Join Speech-Language Pathologist Lacy Morise and Physical Therapist Nicole Sergent as they host warm and helpful conversations around their table where the early childhood world and daily parenting life meet. The friends and professionals from their village will inspire, challenge, and support you in your own journey as a parent, early childhood professional, or therapist.
Episodes
Monday Jul 12, 2021
Monday Jul 12, 2021
Amy Graham, speech-language pathologist, joins Lacy in this episode to talk all about speech sound disorders. Amy defines what a speech sound disorder is and what diagnoses fall under the SSD umbrella. Amy and Lacy discuss how much spoken language a child should have before a speech sound disorder can be diagnosed. Amy explains why diagnosing SSDs early is so important and what we can do as early intervention therapists to help children and their families know when the right time is for an SSD evaluation. Amy shares tips for a thorough oral mechanism exam and SSD evaluation and offers resource suggestions to better understand, diagnose and treat speech sound disorders. A great episode for parents who are concerned with their child's speech sound development and for professionals to assist and support families with their little talkers.
You can reach out to Amy with questions and comments on her website: https://www.grahamspeechtherapy.com .
You can also access Amy's resources for download from her website: https://www.grahamspeechtherapy.com/store/c4/Downloads.html
As well as her recommended resources for continuing education on SSDs: https://www.grahamspeechtherapy.com/resources.html
Monday Jun 28, 2021
Monday Jun 28, 2021
In this episode Kimberly Scanlon, speech-language pathologist and author, joins Lacy to answer the following questions: When should baby say their first word? How many words should a baby say at 12 months of age? What counts as a word? How can parents support their little one before those first words are spoken? What words are most important to model for baby?
Kimberly references her books and how they support families in helping their child learn to talk. She references her Common First Words list and why those words are considered power words for little ones. Kimberly offers advice to families that are concerned with their child’s communication skills and her top tips for supporting language development at home. This episode is full of practical information and creative suggestions to support early language learners for both practitioners and families!
Connect with Kimberly on her websites:
https://www.scanlonspeech.com and https://www.mytoddlertalks.com
Purchase Kimberly’s books including My Toddler Talks and My Toddler’s First Words:
https://www.scanlonspeech.com/my-books/
Free resources from Kimberly including the Common First Words list:
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Pediatric toe walking is an atypical movement pattern that is poorly understood but can have a wide range of short and long term consequences for children. In this episode, we are thrilled to bring you THE expert in this area of physical therapy practice, Dr. Liesa Ritchie-Persaud. Through her business, Know To Change, Liesa brings years of clinical expertise, global work in continuing education, and her own technique for assessment and treatment of idiopathic toe walking. In this episode we cover why children toe walk, why toe walking should be treated and the risks of not treating it, common diagnoses associated with toe walking, and how vision affects toe walking. Liesa answers common questions about the use of saucers and walkers, shoes, botox, casting, and surgery and provides detailed guidelines of when children should be referred and treated for toe walking by a skilled therapist. Finally, she explains the differences in the courses she offers for therapists who want to learn more. Whether you are a parent or a therapist facing this often pesky and persistent diagnoses, this conversation is sure to further your knowledge and understanding and inspire your work.
Resources Mentioned:
- Leisa's website, courses, and resources:
- Nancy Dilger study:
https://footprintspediatrictherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Dilger_ITW.pdf
- College of Optometrists in Vision Development:
- Eye Can Learn:
- Seeing Through New Eyes Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-Through-New-Eyes-Developmental/dp/1843108003
Medbridge Parent Guide:
http://orlafoley.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/AParentsGuidetoPediatricToeWalking.pdf
Sunday May 30, 2021
Sunday May 30, 2021
In this episode Jen Leroux, M.A., CCC/SLP, school based speech-language pathologist, joins Lacy to talk about how to support school aged kids over the summer with their speech and language skills. Jen has 12 years of experience supporting families in helping their kids over the summer months and it doesn't involve worksheets! Jen gives practical tips and strategies on how to approach families about practice over the summer and what might work best for them. She shares ideas on how to implement skills into daily routines and family vacations. She suggests simple activities to support practice and discusses how book reading can support speech and language skill practice also. We talk about how to best collaborate with private speech-language pathologists and how for some kids and families, taking a break might be the best recommendation. This is great episode for parents looking for ways to support their kids over the summer months and for professionals to learn new, creative, practical ways to support families! To access Jen's materials look for "Simplified Speech" on Teachers Pay Teachers and Boom Learning. You can also find Jen on Instagram @simplified_speechie.
Sunday May 23, 2021
Sunday May 23, 2021
In this episode Lila Griffith, M.S. CCC/SLP, speech-language pathologist, joins Lacy to discuss pediatric voice disorders. Lila explains what a voice disorder is and the signs and symptoms of when a voice disorder may be present. She gives tips on what to listen for to know when to refer children for evaluation and shares preventative tips to keep our children's voices at their best. Lila describes what therapy for voice disorders looks like and how it is effective in remediation. This episode will help SLPs refresh their knowledge about voice disorders and prepare other therapists and early intervention providers to better recognize possible voice disorders in pediatrics. For parents, this episode helps you better understand what a voice disorder is and when you should seek further evaluation and treatment for your child.
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
Join us in this episode as Stacey Landberg, M.S., CCC/SLP, speech-language pathologist, describes what adult learning principles are and how understanding them can help you deliver more effective early intervention. She shares the acronym she uses to help her remember the principles as well as how she ensures she follows the acronym, SCRAPP, in her practice. Stacey lists resources to help you further your knowledge of adult learning principles and explains how she is supporting colleagues in the field by leading a community of practice called Coach to Coach. This episode challenges early interventionists to examine how they are delivering coaching services and how they might improve upon that to optimize adult/caregiver/parental learning and assists families in thinking about their own learning styles and how they can best impact their child's development in positive ways. Stacey mentions the following websites and resources: @ei.coaching on Instagram, http://fgrbi.com, https://staceylandberg.com/subscribe/.
Monday May 10, 2021
Monday May 10, 2021
We are thrilled to welcome to More Than Child’s Play two very special parents, Sheri and Jeremy Mills. They are the parents of a delightful, sweet, smart, and spunky almost 3 year old who happens to have Prader Willi Syndrome. In honor of PWS Awareness month, Sheri and Jeremy join us to share their journey as a way to educate and support other families and medical providers serving people with this rare disease. We discuss what learning their child had PWS was like for them, how they navigated and continue to navigate medical and support services for their daughter, and exciting upcoming and hopeful news in PWS research. They explain hyperphagia and the wholistic and healthy approach their family has implemented to set life long habits for their child. We discussed what they’d like medical providers and other parents to know and had a real conversation about maintaining parental mental health. If you are a family member or friend of someone with PWS or a healthcare provider, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Hearing their story will give you needed insight and inspiration.
Links based on discussion:
Email Sheri screen shot of your donation to be entered in raffle: momofmoonandmountains@gmail.com
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Tuesday May 04, 2021
In this episode Lacy and Cari Ebert, M.S., CCC/SLP discuss coaching in the early intervention setting. Cari defines what coaching is, how it is different from consultation and why coaching is an important component in early intervention. She shares how she discusses this service delivery model to parents and caregivers and gains their buy in as the person most responsible for their child's progress and success. Cari shares resources she has available to deepen your understanding and implementation of coaching as an early intervention provider as well as inspiration to continue the work you do as an early interventionist. You do not want to miss this episode! Cari's message is inspiring and motivational!
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Listen in as we discuss early identification and treatment of hearing loss in infants and toddlers. Sydney lists signs and symptoms to look for in infants and toddlers that could indicate possible hearing loss and how to advocate for your child if you have concerns about your child's hearing. Sydney shares when hearing first develops (it's sooner than you think!) and why and what to do if baby fails the initial hearing screenings. We talk about early amplification options and the recommended ages baby can access them along with the impact too many ear infections may have on hearing. This podcast episode if full of information great for parents of littles but also professionals in the field to stay abreast of what to look for and educate families on when it comes to hearing.
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
We don’t know a parent who hasn’t expressed concerns about their children’s mental health over the past year.The amount of unpredictability, fear, change, and interruption to daily life and stress they have experienced in their homes has affected them all in some way. Join us as we learn from Melissa Swartz, LPC, Trauma Therapist. Melissa has extensive training in neuroscience, evolutionary biology, stress science, nutrition, and acupuncture. She graciously shares her expertise as we bring to her questions from our listeners and ourselves around mental health for adolescents and teens during the Covid-19 global pandemic. We talk about how Covid has affected our children. We touch on recognizing signs and symptoms for younger children and teens and knowing when our children and teens may need help and how to approach them and access it with them. Melissa provides meaningful education and resources around identity issues and development, social and educational re-acclimation stress, and secondary mental health concerns such as eating disorders, cutting, and other dangerous behaviors.She shares thoughtful resources on coping, improving sleep and general health, and wholistic and targeted interventions to support therapy interventions. Melissa also answers questions adult and teen listeners shared. This may be the most impactful podcast episode we’ve shared to date. As the need for mental healthcare for children and teens grows, we hope this conversation will empower you to better care for yourself and your family.