Vivid Speech

It’s graduation day for one of our sweet kids. It’s a bitter sweet day when we have a child graduate. It’s wonderful to know they don’t need our services anymore, but we will miss seeing them and their family. The world awaits sweet one.

Congratulations to Julia! She just completed her Fellowship and earned her “C”s.

What do the “C”s stand for? After Speech Language Pathologists earn their Master’s degree, they have to complete a fellowship year to earn their national certification. This certification represents excellence in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. It stands for Certificate of Clinical Competence.

I got my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Thanks to Ascension Health for the prompt roll out. I hope this helps provide a safer environment for everyone in the clinic.

Reflecting on an interesting year. Vivid Speech had many challenges and growing pains, but notes like this remind me how worthwhile all of it was. Happy Holidays.

Celebrating Halloween. There was so much cuteness in the office today.

A puppy with a cleft lip is adopted by a boy with a cleft lip: ‘They instantly loved each other’

September is Craniofacial awareness month. This is the sweetest thing I can think of to celebrate cleft awareness.

A puppy with a cleft lip is adopted by a boy with a cleft lip: ‘They instantly loved each other’ “He knows that the dog has the same condition as he does," said the boy's mother, Ashley Boyers. "He understands.”

BILLY Footwear | Fashion and Function For All

Awesome footwear for special needs! Totally unzips to make it easier to get around foot braces.

BILLY Footwear | Fashion and Function For All BILLY Footwear creates shoes with zippers designed to be fashionable and functional, revolutionizing how shoes are put on and taken off. Incorporating universal design, BILLY shoes embrace inclusion. No more velcro. No more stuffing your feet into shoes. Step in unobstructed with our drop-in solutio...

BIG NEWS!

I am so excited to introduce Tracy Galloway. She will be joining the Vivid Speech team in July. She comes with experience and compassion that aligns with the mission of Vivid Speech. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education, and a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin. Tracy’s clinical experience includes working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum, individuals with communication disorders related to cleft palate and craniofacial differences, and communication disorders related to cognitive and developmental delays. She recently interned with the Dell Children’s Medical Group Autism Diagnostic Clinic and the Dell Children’s Medical Group Cleft Lip and Palate Team. Tracy worked on the Project SKILLS parent training group through UT Speech and Hearing Center where she trained parents of children with ASD. Tracy also worked on the UT conversation club which facilitated social communication with adults on the Autism Spectrum. She is an active volunteer for Austin Smiles, which is a nonprofit that provides services for individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate in under served communities.

After 20 years in the field, I have made a conscious effort to continuously increase my skill set. This year the growth was more accelerated as I learned the telehealth world. Learning teletherapy was a bit like building the airplane while in flight, but it proved to be a very effective route of treatment for most of my clients.

For those that need face to face services, the office opened this week. It was so nice to see some of my friends after a 3 month break! I am so thankful and proud of all of the “kids” and their parents that have worked so hard these past 3 months.

We are taking extra precautions and utilizing the outdoor space that is available at our office. If you have questions about our protocol, please contact us. Teletherapy is still available and we are fighting for it to be a permanent option through major insurance companies.

My trusty friends below have done all they can do, but it’s time to temporarily close the doors. As of 3/23, Vivid Speech be moving to teletherapy only. I will miss seeing your faces in person but look forward to seeing them on the computer this week. I have spent the last few days training and will have another training tomorrow. I am actually excited about this option and hope, in the end, this will allow better access to specialists for our patients in more remote areas. Stay healthy❤️.

There are not many things more important than communication, but breathing is one of them. After all, it takes healthy lungs for good speech. Vivid Speech is closing 3/13-3/23 to follow the citywide recommendation of social distancing. We will monitor the situation as the week progresses to determine if the closure needs to be extended.

It’s back this year!

Austin Smiles puts on this camp for our local kids born with cleft lip and palate. It is a wonderful weekend for the kids to bond at Camp 4 All. If you know any one interested in volunteering, contact Austin Smiles. If you need help, I can connect you. It is such a wonderful experience. Great for college kids!

Officially the only ESDM certified therapist in Austin! It was grueling two year long process, but I am honored to have this certification. The Early Start Denver Model is a play based intervention specifically for children ages 0-5 on the Autism spectrum. I’m beyond excited to offer this to Austin families.

Well, this was a wonderful way to start the week. Love what you do.❤️

Here’s a helpful graphic for parents that have questions about their child’s speech sound development.

April is autism “awareness” month. With autism rates now at 1 in 59, I am sure we are aware of Autism. Let’s push for autism acceptance. Neurodiversity is real. Everyone learns differently and I celebrate every single special kid I get to work with. Do you know someone with a learning difference? It could be ADHD, dyslexia, autism or apraxia. We are all wired a little differently. In honor of “acceptance” and not “awareness”, spend some time with one of the 59 this month. Feel free to share one of the special traits that make him or her special.

PROMPT in action with one of my favorite kids ❤️❤️.

Rocking our crazy socks for World Down Syndrome day.

We had the pleasure of listening to Temple Grandin last night. The take aways:
▪️Video games are ruining our kids’ chance at success.
▪️Algebra is not a logical math. A visual thinker is not able to make sense of it and it should not be the required math for all majors.
▪️There is an actual study that proves dogs need 45 min of human contact a day.
▪️Continue to push your kid, but don’t throw them in the deep end.
▪️Give your child a job early. Teach them to work.
▪️She gives her speech therapist major props for where she is today. 👏👏
▪️Her mother was a huge part of her success and pushed her continuously.
▪️Don’t coddle your special needs kid.(or any kid)
▪️Grandparents can make good therapists too.
▪️Teach turn taking at a young age.
▪️Give your child choices when it’s something difficult.
▪️Teachers need to work with parents and vice versa. The school cannot fix your child.
▪️Some kids are like a phone with one bar. They process info a little slower, but they are processing.

Vivid Speech updated their address.

Vivid Speech updated their address.

Our little clinic space made a move to a bigger clinic space today. It has been kid tested and approved.

What are the best toys for development? This is a common question I get around the holidays. My answer is always the same. Toys without batteries. That includes electronics. Let your kids do the talking and the imagining. Whatever they can dream up is better than what a toy maker has programmed. Read what the academy of pediatrics has to say.

http://www.aappublications.org/news/2018/12/03/toys120318

We love what we do and love who we work with. Thank you to all of our kids and their families for letting us do what we love. We are humbled.

Many Voices presents 'Chin Up'

Last month was Craniofacial Awareness Month. A little late, but this video is worth watching. “Different is interesting.”

Many Voices presents 'Chin Up' This is "Many Voices presents 'Chin Up'" by MOFILM on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Space Center Houston Now a Certified Autism Center

It’s nice to see more businesses recognizing neuro diversity.

Space Center Houston Now a Certified Autism Center HOUSTON, June 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards...

This woman is an exceptionally effective Capitol Hill lobbyist. She also has Down syndrome.

The power of communication at work. Don't let the people that surround your child expect anything less that what you expect from them. Kayla had a supportive family, group friends and supportive educators and look where she ended up!

This woman is an exceptionally effective Capitol Hill lobbyist. She also has Down syndrome. Kayla McKeon's first advantage is that she can explain the trials of a disabled person from her heart. Her second advantage is that nothing intimidates her.