The holidays can be magical—but they can also be a lot. New environments, visitors, crazy schedules, late nights, different foods, extra excitement… It’s a lot for the little learners in our lives. And when little communicators feel holiday stress, their language and behavior can will reflect that. Here’s the good

Many of us feel the pressure to create memorable experiences for the little learners in our lives, especially around the holiday season. I used to go all out for Thanksgiving—crafts, elaborate decorations, sensory bins, and themed outfits. My world would be filled with laminated turkeys, feathers, and glitter by the

We’ve all been there. You ask a child the same familiar question: “What did you do at school?”. The answer? A shrug. A blank stare. Or the classic: I don’t know. Here’s the good news: this response is completely normal. Young children aren’t being secretive or dismissive—their brains are still

No doubt, many of you are hearing from parents about the association of Tylenol  [acetaminophen] use in pregnancy with diagnoses in neurodiverse children. Whether a parent is currently navigating pregnancy or raising a neurodiverse child, this news has stirred up a flood of emotions — guilt, fear, overwhelm, and the

Have you ever had a caregiver ask, “Can we not play so much in therapy?”It might catch you off guard—but there’s often a deeper need behind that question… like how to increase attention span. Recently, during a re-evaluation for one of my sweet little clients, Annie, her mom asked that

It’s easy for us to get into our groove of doing therapy and forget that parents might not completely understand the importance of play in development.

The new law is not wiping out Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act. Instead, it adds new rules that change who qualifies, how often they need to prove it, and what happens if they miss a step.

This episode of the podcast is a bit longer than usual. Several months ago, I was interviewed by Jessica Moore with Empowered Parenting.  She and her team were gracious enough to share the audio so that it could be shared with you! From Empowered Parenting: In this episode of ‘Empowered Parenting

Venita shares the benefits of AAC: building relationships with parents, modeling sign language, using functional words, and offering choices through visuals and objects.

This episode helps parents and providers understand how they can support early language learners. Additionally, you’ll learn about the importance of determining the right form of communication for children.

In this episode, I’m joined by Venita from Speechie Side Up. This is part 1 of a 3-part conversation about AAC in early intervention. Venita answers the question: “What is AAC?” and variations in communication.

Once we understand why a behavior is happening we can encourage communication in a more functional way. Helping toddlers with functional communication is the foundation of both behavior change and language development. And when communication becomes part of their daily routines, those challenging behaviors often start to fade away.

Whether a parent is feeling overwhelmed with their little ones outbursts or a therapist doesn’t understand why the toddlers seem to keep throwing things (including tantrums) in their sessions. The key to answering this question is finding the function of behavior.

When it comes to speech therapy for toddlers, our main goal is to encourage children use functional language—words and communication that actually meet their needs and help them connect with the world around them. But if those communication skills only happen during a session and don’t carry over into daily

Parents play a massive role in their child’s development. Planning activities for parent involvement can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to! Let’s talk about why caregiver and parent involvement is important. Research backs it up: outcomes improve when parents and caregivers are involved. As SLPs, we spend maybe an

You’ve heard it before—“He’s learning his colors!”It’s often one of the first things a parent shares during an evaluation or a check-in. And honestly? That’s awesome. Unless you’re giving the PLS-5. (iykyk) When parents tell us their child is learning colors, it actually gives us insight into a few things.

When a toddler isn’t talking yet, or only has a few words, the best place to begin isn’t with labels—it’s with functional language. The kind that helps children say what they want or get your attention [without throwing something]. A lot of the children we work with understand plenty of

If you’ve recently spent any amount of time on social media, listened to the news, or been on any news site, chances are you’ve seen a headline about Autism. There are so many topics that divide us. Politics, religion, and diagnoses. When I first saw the clip of RFK, I’ll

If you’re anything like me, you love toys for speech therapy that you get multiple uses from. For the same reason, I also love busy books! Btw, you can read about my favorite toys for speech therapy, here! Like I was saying—busy books are a complete win in my world.

One of my favorite concepts to target in speech therapy for toddlers is fine motor skills. And here’s why you should too! A quick note before we get this party started: this post includes some pictures and examples of fine motor toys and other activities, so it’s a little longer

In this blog post (and podcast episode), we’re diving into one of the most challenging aspects of our role as SLPs in early intervention and speech therapy—bridging the gap between therapy and home: compassion vs empathy. Compassion vs Empathy Let’s discuss the difference between empathy and compassion. These two concepts

Did you know speech development begins in infancy? Surprise! Turns out, there’s more to it than just talking. Speech development impacts literacy skills, language development, and motor skills. What’s a phoneme? A phoneme is the smallest unit of language. Phonemes are the individual sounds we use in words when we speak. There

How many times have you heard a parent say, “I cannot understand what they’re saying?” As SLPs working in early intervention speech and language, we hear it a lot. Aside from toddlers not saying anything at all, being unintelligible is usually the reason they show up on our caseloads. The

If there’s one thing I know for sure, working with toddlers can be a real challenge. Finding resources tailored specifically for early intervention and speech therapy clinicians is hard. When I started working in speech therapy for toddlers, I felt discouraged. [I mean, it’s not like we learn much about

Speech sound disorders are any difficulties or combination of difficulties with perception, motor production, or phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments. Articulation disorders focus on errors in the production of individual speech sounds. Children with an articulation disorder can’t coordinate their oral mechanisms. Phonological disorders focus on predictable,

Speech sound disorders are any difficulties or combination of difficulties with perception, motor production, or phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments. [ASHA] Speech Sound Disorders can be divided into two major categories: organic and functional. Organic Speech Disorders Organic Speech Sound Disorders are based on motor/neurological deficits or

Planning great family vacations with toddlers can be stressful. Let’s face it, toddlers aren’t always the best road trip companions. We’ve been planning our upcoming family vacation, and it got me thinking… traveling with children is hard. 4-hour road trips often turn into 5 or 6 hours, routines are interrupted,

Let’s talk about language speech disorder vs delay and language differences. This post only summarizes the podcast episode, so listen to it! Language Speech Disorders Speech is how we say sounds and words. Language is the words we use to share ideas and get what we want. Children and adults can have

Is there an uprise in expressive language delay following the pandemic? Why do we suddenly see so many of these little ones on our caseloads?  Increased Expressive Language Delay The short answer is yes. Following the shutdown of America (and the world), there has been an increase in toddlers and

Let’s talk about expressive language delays, late talkers, late bloomers, and language explosion. Which statement is true about language development? Which statement is true about language development? A. toddlers should have 50 words by 24 monthsB. Toddlers can go from saying a few words to a bunch of words and

I want to share some things I wish I had known when starting out as a home health SLP early intervention. I’m sharing practical tips for organizing and managing your caseload, storing materials, making the most of toys, and managing your time. Priority 1: Staying Organized when Scheduling Your Caseload

In this blog post, I’m answering the question of what to ask in a job interview. When interviewing for a new job, it is your opportunity to gather information about the position, the work environment, and what you can expect from the position. What to Ask in a Job Interview

I attended over 200 IEP meetings at my SLP CF job out of grad school. Now, I’m about to sound real southern when I talk about this so you’re just gonna have to hang with me. The world of speech therapy- is small. As in, 6 degrees of separation, small.

I’m about to really honest- but relatable…I remember the first time I heard someone say “Gestalt Language Processing.” My initial thought was, “Oh no—that’s a new term. It’s something else I’m going to have to research.” Cue the overwhelm. Some days, it can feel like so many new terms are

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re creating a more compassionate and inclusive environment. Being compassionate and inclusive are especially important for neurodiversity affirming therapy. Neurodiversity isn’t just a trend – it’s a celebration of the diverse ways brains are wired. We are responsible for ensuring that every child, regardless

I’m just going to be very honest and upfront with you about this post. Traits of Autism in 2 year olds and other early signs of Autism can be a complicated topic to discuss and find information on. Diagnosing toddlers with Autism can be tricky territory- to say the least.

Finishing up the dive into the American Speech and Hearing Association [ASHA] communication milestones, we have language development: 4-5 years old. Some of these concepts require prior knowledge and exposure, in other words, depending on a child’s life experience and cognitive development, they may appear sooner or a little later.

When it comes to toddlerhood, a lot is going on. Communication development, motor skills, coordination, cognitive, and social-emotional skills are all coming at once. Toddlers are learning their preferences, developing personalities, and just loving life. In this post, we will talk about ASHA’s speech and language milestones for 3 year

Being 2 years old tends to come with a pretty bad rep- I mean, it’s labeled the “terrible twos”. But, if you’ve been here long enough, you know- I’m all about shifting the mindset when it comes to the way we look at, evaluate, and engage with- toddlers. Including 2-year-olds.

Today we are going to talk about language milestones for 19 – 24 months. These milestones are taken from ASHA’s updated communication milestones (2023). What Counts as a Word? How many words at 2 years? By the time they turn 2, toddlers should be able to use and understand at

Let’s talk about language development: infant to toddler. In 2023, the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) released updated communication milestones for the first five years of life. Communication milestones are goals or markers that a child is expected to achieve in a certain time frame or age. These milestones

What is play? What are the different stages of play? The oxford language dictionary defines play as [a verb] “engagement in an activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than serious or practical purposes” and [a noun]  “an activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children”. The different stages of play are

Before we encourage language development and speech therapy for toddlers, we need to shift our mindset. It’s important to remember that toddlers are not preschoolers, school-age children, or infants. So we can treat them as though they are. When I first started working with toddlers, I set myself (and the

I always ask parents, “How is your toddler communicating with you?” Asking this question helps them begin to look at their toddlers from a different perspective. Speech therapy for toddlers requires a complete shift in your mindset. With this population, the first objective for speech therapy should be improving their overall communication

Communication is an essential aspect of human interaction, and language is the primary tool we use to communicate. However, language acquisition is a complex process that begins long before a child utters their first words. Prelinguistic skills, such as babbling, gesturing, and social interaction, play a crucial role in laying

Can we take a moment to appreciate the incredible superpower that little ones possess? I’m talking about the foundational skills of imitation! Toddlers have this incredible ability to absorb everything around them and make it a part of their own world through imitation. Let’s dive into why imitating is such

As parents, we know establishing routines is important for our little ones. But did you know routines can also be an excellent opportunity to encourage language development and communication skills in toddlers and preschoolers? One way to do this is by using editable visual calendars. Calendars and visual schedules are

Did you know that communication skills begin to develop long before a child starts talking? 🗣️ Early communication skills are crucial for a child’s overall development and future success. Here are some milestones to look out for… What is Early Childhood Communication? Miriam-Webster defines communication as “a process by which

Before early childhood communication can be effective, there are several prelinguistic skills that must be in place. Prelinguistic skills are acquired alongside the development of expressive and receptive language. They are the prerequisites to effective communication! Let’s chat about what they are and why they are important! Environmental Awareness Take

Let’s talk about my favorite books for speech therapy for toddlers! This post contains affiliate links. Several of these titles are actually members of a series; all of which present the same concept and opportunities using different topics- so, be sure to check them all out. You can also listen

So far, we’ve talked about the importance of reading and literacy development in babies and toddlers. These are important pieces of information to keep in mind as we move into our next topic of choosing books to read based on child development. If you’re following along in my Guide for Reading with Babies and

Story reading aloud is a research-based strategy that encourages children’s language and literacy development (beginning from infancy). Reading aloud encourages early language skills and early cognitive development. Please note: throughout this blog post, the term child or children refers to ages 0-4 years unless otherwise specified. Why is Reading Aloud

Literacy skills are how we read and write. We often think of preschool (3-4 years and up) when thinking about literacy development. But, did you know early literacy development actually starts in infancy? Exposing infants and toddlers to activities involving reading and books consistently will greatly impact their later language

There was a time when I overplanned everything. I thought my language development activities had to be packed with fresh printables, custom visuals, and Pinterest-perfect setups. But my toddlers? They just wanted to play. That’s when I started using one toy for a whole week and switching up how I

Reading children’s stories is important. Story reading aloud is a research-based strategy that helps begin the development of early literacy skills, increase vocabulary acquisition and development, and improves cognitive skills. Reading aloud is the most important factor for being a  knowledge base that will lead to greater reading success. In this

Valentine’s day with early language learners (babies, preschoolers, and toddlers) is so much fun! Ahh, who am I kidding? All holidays are fun with this age group! In this blog post, we are going to talk about a set of activities that keep my little friends engaged and increase early

What is Cooperative Play? Cooperative Play occurs when children play and are actively engaged with one another in a shared activity. At this stage, children show mutual interest in the activity and each other. Cooperative play development occurs around 4 years old and spans the entire life. This stage typically

In this series, we are talking about the different stages of play and their impact on a child’s language development. Here’s Stages 1&2 Unoccupied Play / Solitary Play, Stage 3 Spectator Play, Stage 4 Parallel Play, and in this post, we are going to talk about Stage 5 Associative Play!

We’ve been covering the different stages of play development. So far we’ve talked about unoccupied play, solitary play, and spectator play. This post is about the stage of play that occurs at the same time as spectator play- parallel play! *This post contains affiliate links- if you purchase from the link

We’ve been covering the different stages developmental play. Here’s the overview and here are stages 1 & 2 Unoccupied/Solitary play.  Today’s stage of developmental play is just for 2 year olds! Well, not really…we actually use this type of play long after turning 2. I’m talking about Spectator Play! Just

Do you know how to play with your baby? Probably so. What about playing with your newborn baby? Turns out, those precious and sweet newborn babies aren’t just for staring at (and keeping you awake at night)- you can encourage your baby’s growth and development through those early years of

What is play? More importantly– what are the different stages of play? The oxford language dictionary defines play as [a verb] “engagement in an activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than serious or practical purposes” and [a noun]  “an activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children”. Play offers

Why are we playing in speech therapy? Playing in speech therapy isn’t just about the toys. When a child is engaged in active play, they are building cognitive skills, developing their social skills, working on fine motor development, and, most importantly, improving their communication!  Playing in Speech – Play Based

This week in therapy I pulled out an oldie but goodie! Check out this session saving fun toddler game that I found several years ago. Seek-A-Boo. Have you heard of it? Its absolutely one of my go-to favorites. I don’t say this unless I mean it… but you definitely need it!

“I need help finding engaging toddler activities” “I’ve got this one toddler that I cannot get to participate! They just want to sit on the couch for the whole session and don’t want anything to do with me or my toys.” “I feel like I’ve tried everything but they just

Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines attention span as “the length of time during which one (such as an individual or a group) is able to concentrate or remain interested” The key to increasing attention to task in speech therapy for toddlers is to remember that progress doesn’t always happen in a straight

One of the biggest questions I’m asked when it comes to speech therapy for toddlers “How can I get and keep their attention?”​ The short answer: you can’t. I used to get frustrated, thinking I had to hold toddlers’ attention to make progress. But here’s the thing: toddlers aren’t made

Evaluating toddler speech can feel intimidating … but it doesn’t have to be! Let’s talk about what happens when evaluating toddlers for speech therapy services.  Toddler Parent Concerns I always tell parents: evaluating toddler speech is never a bad idea! Anytime you have concerns with your toddler’s communication development, seek

The final two developmental phonological processes in toddler speech are cluster reduction and weak syllable deletion. What’s Cluster Reduction? Cluster reduction occurs when all or some of a cluster (clusters are also called blends) is reduced or omitted. Clusters include S, L R, blends. Clusters are 2 consonant sounds that

Let’s continue our chat about developmental phonological errors in toddlers – Stopping & Fronting! In this blog post, we are only going to be discussing these two phonological errors because they come with a little more terminology.  What’s Stopping?  Stopping occurs when a fricative or affricate sound is replaced with

Story reading aloud is a research-based strategy that encourages children’s language and literacy development (beginning from infancy). Reading aloud encourages early language skills and early cognitive development. A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics 2017 found that the quality and quantity of reading aloud during infancy and toddlerhood can

Today we are going to talk about the first 5 phonological developmental phonological processes. These are Reduplication, Denasalization, Assimilation, Final Consonant Deletion, and Final Consonant Devoicing. These developmental phonological processes should be resolved by the time a toddler turns 3. Before we get started, be sure to check out the first

Real quick: This post contains affiliate links to some products. This means if you purchase directly from my link I earn a small commission off the sale!  Who doesn’t love a fun multi-purpose activity?! Water beads activities for toddlers is just that! A fun and multi-purpose activity that you can

Why are routines for toddlers important? Routines lead to consistency, sameness, and predictability. I’ve said before, toddlerhood is a lot. There’s so much development happening in such a short amount of time and it gets reeeeaaallly overwhelming (for parents and littles) quickly. In those moments, what does become helpful is

Let’s talk about choosing words for vocabulary (or speech activities for toddlers) when it comes to increasing language and communication with toddlers.  Simple Word Structure I recently acquired 2 new patients and we have started the building word structure process from the beginning. I pulled out these phonology cards and we started

This week I started a small video series on evaluating toddlers through tik-tok and instagram. This all stemmed from a question I posed at the beginning of the week – how do we write speech therapy goals for toddlers? Toddler Speech Therapy Evaluations When it comes speech therapy evaluations for toddlers,

Let’s talk about building a vocabulary for your toddler. I’ll use one my little friends as an example because in addition to pretty significant intelligibility issues, he’s also having a hard time with vocabulary. One of my favorite things to use to increase vocabulary? Farm sets! Here’s a quick vocabulary

Research shows that reading social stories to children [and toddlers] having problems in situations actually beneficial. Why? Because they explain things in an easy to understand way.

40% of students across the nation cannot read at a basic level. Pre-reading skills, literacy, and language development should be supported as early as infancy! In today’s episode, we dive into the importance of literacy and language development from infancy to toddlerhood. We also chat about how these skills can

If you haven’t formed a relationship with your patient’s daycare teachers, I challenge you to do just that. At one time, half of my caseload was in a daycare or preschool. I would check in with the parents about progress and strategies they could do at home, but I also

We are going to discuss managing expectations during speech therapy for toddlers! In this episode, we chat about different ways to view progress, how to take a step back and reassess your sessions, and why prelinguistic skills are so important!  Hold on to your pants, friends. I’m about to drop

What are the best toys for speech therapy? Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Anytime you ask that question of someone (including me), it’s important to remember that the answer will be based on another person’s opinion. Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with asking others their opinion- but I

In today’s episode, we discuss my favorite books when it comes to speech therapy for toddlers. Reading is not about sitting down and reading every word on every page, making sure we sit still the entire time, and reading a book cover to cover. You must get outside of what

In 2010, Carol Stoel Gammon, from the University of Washington, analyzed multiple studies of the relationship between lexical development (vocabulary comprehension) and phonological development in typically developing young children (0-4 years) acquiring American English as their first language. In this episode, we will talk about how, by talking to babies