May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

Better Speech and Hearing Month

college logos 1May is Better Speech and Hearing Month 

It’s the time of the year when we in the field like to increase awareness of communication disorders and the role your friendly Speech Therapist or Audiologist plays in providing life changing therapies.  While May is a great time to better understand the field of speech-language pathology and audiology, it also provides us opportunity for us at Lakeshore Speech Therapy to share a little bit more about ourselves.

Our Amazing Team

The team at Lakeshore represents a total of over 100 years of experience in the delivery of speech-language therapeutic intervention.  100 years!!!! Individually this outstanding team is dedicated to improving communication for young and old. But where did they get their start? Where did they begin as college freshman and end as professionals with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology? Let’s find out:

Ellen Spear holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Marquette University!   Goooooo Golden Eagles!

VernaAnn Kotansky received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the State of University of New York at Geneseo. Gooooooo Knights!

Elizabeth Lazowski received her Master’s degree from  Northwestern University and is a proud Wildcat!

Ellery Martinko is a proud Viking, graduating from Cleveland State University with her Master’s degree.

Mary Yutzy proudly received her Master’s degree from the University of Akron.  Way to go Zips!

Gina Perciavelli  graduated with her Master’s from Ohio University.  Bobcat’s in the house!

Wendi Willmer graduated with her Master’s from Kent State University.  Golden Flashes all the way!

From Eagles to Knights, Wildcats to Vikings, Zips to Bobcats and Flashes, Lakeshore therapists represent their colleges well!

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech

How to Use Coupons to Build Communication

child in speech therapy playing with a toy with keys

Coupons can help create communication

Junk mail,  inserts in the Sunday papers….those shiny glossy teeny tiny piece of paper worth $.25, $.50, $1!!!!!  If you are savvy shopper your coupons are organized and ready to go with every shopping trip.  If you are not the organized savvy shopper, your coupons are a crumpled at the bottom of your purse or better yet in a pile on the kitchen counter, never to see the inside of a store.

Coupons are not just for saving a few pennies!  Coupons open the door for communication!  There are a number of easy – and fast – ways to not only create a mode of communication for your child, but to help she/he practice specific sounds, increase story telling, turn taking, and the list goes on!

How to Use Coupons to Create a Communication Board

Coupon Communication Board:  use coupons or the adds surrounding the coupons to make a simple communication board for your child.  Cut the object on coupon object out and tape or glue it in a grid form on a piece of paper.  The next time you are playing 20 questions trying to figure out what your child would like for a snack, a drink, breakfast, lunch or dinner simply pull out your “Coupon Communication Board” and have she/he point to the choice.

Expanding Communication

Coupons expand communication: not only can coupons create a wonder communication board, but those glossy adds make for wonderful ‘stories’ to talk about.  What do you see?  What is that?  Who is that? What are they doing?  Should a doggie be allowed to play with toilet paper?  Does candy really talk?  Touch something blue. Do you see anything that flies?  The number of questions to elicit and expand communication is endless!

No need to go crazy trying to find that ‘just right picture’, they’re right under your nose. Coupons are for communication!

 

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

Consider Making Your Resolutions for the New Year!

resolutions for New Year

Speech-Language Therapy Resolutions for a New Year

“What’s your resolution this year?” The most frequently asked question from January 1st – 10th of any year.  After about 10 days of asking we are all pretty certain that either a. all resolutions have been broken or b. there were none to begin with.  For 2018 we might consider to resolve ourselves versus struggle to meet unrealistic resolutions.  Resolve ourselves to find the good in all actions and words. Resolve ourselves to be present…present to our children, our partner, our friends, our corner of the world.  Resolve ourselves to laugh more, to smile more, to find the joy, to communicate!

Developing Communication Skills is a Team Resolution

So how does this remotely relate to speech-language therapy?  Good question! Communication is not just made up of one mode of expression – talking. Rather communication is any way we get our message understood – talking, facial gestures, hand gestures, sign-language, AAC devices, etc. ; being understood is what communication is all about.  Speech-language therapy is a means by which we learn how to communicate in a mode that is most effective and efficient.  Speech-language therapy does not happen in a bubble and a Speech-Language Therapist (SLP) cannot make effective change in communication  without the support and team-work of a child’s entire TEAM .  Speech-language therapy is most effective when the entire TEAM is on the same page working towards the same end.   The resolve of the entire TEAM has to be finding, practicing and expecting  a child to communicate in the most effective and efficient mode.  As the main members of the TEAM, parents/caregivers need to communicate with the SLP.  Your SLP wants to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly….what worked, what didn’t work.  Your SLP should be able to clearly explain how to best manage and create an environment for successful communication in a manner that works for the ENTIRE TEAM.  The time spent communicating with your SLP is equally as important as the time she/he spends working with your child.  By resolving ourselves to communicate more effectively, our children not only learn by our example but those around us will as well.

 

Hats off to the start of amazing things in 2018!

 

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC