Is School Speech Enough? When to Add Outpatient
School speech is not a lesser service, but it has limits built into the system. Bianca Edwards, MS, CCC-SLP, spent eight and a half years as a school SLP. She explains what school services are designed to do, when adding outpatient therapy makes sense, and how to get both working as one team.
Food Sensory Issues at School Lunch and What to Do at Home
Parents often tell me their child eats fine at home and comes back with a full lunchbox every day. That is not stubbornness and it is not a lie. The food did not change. The room did. Geena Schmidt, MS, OTR/L, on why the cafeteria beats a sensory-sensitive eater, and what to do about it.
When Is a Sound Actually a Word?
When is a sound actually a word?
Many parents wait for first words to sound “right,” but early language doesn’t work that way. A first word doesn’t need perfect pronunciation — it needs meaning, consistency, and intent.
In this First Word Friday video, our speech-language pathologists explain the three simple rules that help determine whether a child’s sound (or gesture) counts as a real word — and how parents can support language growth at home through everyday interactions, not drills.
If your child is vocalizing, gesturing, or attempting to communicate, language may already be developing. You just need to know what to listen for.