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 detail...
This time of year, SLPs are often asked for input on gift giving. Most questions are typically about what toys are best for language development. The truth is that there is absolutely no toy on the planet that will help your child’s language development on its own. However, with the use of parent strategies, any toy...
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 representation,...
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, pumpkin...
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 enough...
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 this...
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 already...
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. He...
by Tamiko Teshima, M.A., CCC-SLP Duncan Lake Speech Therapy, LLC Updated for July 2024 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...
The people have spoken, and you want to know more about milestones. I wrote a blog post earlier this year about communication milestones and red flags at 24 months, so this week, we’re taking it back to 18 months. Our Facebook page featured some of the milestones on Monday (see below), but what are some...