Teaching your baby simple signs is an additional form of communication. Sign language can help some children communicate with mom/dad before they are able to communicate via verbal speech.

What to Expect During a Parent Interview

At the beginning of a formal speech language evaluation, the SLP will allow your child to get comfortable and familiarize him/herself with the therapy room. This will give the SLP an opportunity to observe your child play and interact with you, but it is also the time when the SLP will usually ask you questions about your child. You will fill out a case history form that will likely have questions regarding birth history, medical history, family history, developmental history, academic history, therapeutic history and questions related specific to speech/language.

The Real Reason I Chose to Become an SLP

I was lucky enough to be on the Edverything Education podcast a few months ago (check it out here!) and before we pressed “record,” Nicole and Danielle asked me why I chose to become a speech language pathologist. In honor of #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth this May, I want to share my answer with you!

Early Warning Signs of a Language Delay

Last week, I shared Early Warning Signs of a Speech Delay for Infants and Early Warning Signs of a Speech Delay for 18+ Months, and today I want to share Early Warning Signs of a Language Delay!

To review, let’s talk about the difference between speech and language! It gets confusing for some people, because the two words are often lumped together (i.e., “speech language pathologist,” “speech language impairment,” “speech language evaluation”), but they really do refer to two different things. Speech, or articulation, refers to how we say sounds. Voice (how our vocal folds vibrate to create sound) and fluency (the rhythm of speech) are also frequently included when we talk about speech. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), language refers to the words we use and how we use them to share ideas and get what we want.

Speech & Language Development

As a speech pathologist, I have a huge passion for educating parents and teachers on effective ways to facilitate and encourage healthy speech and language development. I have compiled a list of 3 “Do’s” and 3 “Don'ts” to help encourage you to play an active role in your child’s speech and language development.