Encouragement for SLPs: Changing the World Through Caregiver Education
In the hustle and bustle of your daily life as a pediatric SLP, it’s easy to lose sight of the incredible impact you are making in the world. The stresses and challenges of being an SLP can sometimes cloud your vision, but it’s important to take time to remind yourself that you ARE changing the world! At the pediatric level, much of this change comes from the work you do with your clients’ caregivers. Caregiver education has transformative power! Don’t Lose Hope The demands of being an SLP can feel overwhelming at times. It feels like the documentation is endless,
3 IMPORTANT Considerations for SLPs: Choosing Continuing Education Courses Wisely
As a pediatric SLP, your dedication to ongoing learning is vital for providing the best care for your clients and their families. Continuing education (CE) not only enriches your practice but also ensures you stay up-to-date with the latest research and techniques in the field of speech-language pathology. With the vast options available, choosing continuing education courses wisely is important to best serve both yourself and your clients. 1. Understand What is Required of You Before diving headfirst into the depths of available CE courses, be sure you understand the specific requirements set by both your state and the American
Navigating the Current ASHA Fee Increase: Insights for Pediatric SLPs
Early in 2024, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) announced an impending increase in dues of $25 for certified members. The response has been nothing short of intense! The emotions of many SLPs have ranged from frustration to great disappointment to anger and more. As SLPs who care deeply about our profession, it’s important to consider the depth of this ASHA fee increase and how it impacts us all individually and collectively. ASHA’s Significance on the SLP Profession For many of us SLPs, our relationship with ASHA is a huge part of our career. It has been a: ASHA set many
How To Embrace & Nurture Your Identity as an SLP
You spend so much of your time investing in others– your clients, their families, your colleagues, your family… But are you investing in yourself? Let’s take a look at the depth of your identity as an SLP. Consider who you are beyond your professional title, and how to fully nurture yourself in the process! Your Professional Identity Let’s face it– it’s not uncommon for us as SLPs to closely identify with our job title. This deep connection often stems from the demanding journey of undergraduate and graduate education plus all that’s involved with licensure and certification. All of these coupled
4 PRACTICAL Tips to Share with Caregivers for Summer Speech Success
As you approach the summer months, it’s crucial to equip families with the tools they need to support their child’s speech and language development during this break. Here are 4 easy and practical tips to share with caregivers for summer speech success! 4 PRACTICAL Tips for Summer Speech Success Clarify Goals and Strategies First of all, it is important to make sure caregivers clearly understand their child’s specific diagnosis and goals. They also need to be fully aware of what types of prompts their child responds best to. This bundle set of Parent Education Handouts is a great resource to
4 Simple Ways to Celebrate National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
As May approaches, it’s time to consider ways to celebrate National Speech-Language-Hearing Month with your fellow SLPs, parents, and colleagues. Embracing Change National Speech-Language-Hearing Month was formally called Better Hearing and Speech Month. The shift to this new name is important for inclusivity and references the multifaceted roles you fulfill as an SLP. This change also recognizes the ever-changing landscape of the world of speech-language pathology. Embrace the change as an opportunity to amplify your voice for better advocacy and bring much-needed awareness to our fantastic profession! 4 Simple Ways to Celebrate National Speech-Language-Hearing Month 1. Promote the Field Take
3 Ways to Build Trust and Respect with Caregivers: A Guide for Pediatric SLPs
As a pediatric SLP, you understand the importance of gaining the trust and respect of your clients’ caregivers. Developing a strong rapport with parents is crucial for successful collaboration and implementation of treatment plans. While your (fabulous!) credentials may highlight your expertise, it’s your interpersonal skills and approach that will truly solidify your role as a trusted partner in a child’s communication journey. Read these 3 strategies you can begin to easily incorporate to build trust and respect with caregivers that lasts! 3 Ways to Build Trust and Respect with Caregivers 1. Active Listening One of the first steps in
3 Ways to Empower Caregivers in Speech Therapy
The journey of speech-language therapy can be overwhelming for families. As an SLP, it’s crucial to recognize the emotional challenges caregivers often face when their child is diagnosed with a communication delay or receives an unexpected medical diagnosis. Rather than assuming disinterest, it’s important to acknowledge their vulnerability and seek to empower them as integral members of the therapy process. Let’s go over 3 easy ways to empower caregivers in speech therapy– because they really do want to help! 3 Easy Ways to Empower Caregivers in Speech Therapy 1. Speak Simply Communicate simply with families by using easy-to-understand terms and
5 INGENIOUS Strategies to Empower Students in Speech Therapy
As you know, even the most intricately planned speech sessions and thought-out goals cannot overcome a student who is unmotivated in speech sessions. Figuring out how to empower students in speech therapy is a delicate balance of providing support while also promoting independence. As you address passivity, avoid being the sole motivator for success, reduce caregiver stress, establish quality home programs, and implement speech stations, you will set your speech students up for life-long success as they take control of their goals and learn to communicate effectively. Address Passivity to Empower Students in Speech Therapy Passive learners often struggle to
EASY Steps to Ensure Caregivers Feel Like an Integral Part of the IEP Process
Navigating the world of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can feel overwhelming for caregivers, but the process can be more manageable with your help as an SLP! Let’s delve into how and why you should ensure caregivers feel like integral parts of the IEP process. I promise– everyone will be better for it! How & Why to Ensure Caregivers Feel Like an Integral Part of the IEP Process IEP Reminders Maybe you’re new to the school setting or are working with a different age than you previously have. Either way, it’s always good to review the basics before you begin to
How to Support Caregivers with Research Strain
Research strain is a common issue for caregivers navigating a new diagnosis or when they’ve recently become aware of a developmental delay. If you’re an early intervention or preschool speech-language pathologist, recognizing this common issue and learning how to support caregivers with research strain will result in a more successful therapy experience. Researching the causes of developmental delays It’s a natural response for caregivers to search for a cause of a developmental delay or diagnosis especially if the family feels surprised by the information. It’s a way to try and regain some control over a situation that may feel overwhelming
4 Tips for Pediatric SLPs When Talking to Caregivers
Talking to caregivers is important and unavoidable as a pediatric SLP! Be prepared and handle these conversations with expertise and kindness. As pediatric speech-language pathologists, we bring a lot of knowledge and expertise to the table and it’s easy to forget how foreign our speech world is to caregivers. Since speech therapists are often the first point of contact for many families with language delayed children, we need to remain mindful of ways we communicate with the caregivers we serve. Our language can have an immediate impact on the level of trust a caregiver has in us. This trust can
How to Support Caregivers with Guilt
Caregiver guilt is a typical response when a child has speech and language delays. If you’re an early intervention or preschool speech-language pathologist, understanding where it comes from and how you can support caregivers with guilt will help pave the way for a more successful therapy experience. Guilt from risk factors (genetic or environmental) One of the first tasks when a caregiver arrives at a doctor or other health professional’s office is filling out a medical history form. While we might view this information as neutral or a clue to what type of delay/disorder a child might have, for a
Speech Regressions in Toddlers: Why They Happen and How to Help
Have you heard the comment, “Contact your pediatrician if you notice a regression in skills?”… Let’s talk about what speech regressions really mean, why they happen, and how to help. What is a Speech Regression? Regression is a decline in skills. This occurs when a child is not performing skills they once were able to. In regards to speech and language, this might look like a toddler who: stops using words to make requests and now uses jargon or crying has a significant decrease in interaction with other children or adults and seems much more focused on solitary play stops
Data Collection Tips for Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologists
A crucial part of a speech-language pathologist’s work is taking appropriate data. The data provides vital information about a child’s progress and helps guide steps in deciding the next steps for intervention. Though it’s necessary, this is oftentimes a pain point for many SLPs. Follow along in this guide for several data-collection tips to make your life as a pediatric SLP easier! Types of Data You’re likely to find that one type of data collection doesn’t cut it for all your therapy sessions. What works for kids with language goals doesn’t work as well for articulation goals, and so on.
Understanding Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Beginner’s Guide for Parents and SLPs
Maybe you’re familiar with the term “childhood apraxia of speech” or not. Your child may have recently received this diagnosis, or you have a suspecting child on your caseload. Either way, there’s always more to learn about this rare speech disorder! Read on to learn more about what childhood apraxia of speech is, the likelihood of it to occur, telltale signs, and what to expect in an evaluation and therapy in this beginner’s guide to all things childhood apraxia of speech. What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech? Childhood apraxia of speech (also referred to as CAS) is a neurological motor
6 Considerations about Making Wise Investments During Your Clinical Fellowship Year
Congrats on becoming an SLP graduate! As you begin your professional journey, you will soon feel the need and desire to begin investing in continuing education courses and therapy resources in order to better your skills, continue learning, and provide the best care for your clients. Before you give all of your time (and money!) to these, stop and review these six considerations for making wise investments during your clinical fellowship year. 6 Considerations about Making Wise Investments as a New SLP Graduate #1 Focus on What You Know Although it will be tempting to try to learn everything that
4 Tried-and-True Strategies for Effective Carryover in Articulation Therapy
Kids often get stuck in therapy. They can make a sound (or sounds) in structured activities but need help to move beyond that. The answer to this dilemma is they are lacking in CARRYOVER. Implementing carryover activities in articulation therapy is essential, and they don’t have to be difficult either! Try these 4 tried-and-true strategies for effective carryover in your articulation therapy sessions TODAY! Start Early! First thing’s first– know that you should start addressing carryover skills as soon as possible! By implementing carryover strategies in small chunks over the entire course of a child’s therapy journey, you’re instilling self-confidence
An Overview of the Minimal Pairs Approach for Speech Sound Intervention
The minimal pairs approach is a popular intervention for treating speech sound disorders. You might have heard your child’s SLP mention this, or maybe you are an SLP who is looking for a refresher about how to implement it with some of your students. Read on for an overview of the minimal pairs approach and learn when it’s most effective and how to implement it in therapy sessions! What is the Minimal Pairs Approach? The minimal pairs approach is one of the oldest interventions used to treat phonological disorders in speech. It’s formally referred to as “Minimal Oppositions”. This approach
SLP Expert Opinion: Milestones vs Averages and Why Developmental Milestones Have Changed
You’re frustrated. Other kids the same age as your child are talking so much more than yours is, but your pediatrician is saying there is nothing to worry about. People are saying the developmental milestones changed recently too. What does all this mean, and what should you do next? Let’s dive right in and answer these questions! The Pediatrician Says Don’t Worry There’s a lot of talk about milestones when you have little ones, but one of the most frequently asked questions I hear is “Why don’t the milestones SLPs talk about match what my child’s pediatrician says?” This is