impression. of. disci- © to work then but speech services will be reduced from the 1.5-~ positions they have enjoyed for the past six months to the nor- mal level of one. ‘‘That is not enough to serve adequately the number of children we have,” McGuire stated. She added that other speech services in Terrace include one position at Skeena Health Unit (presently on maternity leave) and one position at School District 88 (down from 1.5). ‘The best time to assist kids that are hearing impaired or have a speech disorder is when they’re young,” said McGuire. ‘*¥ou have to develop a strategy to assist them so they are better able to deal with the school system.”’ “Certainly that’s: much more cost-efficient in the long run and it?s a more preventative ap- proach.”’ Itural window pline, concentration and train- ing required for the acrobats’ ease of execution, The show was light entertainment, but it was serious business for the people on stage, with the potential for injury inherent in each move- ment. Gasps, applause and laughter erupted from the au- dience with each passing minute of the fast-paced show. Clowns are an integral part of every circus, and this perfor- mance was no exception. The comic interludes were bluntly burlesque and showed: a refined sense of timing;-one was even | choreographed to a Joplinesque piano rag. - Children formed a large com- ponent of the audience, and the - Terrace and District Arts Coun- -. cil deserves commendation for: - bringing this example of cross- ry cultural family entertainment to Terraces..0 0.0 ote Coming February 6 - 27 — The Terrace Public Art Gallery is hosting the British Columbia Young Artists Show. The exhibition is sponsored by the Emi- ly Carr College of Art and Design. Saturday, February 13 — Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative mental condition that is becoming an increasing concern among the elderly and people who Ilve with and care for them, will be the subject of a conference scheduled for Northwest Community College from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Rm. 2001. For further Information call the Terrace and District Community Services at 635-3178. -Saturday, February 13 — Skeena Federal Progressive Conservative Association will be holding their annual general founding meeting at 2 p.m. in the banquet room of the Inn of the West at 4620 Lakelse Ave. Phone 638-8141 for more Information. . - February 13 & 20 — The Mills Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop is holding a brown bag sale from 14 am.-4 p.m. Sunday, February 14 — The Kinette Club of Terrace are holding their annual Senior Citizen's Sweetheart Dinner and Dance at the Elk’s Hall. Doors open at 4 p.m. with dinner at 5 p.m. Music by the Mothballs. Please pre-ragister by phoning 635-4635 or 635-9253. Also If transpor- tation Is needed, call one of these numbers. Heart Parish In Terrace will be holding a Valentine Tea and Bake Sale from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. In the Verltas gym, 4836 Straume Ave. Everyone welcome. Monday, February 15 — is the closing date for registration of Pacific Northwest Music Festival Piano Study Workshops with Robert Ragers which will take place February 27, 28 and 29. Feb. 27 — Baroque, Feb. 28 — Classical; Feb. 29 — Romantic and Contemporary. For further S details and/or registration forms write to Marylin Davies, Box 456, Ter- race, B.C, V8G 4B5 or phone 635-6989. Wednesday, February 17 — The Terraca Women's Resource Centre Society presents a “talk-reading” by Myrna Kostash, author of No Kid- # ding: Inside the World of Teenage Girls. The book concerns the ex- periences, Insights, ambitions, fantasles and fears of teenage girls In Canada. The reading begins at 7 p.m. in the basement of the Terrace 638-0228. ; Thursday, February 18 — The annual general meeting of the Terrace A Public Library Association will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the library nominations for these positions will be accepted from the floor. Light A refreshments will be served. " . Saturday, February 20 — Bookworms! Feb. 20 ls New Book Day at the Terrace Public Library. Fictlon, non-fiction and piles of paperbacks for for yourself. © sere sane res A pk the Federation of Mountain Clubs of B.C. a Basic Avalanche Safety Workshop. Register at the Terrace Parks & Recreation Office in the Terrace Arena before Fab. 4. For more information calt 638-1174. March 5 &6 — Terrace Parks & Recreation is co-sponsoring with the Workshop. Register at the Terrace Parks & Recreation Office in the I Terrace Arena before Feb. 17. For more information call 638-1174. March 3, 4, 5, & 10, 11, 12 — The Terrace Little Theatre presents “Mothers and Fathers”, a mature comedy for adults, at the Little Theatre building, 3625 Kalum St. Performances at8 p.m. March 12 & 13 — Northwest Community College and Emily Carr Col- lege of Art and Design Outreach Programs will sponsor an oil painting workshop In Terrace. instruction will be by noted artist-teacher Brian Scott of Cumberland. Information is available from Frieda Dams of Northwest Community College at 635-6511. Registration deadline is March 2, 1988. Terrace French Preschool will soon have openings for 3 and 4 year olds. For further information contact Denise at 635-4949. The Kinette Club of Terrace meets the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Anyone Interested, please call Donna Mclsack at 638-1974. : 2 The Kinsmen Club of Terrace meets the first and third Thursday of _every month. For further information, call Steve Mclsack at 638-1974. ‘Are you interested in joining an Alzhelmer Support Group to meet and discuss similar difficulties and possible solutions? Please contact 635-3178. ; The Contract Bridge Club piays bridge every 2nd Thursday evening from 7:30 - 10 p.m. All interested players, please contact Elaine A Johnson at 635-2965. Tuesdays: 10 am., sewing and quilting; 7:30 p.m., scribbage. Wednesdays: 1 p.m., carpet bowling. Fridays: 2 p.m., bingo; 7:30 p.m., bridge. First Saturday of every month: 8 a.m. to 11 4.m., pancake breakfast. Monday through Friday every weak: 11:45 am. to 1 p.m., lunch. Second Thursday of every month: 2 p.m., general meeting. For further Information, contact the Happy Gang Centre, 3226 Kalum Street, at 635-9090. . The Terrace Women’s Resource Centre hours ars Tuesday 1-4 p.m, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. arid 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., and Saturdays 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Glosed Sundays and Mondays. The coffee Is always on. A Boraavement Support Group meeting every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Knox United Church, 4907 Lazelle Ave. For more Information phone 635-3178. . Street to share, learn and talk about various topics relating to infancy and parenthood. The set of 5 sessions is free of charge. Please call 838-3310 to p:.-register, or for more Information. ‘The Terrace Minor Hockey Association would like to hear from anyone mittee: Please contact Yvonne Hill, 638-1111 or Sharon Larmour, 635-3161 or write to Box 121, Terrace, B.C. V8G 4A2. Also: Anyone In- to Box 121, Terrace, B.C. NBG 4A2. 5 4 poke ~ Terrace Sunday, February 14 — The Catholle Womens League of the Sacred: Public Library, and everyone Is welcome. For further information call - meeting room. Elections to the Board of Trustees will take place and © school-age children. Come on down between 1 p.m. and4p.m, andsee .f February 27 & 28 — Terrace Parks & Recreation is co-sponsoring with | Federation of Mountain Clubs of B.C. a Snow Camping and Survival - The Happy Gang Centre for Seniors offers the following activities: The Skeena Health Unit in Terrace Is offering "You and Your Baby", af discussion group for new parents, al a new time for 1988. Thursday, - afternoons, starting January 21, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. come to 3412 Kalum interested In being Involved with the Minor Hockey Concession Gom- . tereatad In coaching for Terrace Minor Hockey's 1987-88 season §f plaase contact: Lew Larmour, 635-3161 or Clair Irvin, 638-8314 or write -