It’s the time of the year toys and play get a lot of attention. Hey, I’m all about it! Play is such a powerful language learning tool, and, above all, is enjoyable for the children. I thought I’d take some time this week do discuss the connection between language development and play in more...
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Fall language series: An inclusive Halloween
Those of you who have been following Duncan Lake Speech Therapy know that we are all about inclusion and accessibility over here. Kids Together, Inc. defines inclusion as, “being a part of what everyone else is, being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs.” Inclusive activities include all people regardless of ability/disability, religion,...
Check your biases: Audism in the 21st century
Friends, this week we are lucky to have Caitlin Giammona, fellow SJSU alum, and speech-language pathologist and owner of The Signing SLP. Caitlin provides speech and language support to signing deaf and hard of hearing folks, and like us here at Duncan Lake Speech Therapy, is a firm believer in all practices that promote...
Fall Language Series: AAC at the Pumpkin Patch
Today, we continue our Fall Language Series. Last week, we talked about language development at the apple orchard. This week, we’re taking it to the pumpkin patch, AAC style. For those of you who don’t know, AAC stands for alternative and augmentative communication. AAC is, essentially, any form of expressive language that isn’t spoken...
Fall Language Series – Language Enrichment at the Apple Orchard
Like any red-blooded Midwesterner, I am a sucker for the fall. Call me basic, but there is something about this time of year that just makes me so happy. Maybe it’s the colors? Maybe it’s the sweaters? Whatever it is, I love it! Fall brings with it its own set of activities. Apple orchards,...
Here’s one more (speech) reason why allergies are annoying.
Allergies, amirite? Every September, Mother nature warmly welcomes me into her loving autumnal arms by giving me giant case of seasonal allergies. There is nothing quite like constant sneezing, coughing, and congestion, especially during a global pandemic (READ THE ROOM, MOTHER NATURE!), to really ring in the new season. As if this wasn’t annoying...
Setting yourself up for teletherapy success
Michigan friends, the school year is upon us. For many families, virtual school is the new reality. This means that speech-language services provided at school will now take on a virtual look. The good thing is that Duncan Lake Speech Therapy loooooves teletherapy. Teletherapy is a great way to deliver speech-language therapy, especially during...
5 outdoor, language-building toys (that you probably already have)
Michigan residents cling to summer weather like velcro. We only get about 4 months of sunshine, so we spend all the time we can outside during the summer. The outdoors can be a great place to work on building your child’s language skills (as we already know). They’re doing activities they love, so you...
Masks and muffled speech – Problems and solutions
I’d just like to preface this blog post by saying that masks are not up for debate on this platform. My job is to bring you information relevant to speech, language, and hearing, and that’s what I’m going to do. My husband works at a retail pharmacy here in the greater Grand Rapids area....
“Wait and see” and other advice parents hear from well-meaning loved ones.
We live in a society that values politeness in uncomfortable situations. Have you heard the term “Midwest nice?” It’s very real. While this can be very pleasant (“Hey, thanks for not bringing up the terrible COVID-cut I gave my bangs!”), when it comes to tough conversations about the kiddos, it can be somewhat problematic....