Category: blog

  As spring  break comes to an end, many children with attention difficulties may experience challenges as they return to school routines. The transition from flexible schedules, increased screen time, and special activities to more structured days can feel overwhelming. During this time, it is common for parents to notice changes in attention, behavior, or emotional regulation. To support a smoother adjustment, families can begin reintroducing routines gradually. Consistent wake-up times, predictable mealtimes, and visual schedules help children understand expectations and feel more secure. Simple supports such as gentle reminders, movement breaks, and clear, concise directions can make a meaningful difference as children work to refocus and regulate their attention. It is important to remember that this transition takes time.

As an SLP, I love helping families see how everyday outings can support communication. A trip to a baseball game — whether it’s a Chicago Cubs game, a Chicago White Sox game, or a local game — can be a fun, natural way to build speech and language skills. BEFORE the game Talk about what you might see: bat ball glove helmet scoreboard snack stand Ask simple questions like: “Who do you think will win?” “What do you think we’ll eat?” “What do players wear?” DURING the game Use the moment to build language naturally: Ask WH- questions “Who is batting?” “Where did the ball go?” “What happened?” Practice describing loud exciting fast crowded cold Encourage requesting “Can I have

As an SLP, I often remind families that speech and language growth does not only happen during structured “practice.” Some of the best opportunities happen during everyday routines, even spring cleaning. Sorting toys, putting away clothes, and organizing shelves all create natural chances to support communication. Here are a few easy ways to build language at home: Sort and describe Talk about what belongs together: “Let’s put the cars here.” “Find the big stuffed animals.” “These are all blue.” Follow directions Use simple instructions during clean-up: “Put the books on the shelf.” “Take the shoes under the bench.” “First pick up the blocks, then the cars.” Use action words Cleaning gives you lots of natural vocabulary: wipe wash fold stack

  Spring scavenger hunts are a fun, low-prep way to target speech and language goals while getting kids moving. With just a short walk outside, you can turn everyday objects into powerful learning opportunities. Skills you can target: Vocabulary: Describe items by color, size, function, or category Articulation: Search for objects with a target sound (e.g., sun, flower, grass) Following directions: Practice 1-step to multi-step directions Grammar: Use complete sentences (“I found…”, “It is…because…”) Social skills: Take turns, give clues, and ask questions  Spring scavenger hunts are an easy way to make practicing speech and language meaningful and engaging. 

Spring Into Developmental Motor Milestones April is a wonderful time to reflect on developmental motor milestones and how they connect to communication growth. As babies learn to sit, crawl, and walk, they gain new ways to explore their world. With that exploration comes more opportunities to hear language, share experiences, and interact with others. Movement helps children engage with people and objects, which naturally supports vocabulary development and early social skills. Motor development also plays a direct role in speech. Skills like breath support, posture, and coordination contribute to clear sound production, while gestures such as pointing and reaching often come before spoken words. When children build strong motor foundations, they are better equipped to develop strong communication skills.

Ms. Rachel from an SLP Perspective According to an article published in the May 2025 edition of The ASHA Leader by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, many professionals recognize positive benefits of the Ms. Rachel program. The show is widely viewed as a valuable tool for supporting early speech and language development due to its intentional modeling strategies and child-centered presentation style. However, from a Speech-Language Pathologist’s (SLP) perspective, it is important to emphasize that Ms. Rachel should never replace speech therapy when therapy is recommended. It should also never substitute meaningful parent-child interaction. While there are several elements that make the program educational and engaging, concerns arise when screen time begins to replace authentic play, daily routines, and face-to-face engagement — which

Play is one of the most effective tools in speech therapy because it creates natural and meaningful opportunities for communication. When children play, they are more engaged, motivated, and willing to use their words. Play encourages requesting, commenting, turn-taking, problem-solving, and social interaction are all essential communication skills. Play also builds confidence. In a fun, low-pressure environment, children feel safe trying new sounds and words, which leads to more practice and more progress. Through play, therapists can target speech, language, and social goals at the same time, without it feeling like work for the kids. Most importantly, play makes learning meaningful. Skills practiced during play are easier to carry over into everyday life at home, school, and with peers. In

As spring approaches, many parents begin to wonder: Is my child ready for school next year? You may be asking yourself whether your child is developing the right skills—or whether your family is focusing time and energy on the areas that matter most for success in preschool or kindergarten. School readiness is about much more than knowing letters and numbers. Research consistently shows that children thrive in early learning environments when they have a strong foundation across several developmental areas. Below are the school readiness skills most commonly highlighted in research as key indicators of success for young learners. Core School Readiness Skills Pre-Literacy Concepts Understanding books, recognizing print, and developing early phonological awareness. WH-Questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why) Comprehending and

Hearing plays a critical role in how children develop speech and language. Even mild or fluctuating hearing loss can impact sound development, vocabulary growth, and clarity of speech. Early identification and support make a powerful difference in helping children access language and communication. This month, we encourage families to stay attentive to listening behaviors, speech clarity, and responsiveness to sound. Early support, combined with speech therapy, helps children build strong communication foundations and confidence in their voices.

    Literacy skills in America’s children and adults continue to remain low across the United States, especially compared to other comparable developed countries. Children with Language disorders are especially vulnerable to struggles in reading and writing acquisition as the role of language development is integral to reading success.  Struggle can lead to reluctance and feeling overwhelmed. Recently, graphic novels have demonstrated efficacy in breaking down these motivational barriers while supporting and effectively developing reading and overall language comprehension skills in literature format. Both school and public libraries are building up their inventories for beginning and even older readers alike.  As the market continues to demonstrate both their acceptance by even reluctant readers, as well as research-supported evidence that they