Speech Sisters Blog

Isn’t it amazing that babies begin communicating with us as soon as they’re born? They have a built-in ability to let us know that they need something without saying a single word! These communication skills develop as we respond to our babies and meet their needs. As we learn to communicate with our babies through infant activities and play, we will encourage further development in language and communication. But before we discuss these activities, let’s look at the stages a baby goes through in their quest to communicate.

When it comes to nurturing love and connection with your baby or toddler, reading books can be a powerful tool. As speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who understand the importance of language development in early childhood, we have curated a list of books that are not only delightful but also centered around the theme of love.

When it comes to language development in young children, it is essential to introduce them to a wide range of vocabulary. While nouns are often the first words they learn, introducing verbs, or action words, at an early age is equally important. Do you want your child to start combining words together and talking in short phrases and sentences? If so, you may want to focus on exposing your child to more VERBS (aka action words).

As pediatric speech-language pathologists of Speech Sisters, we hear four common questions pertaining to the “bottle to cup” transition. Here is the WHEN, WHY, WHAT and HOW to make this transition easy and successful!

In today’s digital world, how can parents instill healthy screen time habits for our kids? What are the best screens for toddlers? This is a good question, because not all screens are created equal! While it might be ideal to avoid screen time altogether—especially for our youngest children—there are some things we can do to instill best practices.

If you're a parent dealing with a whiny toddler, you're likely searching for answers. I've been through this phase three times, and let me tell you, it can be tough.

Are you feeling the hustle and bustle for the holiday season a little bit earlier than usual this year? Us too. You may have many things on your to-do list right now and we are hoping to help you cross one of them off your list…

Understanding the distinction between speech and language is essential for parents navigating their child's communication development. At Speech Sisters, we receive common questions from concerned parents who are unsure of the differences between these two aspects of child development. In this blog post we will shed light on speech (articulation) and language, and guide you towards effective solutions. Let's dive in!

If you've experienced challenges with speech therapy, you're not alone. We explore the common challenges faced by caregivers and speech therapists and provide evidence-based strategies to overcome them, ensuring a successful speech therapy experience for babies and toddlers.

How many words should my 24-month-old be saying? Is her speech development on track? What can I do to help her along? In this post you will learn what the 24-month-old milestones are and how to help your child achieve them!

How do I know if my 18-month-old child is on track when it comes to communicating? What is a reasonable expectation? Are there specific activities I can do encourage more talking?Such good questions! We understand that you want to give your little one a strong start, and we’re here for you every step of the way.

Are you feeling the hustle and bustle for the holiday season a little bit earlier than usual this year? Us too. You may have many things on your to-do list right now and we are hoping to help you cross one of them off your list…

From the moment they’re born, babies begin to learn to communicate. They hear the voices of mommy and daddy and are soon able to recognize these familiar sounds. Before long, they relate these voices to faces, and nonverbal communication begins through gestures and facial expressions. They begin to smile and coo as their world opens up before them. But what if baby is suffering from hearing loss? These children will have difficulty learning how to communicate if they cannot hear sounds around them.

At Speech Sisters we believe parents have so much power when it comes to building a solid social language foundation. Social opportunities play a crucial role in helping children master necessary life skills like making friends, taking turns, sharing, cooperating, problem-solving, and perspective-taking. You can play a role in improving your child's social skills! Here are four ways that you can help to support social skills and build social resilience for your child:

As parents we want the best for our children. We want to meet their developmental needs in the best way possible. In order to do this, we need to know what those needs are! In this post, we dive into if late speech is a sign of autism and how to know the difference between early signs of autism versus a speech delay.

We are often asked, "What is an effective strategy to help my child communicate?" The answer: Play! Yes, play is SO important for communication. According to much-loved Mr. Rogers, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

So the question’s been raised, “Do boys talk later than girls?” If that’s the case, then I don’t need to be concerned if my little guy is not meeting the communication milestones, right? WRONG! Even though in many cases boys start talking later than girls, being a boy is NOT a reason that a child has a language delay.

We all want our children to grow up to be intelligent, well-adjusted adults, and as parents, we’re eager to give them a good head start, right? We talk a lot about functional language for babies, what what does that look like?Let’s take a simple quiz. Answer the following question by selecting the correct answer:

What are the first 10 words babies say? A few weeks ago, we asked our Instagram followers to tell us what the first words were that their babies said, and guess what? Their answers corresponded almost perfectly to what the research has revealed! According to research, toddlers often use the same first words regardless of linguistic, cultural, developmental, or geographical background. How can this be? The conclusion of the research has been broken down into 3 basic reasons that explain this phenomenon:

Baby sign language—there’s so much to love about it! And the myths about baby sign language? Let’s just put them to rest. Some wonder if baby sign language delays speech, and to this question we give a resounding NO! In fact, teaching our babies and toddlers to sign helps them to communicate even before they start to speak! According to an ASL interpreter from Sign ’n Grow, parents who start teaching their baby sign language at approximately 6 months old usually see them signing back between 9-12 months old.

One of the most crucial pieces to know when counting words is exactly what counts as a word. This is, by far, the most frequently asked question by parents in therapy and on our instagram page @speechsisters.

Are you ready to learn how to get your child to put two (or more) words together? If your child is saying a bunch of single words, NOW is the time to help him start putting those words together! YOU can help your child climb The Language Ladder, and we are here to help! INSTEAD OF . . . Copying the one word your child says: “Banana” TRY THIS . . .

Your two-year-old is finally talking! YAY!!! She is saying new words every day, and she’s even starting to string words together into short sentences. There’s only one problem: you can’t understand what she is saying most of the time. What do you do when you can't understand your child's speech? Does this sound familiar? If the answer is a resounding YES, we want to assure you that this is not uncommon. It happens all the time, and we have some suggestions for you.

Let’s face it, sometimes our eagerness and enthusiasm can get in the way. We want our kids to learn, but our quest for instant results can backfire! We're here to help your child start talking.

Have you heard about the new CDC developmental milestone updates? If so, how do you feel about them? For the first time in nearly two decades, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated their developmental milestone checklist. The language/communication milestone revisions have many Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) and parents concerned. The CDC’s updated guidelines have lowered expectations for developmental milestones, pushing back many of the language milestones to later ages. For example, the CDC now says that by 30 months of age, children should have learned 50 words, while the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) suggests that children should have 50 words by 24 months of age.

When should my toddler start talking? So many questions! It's so easy as parents of toddlers to have tons questions and concerns! Is my child talking enough? Does she understand what I’m saying? How many words should my child be saying, and what even counts as a “word”?

Sometimes being a parent takes a little creativity. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be a trained artist, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to engage in fun, intentional activities that will encourage new vocabulary. When it comes to helping your child with language development, all it takes is a common household object and some purposeful interaction with your precious little one! We love these 5 household objects to build language.

You spent so long picking out the perfect name for your sweet child . . . and now it is time to teach your baby how to say their name! Who is ready to do this? Because, seriously, it's the cutest thing ever! 😍Unfortunately, we can't make our little ones say their name overnight. It is a process, and you may have to work on this for months! Don’t say we didn’t warn you! But don’t worry, we’re here to give you a 3-step plan to help get your little one to say his or her name! ⠀

The answer is a resounding YES! Studies show that children who were exposed to more infant-directed speech, aka baby-talk or “parentese,” at age 1 tend to have a larger vocabulary at age 2 than children who were exposed to less. Some parents are comfortable with baby-talk while others feel awkward, unnatural, and even embarrassed to engage with their baby that way! Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Before you know it, you’ll be an expert at parentese!

As pediatric therapists, we are often preaching about milestones and numbers and developmental markers, but it's important to take a step back from all that . . .As MOMS, we know one thing for sure: Our children's capabilities are not measured by their milestones. Before you dive into the Communication Milestone Checklist, let’s have a little chat about language. Your understanding of the basics will help you to approach this checklist with confidence and discernment.

During an infant’s first year of life, they’re doing much more than eating, sleeping, and crying. It’s amazing to consider just how productive they are “behind the scenes” as they develop their vocal skills and language.

Now that winter’s here, it’s time to stay inside where it’s warm and cozy, right? Wellll. . . . at Speech Sisters we challenge you not to hibernate but to live on the wild side—bundle up, brave the cold, and get out there and build lasting memories! There’s nothing as invigorating as crisp, fresh winter air! Winter is full of festivity and fun! Whether you’re walking down a slushy street or sliding down an icy hill, there’s so much to see and hear and feel that you run the risk of sensory overload.

Storytime has always been one of our favorite routines with our kids! At Speech Sisters, we believe reading stories is a great way to expose children to new words, new sounds, and the rhythm of language. Using a “parentese” voice (higher-pitched and sing-songy) with the consistent repetition of words found in many baby books is one of the best ways to get little ones vocalizing, babbling, and saying real words! So here are our favorite books for building language development in babies and toddlers.

Are you feeling the hustle and bustle for the holiday season a little bit earlier than usual this year? Us too. You may have many things on your to-do list right now and we are hoping to help you cross one of them off your list… DECIDING WHICH TOYS TO GIFT YOUR LITTLE ONE! There are lots of great toys out there, you may even feel a little overwhelmed with all the options. Rather than purchasing to cross it off the list we want to help you be thoughtful about the toys that come into your home (and even those you may gift to others).

“Brrr! It’s too cold out.” “Ugh, it’s raining!” “Phew! I can’t take the heat!” It’s easy to find excuses when it comes to outdoor play, but here’s a tip from us at Speech Sisters: when dressed appropriately, any day is a great day to play outside! Outdoor play is the perfect setting for experiential learning, sensory language development, and memorable discovery. And to top it off, the fresh air helps your little one to sleep!

The idea that play is a child’s work is not new. Maria Montessori understood that play is the means by which children grow and learn. She said, “Play is the work of the child.” The well-known educator Piaget considered play to be integral to the development of a child’s intelligence as well as language development. And our beloved “Mr. Rogers” believed that not only is play the work of childhood, but through play children learn the social skills that will help them succeed in life.

All those adorable books just sitting on the shelf! All the lovable characters you want your toddler to meet. And all the adventures to experience! As a mom you’re yearning to enjoy the playful rhythm and rhyme and discover new details in every delightful illustration. But your little one will barely sit still long enough to open the first page! At Speech Sisters, we get it. And we’d like to help. Here are 6 easy tips to make book reading a fun and engaging experience for you and your little love.

What greater joy is there than to see your baby engage in a game of Peek-a-Boo! The expression of pure delight is unmatched! And how eagerly they wait for you to do it again! Or how about the little squeal when your fingers slowly crawl over them as you tease: “I’m gonna get you . . . I’m gonna get you!” Perhaps you know this one: “Gray mouse, gray mouse—lives in a little house!” and you give a little tickle under the arm or chin!

As we embark on a new school year still in the throes of a global pandemic, parents have hundreds of questions and concerns about the safety and growth of their children. As speech and language pathologists at Speech Sisters, one of the biggest concerns we hear is how will my child communicate while wearing a mask? And as a parent, should we be concerned? The truth is, we are concerned about the impact that masks may have on language learning for babies and toddlers, but we also believe that parents can compensate by making a language-rich home (mask-free) environment. As this continues to be a novel situation, the evidence and research are lacking to determine the specific impact that masks may or may not have on a child’s speech and/or language development. But here is what we do know based on several relatable research studies and sources…

Do you feel like your child has missed out on social interactions and opportunities since the pandemic started? If you do, you are not alone. At Speech Sisters, we know the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted this important part of life by putting a pause on many vital sources of social exposure.

As parents, we already know that the days are long but the years are short. Let’s face it, during those long days it is sometimes comforting to watch a good morning show or make breakfast while grooving to Spotify. So if you are playing with your child while catching up on the latest episode of The Bachelor, it is important to remember that ‘every rose has its thorn.’ Yes, it's true...as much as tv can help those long days pass, it is important to be aware that the quantity and volume of background noise has been found to have adverse effects on the development of language skills in young children. But the truth is that background noise is everywhere and in many environments can not be minimized. On the other hand, we are in control of certain background noise exposures that we allow in our homes.

Have you heard of baby sign language? It’s when we teach our babies & toddlers signs from Sign Language to help them communicate with us before they start to speak. Baby signing comes with so many benefits - early language development, less frustration for you and your baby, building fine motor skills, and more.If you already know of baby sign language, then you’ve probably heard one of these 3 myths. Let’s bust the biggest baby sign language myths out there!

One of the most common questions we hear from parents is, “Do you think my toddler or preschooler has ADHD?” This is because many young children will show characteristics similar to ADHD. Maybe your toddler or preschooler…

Let’s talk about pacifiers! If your child uses a pacifier, you may have a love/hate relationship with it. You love that it helps to soothe your little one but you hate the idea that one day you will have to take it away. At Speech Sisters, we get asked so many questions about pacifiers, so here are the answers to our most frequently asked questions.

Do you have a baby or know of a baby who was born with a tongue-tie? Chances are you do because they are more common than you may think! At Speech Sisters, research has shown the prevalence of tongue ties in newborns is anywhere between 4 and 11 percent.

Would it get your attention if you were in line at a coffee shop and someone clapped their hands and started shouting, “YAY!!” Kind of random, but yes, I think it might capture your attention. This will have the same effect on your little one! When you exaggerate and repeat fun, silly exclamatory words, you will capture your toddler’s attention. These words are also motivating because you can often use them during playtime. Here are 10 of our favorite EASY and FUN exclamatory words we use at Speech Sisters during playtime and how to incorporate them into your day

Did you know that in order to speak, a message is sent from your brain to your mouth that tells your lips, tongue and jaw how to move? Seems simple enough, right? Well, unfortunately for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech it is not that simple. At Speech Sisters, we are here to help. According to the American Speech and Hearing Association, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is defined as “a motor speech disorder that makes it hard to speak.” CAS has nothing to do with muscle weakness or paralysis. Instead, the brain actually struggles to plan and coordinate the movements of the lips, jaw and tongue while talking.

At Speech Sisters we want you to know that the best way to get your baby making various speech sounds is for you to get eye to eye and model it! This way, your little one can see your mouth and hear the sound/word at the same time! We even recommend a hands-on approach so that your baby can also feel the vibration of the sound or feel a puff of air depending on the sound that you are making. We call this the TRIFECTA… SEE the sound, HEAR the sound, and FEEL the sound. ⠀

Imitation is a critical part of language development. Of course, we want our children to imitate us NOW and "say this" and "say that" when we command them to, but this doesn't always work, and this often puts unnecessary pressure on our little ones. Instead, try imitating them!

Play is super important in the development of language because it encompasses skills like interaction, socialization, cognition and problem-solving. At Speech Sisters, we believe play is one of the ways that children learn new skills and it is so rich in language opportunities. Symbolic play is when a child uses one object to represent another object. For example, your child might pick up the TV remote and use it as a telephone, or maybe they hop in a cardboard box and pretend that it’s their car.

Here's a tip from Speech Sisters that you may not have heard! You can set up a language opportunity by putting wanted objects in places where your child can’t retrieve them on their own. If they are motivated to get that item that is on the counter, what will they do or attempt to say?

In today's day and age it can be difficult to avoid screen time. Screens and devices seem to be everywhere. Allowing your child to have screen time is YOUR choice and decision. YOU know what is best for your child. At Speech Sisters, we get asked all the time which apps are the best for promoting speech and language development in young children. So, here it is... Two things that we take into consideration when using apps with our own children and clients are:

One of the most notable milestones developing in the toddler years is language. During this period in human development, parents often wonder when and what their child’s first words will be if they are developing language on track, and maybe even wonder if their child’s tantrums will subside when they start talking. A study completed by Roden, Cole, and Armstrong found that toddlers who had higher language skills were less likely to display tantrums in preschool.

What is the one word that you are dying to get your baby to say?!“Dada”? NO!! “MAMA!” Of course, it’s “Mama”. But what do they always say first? “Dada!” At Speech Sisters, we want to teach you 4 tricks that you can use to help your baby say “Mama.” Let’s start with a few pointers

One question we get asked all the time at Speech Sisters is...how can I get my baby to start babbling? Babbling often starts between 4-8 months of age. Babbling is important because it is a stepping stone that a baby must cross before they can start saying real words. If your baby is not babbling yet, here are 5 tips on how you can help your baby babble away!

You may be wondering…How many words does my toddler really have? And, what counts as a "word" anyway? At Speech Sisters, we get asked these questions all the time! You can count the following as “words:

Receptive language is the ability to understand information. It is the act of comprehending language. In both of our online courses, we talk about the importance of building your child’s understanding of language. Why? Because once language is understood receptively, only then can it be expressed verbally.

How do I know if my 18-month-old child is on track when it comes to communicating? What is a reasonable expectation? Are there specific activities I can do encourage more talking?

Did you know that there's a difference between speech and language? As speech pathologists at Speech Sisters, we are here to tell you that each of those terms depicts a different component within communication. This is important to know when trying to understand your child! Confused as to what this means? Let us help you…

Have you noticed your little one stuttering? First things first - don’t panic! At Speech Sisters we know it isn’t uncommon for young children to have developmental disfluencies like developmental stuttering in their speech.

The most frequent question we get asked at Speech Sisters regarding bilingualism is… “Will exposing my child to more than one language delay communication milestones?” The answer is “NO!” Raising your child to be bilingual or multilingual can actually be beneficial for their language development, organizational skills and cognition!

On January 28th Speech Sisters were featured on Good Morning America! We still can’t believe it really happened. On the show, we highlighted two very important strategies that should be used to help boost your child’s language skills.

AT SPEECH SISTERS, WE GET ASKED THIS QUESTION ALL THE TIME AND THE ANSWER IS…NO! Go for it! Research actually shows that the best time to expose your child to a second language is during early childhood. Another common question we encounter is, “If I am going to expose my child to two languages, what is the best and most effective way to do so?”

As a mother and pediatric speech-language pathologist, I have heard every opinion under the sun pertaining to thumbsucking. As one mom dreads the day her baby finds her thumb (because she is already anticipating future speech therapy and orthodontic bills), another mom is doing a happy dance when her baby finds his thumb at 2 am.

As parents, I think we all know the struggle is real with this topic. Should I allow my toddler to use an iPad? How much TV is too much? As speech therapists at Speech Sisters, we get these kinds of questions ALL the time! Here are the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations:

When you have a baby, you dream of the day that you can snuggle up with them and read a book. In that fantasy, you read every word on each page while your sweet child stares back at you listening intently. Then reality hits! Now you have a toddler and you are desperately chasing them around the house pleading for them to pay attention to the book that is in your hand. Sound familiar? So how can we get our little ones to attend to a book (even if only for a minute or two)? At Speech Sisters, we want to share 6 tips to make book reading more enjoyable for you and your child!

I’ll never forget the day I brought my 2 year old son in for a hearing screening because his articulation just sounded a little “off” to me. The audiologist told me, “Ben has a bilateral conductive hearing loss.” I thought…What?! How can that be? He talks and is developing his speech and language skills on time! He responds to his name when I call him and follows my directions most of the time. Even as a speech pathologist, this news rocked my world and I couldn’t believe that I had not detected it sooner. Get More Info on finding the right hearing aid for yourself.

Let’s talk about toys and which ones are best to help get your little one talking. We want to start by emphasizing that the single most important factor when discussing this is to use a toy that is motivating to your child. Motivation is key and with motivation comes desire to communicate! With that said there is another factor that we feel is very important at Speech Sisters… the simplicity of the toy.