SpeakClear - Speech & Language Therapy

Happy Speech and Hearing Month! The theme for 2024 is “communication is…”
What does communication mean to you? Join me this month to discuss lots of topics and highlight important causes.

I’m wishing everyone a very happy start to Ramadan! As a Muslim, this holy month is one I’m always thankful to see. I hope it is peaceful for everyone!

Just as we do a lot of self-care, when having voice difficulties, voice care (often called “vocal hygiene”) is important too! I always ask if there could be vocal irritants that cause a drying effect to the voice, which normally can be bounced back from quickly. But when the voice is already hoarse, strained, or cracking, then these factors are important to look at.

This week I discuss how play is one of the best ways to encourage language development in children. Read more at the link in bio!

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope that 2024 brings happiness and good health for everyone.

R is one of the trickiest sounds in English, especially in the North American accent! I’ve helped many children and adults to improve their ability to say this sound, and here are a few tips to look out for if you’re concerned about /r/ for your child.

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🌐 www.speakclear.com

Happy Speechy Fact Friday! This week I’m highlighting some of the effects that PD can have on the voice.

Happy Speechy Fact Friday! Continuing from our theme earlier this week, here are some short stretches that can help reduce tension in the muscles we use for speech. It’s good to manage tension as it can often lead to difficulty enunciating and can affect the voice.

Sorry to be away for so long! It’s a stressful time in the world and I wanted to discuss how this can affect communication. There are many physiological changes that result in the “I can’t speak clearly” that clients often describe. This can include increased heart rate, irregular breathing and release of hormones that can create a “fight or flight” response in the body.

What we see on the surface is often muscle tension and difficulty speaking concisely, pitch going up, lots of pauses, and more. All of these challenges require a dual approach — addressing the root of your stress and practicing ways to reduce tension and improve your confidence in speaking in-the-moment.

Happy Monday! Today’s blog post discusses the various voice difficulties someone might bring to speech therapy, and the areas in which an SLP can provide support. Swipe to read an excerpt, and visit SpeakClear.ca/blog to read more!

Back after a little break! I hope everyone has enjoyed the end of summer. Today we’re talking about delays vs disorders. The difference can be vital in future prognosis for speech and language difficulties. In my experience, children with delays catch up to their peers in their own time whereas children with a Speech or language disorder may not have this “catch-up” and it can often with associated with other impairments. Either way, early intervention can only help develop communication, even if that starts with parent training. Other professionals such as child psychologist can also help to rule out any other concerns.

A new blog post! I’ve enjoyed seeing the improvements recently for my neurodiverse clients, who have gained confidence in speaking up for themselves and practicing the areas that are most difficult for them. Swipe to read an excerpt ➡️ and visit www.SpeakClear.ca/blog to read more!

I’ve found the use of sign language, and other gestural supports such as Makaton, to be so helpful for children with a spoken language delay. It helps them to communicate with less frustration as their language develops. A common misconception is that it will stop a child from speaking verbally, which is just not true! If a child can speak, they will! In the meantime, sign language will help them to “speak” in other ways.

Back from a little break to talk about choosing the right for you ⭐️
Sometimes it’s just a matter of making your needs and expectations clear, to find out if the SLP you’re speaking with has the experience and demeanour that you are looking for. I find that it’s also great to find someone who you can have good rapport with - the more you feel at ease, the more motivated you may be to attend therapy.

I offer free consultations to allow for these initial conversations - find out more at www.SpeakClear.ca or send me a message. :)

I’ve seen a lot of questions and discussion about active listening this past week, so it’s a good time to make a little blog post about it! Visit my website to dive into this topic. (www.SpeakClear.ca —> blog)

Happy Speechy Fact Friday! Today I wanted to highlight all the places that SLPs can support people with their communication. It’s common to think of SLPs as only working with young children, or in schools. But this field is more diverse than you might expect! I myself have worked in hospitals, schools, private clinics, long-term care and retirement homes.

🌐 www.speakclear.ca
📧 [email protected]

Active Listening is an important part of social communication that many individuals struggle with. It involves many of these skills, which helps the speaker feel that you are paying attention and genuinely care about the interaction.

Many parents are amazing at this they learn from many resources, but the answer is to ask less questions and instead wait expectantly! Waiting expectantly does not mean sitting in silence just reading a book- it means to learn forward, try to make eye contact, to show excitement and interest in your voice and allow your child the extra time to add words on their own. It’s natural to want to fill the silence when children are not speaking much, but quiet moments allow children the time to take their turn too. I’ve enjoyed working on this with parents in a ‘parent training’ approach as well.

Happy Monday, plus a new blog post🗣️ Today I discuss how an SLP can support professional communication.🚀 My experiences with adults in the fields of banking, engineering, business analytics, and more has allowed me to see the benefits of working on speech and language skills for the workplace. Whether it's refining presentation skills, improving interpersonal relationships, or advancing your career, speech therapy empowers you to excel.
https://www.speakclear.ca/post/the-benefits-of-working-on-professional-communication-with-a-speech-therapist

This week’s blog post discusses how TBI affects different parts of communication - including language, behaviour and speech sounds. SLPs have an important role in helping affected individuals to find flexible ways to express their thoughts and manage their environment.
https://www.speakclear.ca/post/the-impact-of-traumatic-brain-injury-on-communication-the-role-of-speech-therapists

🌐www.speakclear.ca
📧[email protected]

Happy Friday! “I want to speak more clearly” is a goal many adults I’ve worked with have told me. Although this is a broad goal, it’s helpful to break down this goal into smaller steps that are achievable—for instance, breath support, pacing, exaggerated movement and more.

📧 nimra@speakclear.ça
👩🏽‍💻www.speakclear.ca

Unlocking the Power of Social Stories: 📚 Discover the Benefits in my Latest Blog Post! ✨
This week, I discuss the benefits of this powerful storytelling tool and reveal how it can help children’s learning.
https://www.speakclear.ca/post/the-power-of-social-stories-enhancing-children-s-learning-and-development

Happy Canada Day! I hope everyone is able to have a lovely long weekend with family and friends.

Speaking Through Every Channel: Total Communication for Aphasia 🌟📣

When words fail to capture the depth of their thoughts and emotions, total communication steps in to bridge the gap. This approach is used in aphasia rehabilitation, where individuals utilize a variety of channels to express themselves fully. By combining spoken language, gestures, sign language, visual aids, and technology, total communication ensures that every message finds its way to be understood and appreciated.

www.speakclear.ca
[email protected]

Happy Eid-al-Adha! I hope this is a wonderful time spent with family!

How AAC Transforms Speech Therapy 🌟💬

I have worked with many children and adults in the use of AAC for their communication and have seen the benefits in speech therapy. By embracing AAC, we open doors to enhanced communication and countless benefits:

1️⃣ Empowering Expression: AAC gives a voice to those who struggle to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and needs verbally. It provides a means to communicate effectively, fostering self-confidence and self-advocacy.

2️⃣ Building Language Skills: AAC supports language development by promoting vocabulary expansion, sentence construction, and grammar usage. Through AAC, individuals can actively participate in conversations and engage with their environment.

3️⃣ Enhancing Social Interaction: AAC helps bridge communication gaps, enabling individuals to connect with others and build meaningful relationships. It fosters social inclusion and combats feelings of isolation by promoting interaction and engagement.

4️⃣ Promoting Independence: AAC empowers individuals to express their choices, make decisions, and actively participate in daily activities. It enhances their autonomy and independence, fostering a sense of empowerment and self-determination.

5️⃣ Supporting Academic Success: AAC plays a vital role in educational settings, enabling students with communication challenges to actively participate in classroom discussions, share ideas, and access academic materials. It levels the playing field and promotes educational achievement.

6️⃣ Encouraging Cognitive Development: AAC stimulates cognitive skills such as attention, memory, problem-solving, and organization. It challenges individuals to think critically and creatively, fostering cognitive growth and mental agility.

7️⃣ Improving Emotional Well-being: AAC facilitates emotional expression, allowing individuals to share their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It provides an outlet for self-expression, fostering emotional well-being and supporting mental health.

Happy Monday! This week’s blog post discusses working on speech sounds as an adult. I have worked with many adult clients on lisps and other speech sound difficulties. https://www.speakclear.ca/post/working-on-speech-sounds-as-an-adult

I hope everyone is having a lovely Father’s Day weekend!

Happy Friday! Today I’m talking about cleft lip and palate. We don’t often have to think about the roof of our mouth, but when things go awry in early development, it can have a big impact on feeding and speaking.
If you’d like to provide support to families that need it, check out

📧 [email protected]
💻 www.SpeakClear.ca

An important thing to remember with working on goals is that it's not often linear - there are many ups and downs, but consistency means doing a little bit each day that moves you closer to your goals. This includes working through the rough patches and slow days. Speech and language goals often take slow and steady practice, but I always recommend practice on your own to get the most achievement!