SPEAK with Ana Curtin

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SPEAK with Ana Curtin A uniquely specialized therapy practice serving families to maximize their child’s potential. While the core of her work is directly with children, “Ms. Ms.

Ana Curtin founded SPEAK, which stands for Serving Parents, Educators, And Kids, in 2002. She saw a need for a specialized and relationship-based option for families. Ana” (as her patients call her) believes collaborating with their caregivers, medical team, and educational communities leads to the best outcomes. Ana brings more than 20 years of experience as a pediatric speech-language pathologis

t to SPEAK. She began working with children during her undergraduate education at Penn State University and throughout her graduate program at Loyola University in Maryland.

​Since graduation, she has remained a perpetual student of professional development, having received the ACE Award from American Speech Language Hearing Association for volume and excellence of continuing education many times. Ana became the first PROMPT-certified therapist in Maryland, remains one of the few to be trained by the International Association of Orofacial Myology and she has served as the oral motor specialist for Loyola’s graduate clinic. More recently, she completed several courses in the area of tongue ties, has been a consultant to special school programs, and serves as a featured speaker at local and international SLP workshops like those offered through Talk Tools.

​With her dedication and advanced training, SPEAK specializes in motor speech disorders and oral muscular dysfunction in children and teens, with a focus on articulation and complex cases that have not yet found success with traditional speech therapy. Many times, that is because a structural or muscular issue has gone undiagnosed. Sometimes a cognitive, sensory or behavioral condition may exacerbate the issue and require creativity and patience to address.

​While motivating kids with fun activities, Ms. Ana uses advanced techniques to get to the core of the communication issue, then builds meaningful abilities and skills in a nurturing way. Family understanding of how to support new skills represents a key component to your child making efficient progress. SPEAK will do everything possible to support your child on his or her journey, including meeting with you regularly and with doctors and other therapists, as appropriate. As a result, SPEAK has been recommended countless times by pediatricians and other therapists to work with complex cases due in part to a reputation for cutting-edge approaches and mastery with sophisticated techniques. Thanks again for your interest, and we look forward to working with you to help empower your child through speech therapy. Contact SPEAK for more information.

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FLASHBACK to Covid Craziness!!! After weeks of outdoor therapy, here we are working in my waiting room with the sliding ...
16/07/2025

FLASHBACK to Covid Craziness!!! After weeks of outdoor therapy, here we are working in my waiting room with the sliding door wide open and air filters blazing. What a wild time!!

FLASHBACK to 5 years ago today….Covid Craziness!!! After weeks of outdoor therapy, here we are working in my waiting roo...
16/07/2025

FLASHBACK to 5 years ago today….Covid Craziness!!! After weeks of outdoor therapy, here we are working in my waiting room with the sliding door wide open and air filters blazing. What a wild time!!

05/05/2025

“But You Can’t Design Your Life Around Your Neurotype, Emma…”

Oh, how many times have I heard this. Especially when I was home educating:
“But children have to live in the real world.”
“You can’t just design your life around your neurotype.”

And my answer, both then and now, is actually very simple: Yes. Yes, you absolutely can.

In fact, many of us must — not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Because trying to live a life that isn’t aligned with how your brain works is like trying to wear shoes three sizes too small and being told to just “get used to the pain.”

I’ve seen this up close in my own family.

My brother has worked in a niche field for over 25 years. He’s an expert — respected, successful, deeply skilled. He didn’t “overcome” his neurodivergence. He leaned into it. He built a life that works with his brain, not against it. His attention to detail, his focus, his drive to go deep rather than wide — all of those ND traits are assets in his world.

And now, watching my own children, I see the same story unfolding in their own unique ways.

One of my sons will work in a field where he can wear clothes that don’t cause him sensory distress. That’s not “special treatment.” That’s respecting his neurology. He’s not ready to be in a crowded office environment. Maybe one day he will be. Maybe not. But forcing it now helps no one — least of all him.

His brother, on the other hand, is ready for that kind of environment. He thrives with people, with teamwork, with the energy of others around him.

That’s the point.

Neuroaffirming doesn’t mean giving up on the “real world.” It means accepting that there isn’t just one real world. The corporate 9-to-5 open-plan office isn’t the gold standard of human functioning. The world is huge and varied — and it’s that diversity that gives us strength.

We don’t need to squeeze everyone into one mould. We need to give children the time, space, and support to discover their mould. And then help them build a life around it.

So yes — you can design your life around your neurotype.

You can design a life that doesn’t crush your nervous system.

You can design a life that honours your energy, your rhythm, your sensory profile, your communication style.

And when we do this for children — when we model it, champion it, and support it — we don’t create weakness. We create resilience.

Because true strength doesn’t come from forcing yourself to survive in an environment that harms you.

It comes from knowing who you are — and building a life that lets you thrive.

Photo: Me standing in the rain. Not sure what or why but it’s definitely me 😂

25/12/2024
Fabulous program!! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/RAqRteSUHLgfcLc1/?mibextid=WC7FNe
16/10/2024

Fabulous program!! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/RAqRteSUHLgfcLc1/?mibextid=WC7FNe

🌟 Santa's Little Hackers Switch Adapted Toy Application is NOW OPEN and will remain open until October 30th!

Please be patient when signing up during the first hour, as we may experience a high volume of traffic that could temporarily affect the server. We appreciate your understanding! Remember you have two weeks to apply!

📧 Make sure to add contact@maxmods.org to your contact list so our emails don’t end up in your spam folder!

🎅 Santa's Little Hackers Switch-Adapted Toy Registrations: October 15-30! 🎄
Sign up link: https://toysignup.santaslittlehackers.com/
Dates: October 15, 12:00am ET - October 30, 11:59pm ET

📝 Key Information: ★ Toys gifted at random, based on the number of applications and available toys. It’s not first come, first served.
★ Who can apply: Parents, guardians, or legal representatives of eligible individuals with disabilities.
★ Not for organizations: These toys are for individual homes only, not schools, charities, assistive tech agencies, or clinics.
★ One application per person — duplicates will be discarded and won’t improve selection chances.

❗ Important: Applications are only accepted from parents, guardians, or legal representatives. No applications will be accepted from therapists, educators, or medical professionals due to privacy regulations.

🌟 Help us make this year magical!
We can only send as many toys as we receive donations for. Last year, we were able to gift toys to half of the 2,000 individuals who applied. Let’s make even more smiles this year!

💖 Want to help? Donate to make FUN accessible: santaslittlehackers.com/donations
Or sponsor us: santaslittlehackers.com/sponsorship



Image description: Two children are playing with switch-adapted toys—one in a wheelchair with a musical toy, and another playing with bubbles. The text reads, "2024 Applications Are Open October 15-30!" with a sign-up link at the bottom: "https://toysignup.santaslittlehackers.com."

10/10/2024

Occupational Therapists provide sensory integration therapy to help children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), sensory processing disorder (SPD), ADD, ADHD, Downs Syndrome and dyspraxia in the Annapolis, Maryland area. We work improving fine motor skills, gross motor skills, balance, co

Teenagers and tick tockers are onto something good!! “Shhh! I’m mewing!” Tongue up, lips closed!
18/03/2024

Teenagers and tick tockers are onto something good!! “Shhh! I’m mewing!” Tongue up, lips closed!

It makes me so proud when my kids and their families get involved in advocacy and identity based organizations! I can’t ...
01/03/2024

It makes me so proud when my kids and their families get involved in advocacy and identity based organizations! I can’t wait to walk with you and wear the shirt you helped to create, buddy!!

It’s time to show off our 2024 Walk for Apraxia T-Shirt!

This year’s shirt is Inspired by artwork from two talented Apraxia Stars, Nicholas F. and Tatum T.!

Register for your local Walk for Apraxia and raise $50 to receive your 2024 Walk Shirt! Who’s excited for the 2024 Walk for Apraxia!

Find your local Walk for Apraxia: https://www.apraxia-kids.org/walk-for-apraxia-splash-page/

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