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.

Parent Resources, Child Development, Speech/LanguageMacy GilsonApril 24, 2020language, speech, speech and language, speech language pathologist, speech and language development, #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth, early childhood education, early childhood intervention, special needs, special needs parenting, speech development Comment

Early Warning Signs of a Speech Delay for Infants

A few days ago, I shared the Early Warning Signs of a Speech Delay for 18+ Months, but today I want to share Early Warning Signs for Birth - 18 Months for all of you mamas out there with sweet babies!

Parent Resources, Speech/Language, Child DevelopmentMacy GilsonApril 22, 2020speech and language, speech development, speech language pathologist, #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth, SLP, early childhood intervention, speech Comments

Early Warning Signs of a Speech Delay for 18+ Months

Speech, or articulation, refers to the way we say sounds. It’s normal for children to have some errors in their speech, and these errors can be classified as developmental or non-developmental errors. Developmental errors are errors that are appropriate based on the child’s age (i.e. a four year old saying, “wun” for “run”) and frequently resolve as the child gets older, however non-developmental errors need to be addressed via speech therapy.

Parent Resources, Speech/Language, Child DevelopmentMacy GilsonApril 19, 2020speech and language, speech development, speech, speech language pathologist, early childhood education, early childhood intervention, SLP, #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth Comments

Letters From My Heart | A Socioemotional Activity for Kids

The #coronavirus has brought so much uncertainty into the world for all of us. Many of us haven’t given much thought to our children’s feelings in all of this, and I think it’s so important for us to recognize and validate their emotions, as well. Most children thrive on routine and missing out on school, extracurricular activities and time with friends can affect our children in big ways.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Child DevelopmentMacy GilsonMarch 20, 2020parenting, at home parenting, socioemotional learning, freebie, homeschool activitiesComment

Mastering Your Child's IEP : The Complete Guide

The IEP process can be daunting for many parents. As a school SLP, I am very familiar with the process and I average 1-2 IEPs per week. In this FREE guide, I am breaking down the IEP process into five steps to help parents navigate the intricacies of the IEP process. Whether this is your first or your tenth IEP, my goal is to help you be more prepared and confident so you can #advocatelikeamother

Tips for Working From Home

I absolutely LOVE working from home, but it definitely brings its own set of challenges. Today I am sharing my top 7 tips for having a successful work day - all from the comfort of your home ;)

Parent Resources, Educator ResourcesMacy GilsonFebruary 2, 2020work from home, entrepreneur, working from home, work life balance, tips for working from home, self-employedComment

Welcome to Holland | A Must-Read Poem For Parents of a Child With a Disability

Welcome to Holland is a poem written by Emily Perl Kingsley as she describes what it was like to raise a child with a disability. A must-read for special needs parents and families…

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Disability EducationMacy GilsonJanuary 8, 2020welcome to holland poem, welcome to holland by emily perl kingsley, welcome to holland emily perl kingsley, welcome to holland part 2 welcome to holland autism, why i hate welcome to holland, welcome to holland video, welcome to holland full text Comments

Advice for New Parents with a Baby in the NICU

The holidays are a stressful time for many, but especially for those with a baby in the NICU. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU for short, is a special floor in hospitals specifically for babies battling congenital disorders, birth complications, breathing or feeding difficulties, or other trauma. It can be overwhelming and intimidating for new parents, and even experienced parents. I asked some NICU survivor parents to pass on some advice and share their experiences so that those with a baby in the NICU this Christmas season do not feel so alone.