Small Steps Speech and Feeding Therapy LLC

Nervous about the back-to-school situation?! Read these tips to get ready! 🤩

5️⃣ easy steps to have success in the transition back to school:
✏️establish a routine
✏️communicate with each other
✏️attend school events
✏️discuss emotions
✏️enroll in extracurricular activities

This is a great starting point to set you and your family up for a great school year! ❤️

Click the link in bio for a FREE resource to help you establish your routine!

💬 Comment below telling us what you are excited about for this school year!

What if I told you that "phonology" is not talking about the study of phones? 📞

Okay... you probably already knew that.

But what in the world is phonology? 🤔

Phonology refers to the rules we use to put sounds together & make words that we understand as our language.

If these rules are broken, the words are no longer recognizable.

Children "break these rules" to make it easier as they're learning to speak, but this usually goes away as they get older. There are typical patterns we see as children are "breaking the rules," like saying "ma" for "mom" or "baba" for "ball" as they're learning these words.

These are called:
✨ Phonological Processes ✨

For example, "car" might become "tar." This is called fronting, as the sound is moved from the back of the mouth to the front. 👄

Each of the Phonological Processes has been studied and has been found to go away by 3.5 years of age when children can make the sounds in the back of the mouth. But what if a child is still "breaking the rules" past the age we expect them to have mastered the sound? 🤔

It becomes a:
✨ Phonological Disorder ✨
- Includes a child using a phonological process (aka breaking a rule) past the age that most stop
- It also could include using a phonological process that is completely different from other kids

Wondering if your child is using a phonological process past the age they should be? Give us a call today to set up an appointment with an SLP! ❤️

Are you wondering what you can do to help your child with stuttering?

Look no further! ⭐️

SLPs are trained to assess & treat stuttering across all ages, but there are things you can do to help your child along the way! ❤️

Let's explore 7 things you can do at home to help your child decrease & learn to manage their stuttering:

1️⃣ Speak slowly & at a relaxed speed

2️⃣ Use short, simple sentences

3️⃣ Pause in between sentences & before you respond

4️⃣ Listen to what your child is saying

5️⃣ Give them time & let them finish their sentences

6️⃣ Slow down the pace at home

7️⃣ Teach family members & teachers to use a natural, slow, & relaxed rate too!

Which strategy will you start using this week? Let us know in the comments! 💬

Do you feel stressed, like you’re failing as a parent and letting your child down? 😣

It can be hard when your child seems out of sync with everyone else. You can see they are behind, but you’re not sure whether you’re doing something wrong, if they need help, or if you just need to sit back and give them more time to grow. 🤔

Many children don’t fit a mold or prescribed timeline, and some will just naturally take a little longer than others to develop, but others will also need a little bit of extra support to help them thrive and that’s where we come in! ✨

If you're not sure what the next best step is, schedule a free consultation at the link in bio! ❤️

An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure when it comes to late talkers! 🗣️

You have probably heard of the “Wait and See” approach when it comes to referring a child to speech therapy services. This approach is based on the concept of children not being referred to an SLP despite being behind their peers because of the assumption that they will “catch up eventually.” 🤔

Research has shown that at least 1 in 5 of these “late talkers” will be diagnosed with a language disorder. These children would have benefitted from the most immediate intervention.

But then, of course, there are the “late bloomers” who can catch up to their peers without therapy.

Even though they seem to catch up, late bloomers often have language difficulties through childhood in literacy skills, speech processing, social skills, and executive functioning.

So, even though a late bloomer may look like they caught up, intervention would have helped support them in achieving those milestones sooner and possibly avoided difficulties in other areas later in life!

Let’s not "wait and see." Let's chat sooner rather than later if there are any concerns!

Click our link for a free consultation to get the answers you need today! ❤️

"What is executive function & how is it important for my child?"

We are glad you asked! 😁

Executive function includes all the skills in our mind that we need to be successful in our daily lives, including:
✨ Planning
✨ Organizing
✨ Prioritizing
✨ Maintaining attention
✨ Memorizing
✨ Solving problems

As you might be able to guess, difficulty with these skills can impact your child in many areas of their life - including school & at home.

SLPs help children with their executive function skills to make these daily tasks easier and more manageable! ❤️

So, what might this look like in speech therapy? Here are 3 ways that an SLP might work on executive function skills with your child:

1️⃣ Sequencing - Putting tasks in order
Needed for:
✨ Daily routines: making their bed, getting dressed, washing hands
✨ School/work success
✨ Understanding what they're reading
SLP treatment might look like:
Moving or reordering pictures to be in the correct order
Cooking and craft activities

2️⃣ Initiation - Starting a task/activity
Needed to:
✨ Start & complete homework on time
✨ Participate in social interactions
✨ Make or think of plans
SLP treatment might look like:
Teaching strategies to help start, plan, & organize for daily tasks

3️⃣ Working memory - holding onto information in our brain while we solve it
Needed for:
✨ Following directions
✨ Focus & attention
✨ Staying on task and & completing tasks
SLP treatment might look like:
Repeating information to improve memory, teaching how to ask for help if needed, & using checklists or written reminders.

If you’ve noticed your child seems to be struggling with some of these skills, click our link to schedule a FREE consultation with an SLP!📱

❤️We are here to help your child maximize their potential in school, at home, and in all their daily activities!

"My child is getting frustrated with speech therapy practice at home...what should I do?"

❤️ We know that home practice is important for reaching your child's goals & helping them move on to new adventures! But we also know that this can be easier said than done.

If home practice has become challenging, your child might not want or know how to express if they are feeling:
✨ embarrassed
✨ frustrated
✨ discouraged
✨ decreased confidence or self-doubt
✨ like something is "wrong with them"

This can come from being reminded that they struggle with a skill & can't do it easily (yet).

➡️Swipe for 4 ways to ease speech therapy practice at home while continuing to support your child's speech & language skills.

Most of all, remind your child how proud you are! We want our children to feel encouraged & know that we see how hard they're working! ❤️

Looking for more tips to help your child's speech & language development? We're here for you!

Follow and DM with any questions you have!

What skills does your child need to be successful in upper elementary school? ✏️

They need to be able to communicate, learn, interact, think, plan, remember, eat, speak...& the list goes on!

But when your child has difficulties with speech/language skills, it can be hard to communicate & learn. 🧠

At school, this might look like:
✨ Being hard to understand
✨ Having trouble with reading & writing
✨ Forgetting to bring books or assignments home
✨ Not turning in homework
✨ Difficulty making friends & talking with other kids

So, who can help your child succeed in school?

Look no further! ❤️

SLPs can provide speech/language services to help your child thrive at school! Some things we might work on:

1️⃣ Making sounds correctly (like 'r' & 'th')
✨ To help them speak clearly & be understood

2️⃣ Reading & spelling skills
✨ This one is connected to #1 ⬆️

3️⃣ Understanding & using language
✨ To help them follow directions & speak to express their wants, needs, & thoughts

4️⃣ Social skills
✨ To help them make friends & have positive interactions

5️⃣ Thinking skills
✨ To help them remember, pay attention, stay focused, & solve problems

6️⃣ Eating & swallowing
✨ To make sure they can eat/drink to have the energy to learn & make social interactions during mealtimes more fun

7️⃣ Voice
✨ To help them use their voice appropriately & keep it healthy for talking with friends or in front of the class

Do you feel like your child needs help in any of these areas? Click our link today to set up your free consultation!📱

We are here to help your child succeed in both their social & academic lives. We would love to meet you! ❤️

Did you know that playing can help your child reach their speech therapy goals? ❤️

It's true! SLPs will often use play to target a child's speech & language goals.

This is a technique called "play-based therapy," and it has many benefits for your child both inside and outside of therapy!

Let's explore 5 benefits of play-based therapy! ✨

1️⃣ Increases attention

2️⃣ Improves thinking skills (like focus, memory, & problem-solving)

3️⃣ Increases participation in therapy (because it's fun!)

4️⃣ Builds a positive relationship between the child & SLP

5️⃣ Helps the child progress toward speech therapy goals!

Do you have questions or concerns about your child's speech or language skills? Set up a free consultation at our link today!

I'm here to help you, your child, and your entire family thrive! ❤️

What's your child's favorite way to play? Share with us in the comments! 💬

🚗 If your kiddo loves toy cars, today's post is for you! ❤️

Playing with toy cars is a great way to promote language development in a way that's fun, exciting, and keeps your child interested!

Here are some ways you can start using toy cars today!

🚘 Race the cars! "Ready, set, go!" "Wow" "So fast!"

🛑 Make the cars crash. "Oh no! "Uh oh!" "Are you okay?"

🚦Drive the cars. "Go!" "Stop" "Red light" "Green light"

🚖 Describe the cars. "BIG car, SMALL car, BLUE car."

🚨 Make sounds. "Beep beep, vroom vroom, crash"

Ready, set, go play with your little one! ❤️

Looking for more tips? Call us today to schedule a FREE consultation! We are ready and excited to meet you!

I had to share this. It’s so important for our children to see that no one wins all the time and how to act when the inevitable happens. At Small Steps part of our mission is to help children accept that they can’t be perfect at everything and that’s ok but that we need to do our best and that’s enough.

Don't just show your kids the how people like Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles win gold, show your kids how they act when they don't. The U.S. gymnasts are putting on a clinic of how to be a great athlete. ⁠
📸:

Happy Friday to all you amazing Mamas out there! ❤️

💌Send this to your mama friend who needs a reminder of just how incredible she is!

As we get ready to close out another week, I wanted to share 5 reminders with you to take into the weekend.

1️⃣ Every child develops differently & at their own pace. And THAT'S OKAY! 👏

2️⃣ You are doing an amazing job, Mama.

3️⃣ A lot of kiddos need speech therapy support! You are not alone in this & you didn't do anything to cause them to need therapy.

4️⃣ Promoting your child's speech & language development does not need to be fancy, complicated, or expensive. Most kids love some paper, markers, or cardboard boxes just as much as a brand-new toy.

5️⃣ In case you haven't heard this yet today...take some time for yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Make sure you're drinking enough water, exercising, & sleeping. (Don't roll your eyes at this. 🤣 I understand the busy mom struggle, but I also know we can't be the best mom when we're not our best selves!)

Get some rest this weekend. Put away those worries. Enjoy the break with your kiddos (we all know those sweet babies don't keep!)

💬And please DM us if you have questions about your child's speech or language skills. Let's put those worries to rest.

❤️We're here to help you, your child, and your entire family thrive!

Is your child having trouble with eating or drinking? What does that even look like? Is there such thing as "normal?"

Swallowing is a very complex process & it is easy to take it for granted! But sometimes kids (& adults) have trouble swallowing.

A lot of people don't know that SLPs can help children who have trouble eating & drinking!

Your child might benefit from speech therapy for feeding & swallowing if they are showing signs of difficulty or discomfort when eating/drinking, including:
✨ Coughing or choking before, during, or after swallowing
✨ Gagging/Vomiting
✨ Foods/drinks come out of their mouth when eating
✨ Their voice sounds wet, gurgly, or raspy during eating/drinking
✨ They arch their back or their body stiffens during feeding
✨ Vomiting
✨ Weight loss
✨ Fever during or after eating
✨ Difficulty chewing age-appropriate foods
✨ They get sick with respiratory illnesses often
✨ They take more than 30 minutes to finish a meal
✨ They won't eat foods that have certain textures, colors, temperatures, etc.

If you think your child could benefit from feeding and swallowing therapy, call us today to discuss it or schedule a free consultation at our link in bio!

We want eating & swallowing to be a fun, easy part of your day and to help your child thrive!

Have you ever wondered what your child's SLP is doing in a session?

It looks like they're just playing with your young child!

Even though it might look like they're playing, we are actually using this strategy to practice their goals and promote their speech & language development...in a way that's FUN!

What are some of the benefits of using play in therapy?
Let's find out! ⬇️

1️⃣ Exploration through play is how humans learn.
🌟 Think about when you get a new kitchen gadget or tool for work. How do you figure out how to use it? You might read the directions, but ultimately, you'll play around with it to learn through trial and error how to best use your new gadget.
✨ Kids enjoy exploration! They'll be engaged, pay attention, & want to participate.

2️⃣ It provides lots of language opportunities!
🌟 While your child is having fun, they begin to feel more comfortable and at ease. This helps them feel safe enough to try new things, like saying & repeating sounds & words.

3️⃣ You can do it at home with your child too!
✨ We can teach you what to do & focus on at home
🌟 Don't be afraid to observe sessions & ask questions
✨ This will not only promote your child's speech/language...it can also strengthen your interactions with them!
🌟Our SLPs want to help & teach you how you can support your child's speech/language development.

PLUS, there's loads and loads of research that shows that children learn best through play. So, we're not just here to have fun with your kiddos, we're truly teaching them through play.

If you think your child might benefit from using play in speech therapy, set up a free consultation with us at the link in bio. No cost, just answers for you!

What's your favorite way to play and interact with your child at home? Leave us a comment below! ⬇️

🥳Meet the Team🥳

Marissa Gelb, MS, CCC-SLP, TSSLD has been with Small Steps for 2 years! She also spent some time with us during her grad school years.

🥰Marissa is passionate about helping our kiddos and LOVES seeing them shine and grow!

✈️When she's not changing little lives, Marissa can be found watching sports (GO Knicks!), trying new restaurants and foods, going to concerts and listening to live music. She also loves traveling and exploring new places (swipe to see her on a hike in Patagonia, Chile!)

🔖Her reminder for parents everywhere: There is nothing wrong with seeking help or clarification. Early intervention and finding the root cause is ideal, but it is never too late!!

❤️Marissa is ready to help you find the root cause, set goals that are meaningful to you and your child, and then help them soar right past them!!

🔗Ready to get started? Book a free consultation at the link in bio today!

Have you ever wondered..."Is it too late for my child to start speech therapy?"

It's actually never too late for your child to start improving their speech, language, or communication skills!

SLPs are highly trained & able to work with people of all ages, from babies to older adults.

This means that the best time for your child to start speech therapy is when you notice they might need a little support.

Speech therapy services for elementary (and even middle and high schoolers) can:
✨ Increase confidence
✨ Support speech/language & communication skills
✨ Promote success in school
✨ Boost social skills
✨ Improve grammar, vocabulary, & spelling skills

If you haven't scheduled an evaluation yet but have concerns about your child's speech & language skills, schedule a free consult with us! We'll get you the answers you need and calm any worries you have.

We would love to meet you and see how we can offer support from our SLP team! We are here to help your child succeed in school, at home, & in all their social interactions!

🥳Meet the Team🥳

🤩Kathy Feldman Forman, MA, CCC-SLP is one of our incredible SLPs who loves the team approach of working with children, families, and caregivers together to ensure the best possible outcomes for treatment!!

💪She is highly trained with specialized education in many areas of the speech therapy field including autism, apraxia, ADHD, play therapy, and more!

❤️We asked Kathy how she became an SLP, and she shared, "I took notes for a boy who was hard of hearing in a middle school science class and was hooked from there. I love helping people and the opportunity that speech allows me to think about each child individually and what works for them."

🧘‍♀️🧁🐕✈️When Ms. Kathy is not working, she loves to walk around the city, travel, do yoga, bake for her kids (swipe for pics) and send them treats in college, do crossword puzzles, walk her dogs, and have adventures with her husband.

Kathy wants every parent to know...
"You don’t have to go it alone; there are so many resources. And your child won’t be held back by a diagnosis; it helps to provide services that otherwise wouldn’t be available to your family."

📲Want to learn more about Kathy and our powerhouse team of SLPs? Our DMs are always open! Let's chat!

Which is more real for you today: the snuggle or the struggle?...or both? #️⃣MomLife.

We're parents too, so we know how it can be!

Sometimes, we struggle. We question everything, we mess up, we worry nonstop about our littles' development, & yep...we occasionally cry in the pantry.

But I know we wouldn't trade it for the world...those snuggly, wonderful moments & our love for our children keeps us going, even when it feels nearly impossible!

You're not alone in this.

Allow us to help you get back to the "snuggly" moments & alleviate your stress when it comes to your kiddo's speech & language development.

Click the link in bio to get a totally FREE consultation over the phone. Together, we can figure out if you should come in for an evaluation or not.

We partner with you, your child, and your family to help your child reach milestones so you can get back to those moments that make it all worthwhile.

❤️Click the link today to get started.
❤️ Know that you're the exact parent your child needs.
❤️You're doing a great job & we're here to help!

Hi, I’m Genna Ricotta the founder and owner of Small Steps Speech and Feeding. I’ve been a licensed speech therapist for over 20 years, but I have been working with children and helping others for well beyond that.

👩‍🍼When I was 3 years old, my sister was born, and I took it upon myself to “help” with the baby. My poor mother!

From there I continued my helping nature at a school in England where my father was doing a rotation as a doctor. I was only old enough to go to the local hospital school where all my classmates were in fact children with medical issues.

🥰Every day I would come home and talk to my mother about my friends and my mother tells of how I pointed them out not by things such as their leg braces or wheelchairs but by their hair color or what clothes they were wearing that day.

That same attitude is reflected in how I work with the children and the parents who trust me to help them on their journey now. I never see the limitations, only the possibilities. Every person has strengths and weaknesses, and we need to recognize them both to discover how to best support them!

🤩I love working with children. They often look at the world in a different way than we do as adults. I have experienced that firsthand with my own children. In raising the 2 of them, I have seen some of the ways that I can help parents give their children the opportunity to be their best.

I have been sharing my knowledge on child development for my areas of expertise with friends and family for years, as well as clients. Let me help lighten your load and make learning fun for your child.

💌DM me with your speech and language questions or click the link in bio to set up a free consult!

Wondering how you can entertain AND educate your child this summer?

☀️ Look no further! ☀️

We've got 3 summer activities for younger & older kiddos that will help your child have fun AND continue learning...

1️⃣ Go to the zoo
🦁 Younger kids: Use all the adjectives and adverbs to describe the animals (size, shape, color, speed, etc.)
🦁 Older kids: Pick 3 animals to learn more about (what they eat, what eats them, where they live, if they're endangered)

2️⃣ Go bowling
🎳 Younger kids: Practice counting the pins & learning new words ("ready, set, go!", colors of the balls, etc.)
🎳 Older kids: Practice reading & spelling when entering names on the screen, talk through problem-solving, & handling emotions if they don't win.

3️⃣ Visit a park
🌲 Younger kids: Talk about & describe what you see or what you *might* see to increase vocabulary and use their imagination
🌲 Older kids: Research the park before you visit to learn more about its history, what animals live there, what plants grow there, and what kind of weather it has year round!

What is your favorite summertime activity to sneak in some learning and fun? Share with us in the comments! ⬇️

Are you planning to go on a road trip with your kids? 🚗🛣

Save this post! 💾

Here we share some screen-free activities to do with your kids on a road trip.

1. Picture Bingo- you can review vocabulary words while playing bingo.

2. Listen to audiobooks-ask them questions and build mental imagery and auditory skills.

3.Alphabet game- look for every letter from the alphabet on license plates.

4.Map- show them where are the final destination and the routes to get there on a paper map.

Enjoy your summer road trip! 🚗🛣

Visit our website to learn more about our services:http://smallstepsspeechtherapy.com

This , we're talking about feeding therapy for dysphagia!

If your child has been diagnosed with swallowing difficulties, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) can work wonders! ✨

Here's how an SLP can help:

1. Supercharge Oral Motor Skills: Strengthen the muscles used for sucking, chewing, and swallowing.

2. Master Safe Swallowing: Develop strategies to manage food and liquids safely and effectively.

3. Texture Time! Modify food textures and thickness to find what's easy and safe to swallow.

4. Fun at Mealtimes! Create positive associations with eating, making meals enjoyable and stress-free.

🍽Ready to help your child thrive?

Contact us today for a FREE assessment call with our SLP!
www.smallstepsspeechtherapy.com