Michelle Hannon Speech Language Pathologist

09/24/2025

I’m sharing a lot. Others are eloquent and I will continue to share.
Most importantly, you, your kids, their siblings, your families are important and loved and seen. We are here to help and put you first.

09/24/2025

Today I want to focus on the very real impact the spreading of misinformation has on parents, pregnancies, and babies.

When Autism is stigmatized, and misleading information not supported by science is shared as factual- this causes real harm that cannot (and should not) be ignored.

I need to highlight these are correlated and do not show causation. But the large difference is significant and should not be ignored ❤️

We know untreated fevers and pain lead to higher risks of preterm birth, other developmental differences, and possible increases in miscarriage (up to 2Xs but evidence is mixed and theres a lot of factors). Research shows autism rates remain the same with or without Tylenol when accounting for genetics.

We also know autistic people are more likely to have chronic pain and discomfort in pregnancy, so this makes sense they would be more likely to need medication. This is a great example of how correlation does not equal causation.

As always, you should speak with your physician about your own personal medical treatment (not politicians). But please don’t feel like you should “tough it out” when that can cause actual harm OR that you caused your child’s Autism by taking care of yourself and your baby ❤️

This info can be found on the HHS fact sheet but chersich 2020 and and Drier 2014 (systematic review) are great places to start if you want to lear more

09/24/2025

As a pediatrician and as a father to a child with autism, I want to respond to the comments made last night. “The crisis of autism, the horrible horrible crisis”.

First, autism is not a ‘horrible crisis.’ My son and so many other children on the spectrum are not a crisis, they are children with unique strengths, challenges, and incredible potential.

Using language like that fuels stigma and fear, and that does real harm to families who are already navigating a lot.

You can advocate for children, want more research, Looks for environmental causes and still choose to see our children are not a crisis.

Yes, the number of autism diagnoses has increased over the years. But that rise is due to better awareness, improved screening, and broader diagnostic criteria. We are identifying children who, in past generations, would have been overlooked or misunderstood. That is progress, not catastrophe.

What families need is not fearmongering or blame. What we need is action, more support, more resources, more inclusion in schools and communities, and more investment in therapies and research that improve quality of life.

Autism is part of my son’s story, but it does not define his worth. He is joyful, capable, and loved. And every child with autism deserves to be seen in that same light.

So instead of framing autism as a crisis, let’s frame it as a call to build a more inclusive, supportive society, where every child is given the chance to thrive.

09/24/2025

APA Statement on White House Announcement on Autism https://ow.ly/P6k850X0zCi

09/24/2025

The American Psychological Association is deeply concerned about the Administration’s recent announcement on autism.

Promoting unsupported scientific theories risks fueling stigma, undermines public trust and distracts from real scientific progress.

05/18/2024

I love being an SLP!

05/06/2024

MOST early childhood therapy should look like play, and here’s why:

It’s also important to note that some kids actually love table top therapy (many autistic kids!) so it’s important to meet kids where they are at and be ready to adapt support as needed!

04/04/2024

12/14/2023

Some SEL ideas for the holidays.

11/15/2023

11/02/2023

Practicing gratitude means taking time to notice and appreciate what we already have. This is a meaningful activity kids and teens can do anytime of year, not just during Thanksgiving or fall! Besides being a fun way to talk about the positive things in our lives, practicing gratitude actually has s

10/24/2023

Here’s an example of a fun Halloween themed activity that came across my feed. Let’s look at it to target S/L and the whole child (gross motor, fine motor, speech/language) using a few modifications.

You can leave it as is and use a repeated phrase such as “I caught a spider” or “I see a spider” Complexity research shows us that targeting those sounds we typically categorize as later developing, is actually more beneficial to speech therapy gains! Additionally, you are using a repeated practice phrase to increase language. Play around with fill in the blanks and wait time for your learner.

You could use any vocabulary targets to catch in your web (a ghost/pumpkin; or not Halloween related and do a bug, shoe, spoon, squishy ball, ). You can use a picture or a real object.

Your kiddo can bend over, squat, or jump on the spider (or other target).

Your kiddo could use pincher fingers, a clothes pin, grabbers and and/or opposite hand to pick up the object.

Link any of the above to work on two step directions!

Speech and language therapy can be fun and target the whole child! I continue to be grateful to all the OT’s and PT’s I’ve had the opportunity to work with the broaden my knowledge.

SPIDER WEB WALKING GAME

This activity works on balance, problem-solving and can be adapted for various levels.

https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2011/10/spider-web-gross-motor-activity.html