Help Me Speak, LLC

Help Me Speak, LLC Oromyofunctional, Communication, & Learning Skills
Improving BESST skills for all clients
(Breathing, Eating, Swallowing, Sleep, & Talking)

Our SLPs are trained in the latest and most effective evaluation & therapy techniques, such as: *PROMPT*, *Orofacial Myology*, Talk Tools, *Complete Speech--SmartPalate*, Beckman stretches, Kaufman techniques, *Help Me Eat* (Food Chaining, SOS Approach to Feeding, AEIOU), Interactive Metronome, REI, Sign language, *iPad apps* for therapy, & more. We treat clients with a variety of genetic diagnose

s, Tongue Tie, oral swallowing difficulty, Autism, Apraxia, Down syndrome, dyslexia, language learning difficulties, tongue thrust, articulation errors, hearing impairment, & others.

05/07/2026

What does a tongue tie LOOK like?

THIS is important!
Some of the biggest tongue tie signs are visible—if you know where to look.

As an SLP focused on oral function, here are 3 physical red flags I watch for:
🔴 A tongue that looks restricted:
with a line down the middle of the top, a heart-shaped tip, & tension underneath
🔴 Messy, open-mouth chewing
lips open, smacking, limited control
🔴 A forward tongue during swallowing (tongue thrust)
pushing between or against the teeth

These aren’t random habits.

They point to a tongue that isn’t moving the way it needs to for:
✔️ Clear speech
✔️ Efficient chewing
✔️ Mature swallowing patterns

And when function is impaired… clarity often is too.
Most people are told to “just listen to the speech”—
but what the tongue is doing matters just as much.

What have you noticed when your child eats or swallows?
💬 Comment TONGUE TIE to get help figuring out what you’re seeing

📌 Save this so you can come back and check these signs

A doctor said your child is "fine"…But was function actually checked? 🤔I get this question a lot:“What if my doctor says...
05/06/2026

A doctor said your child is "fine"…

But was function actually checked? 🤔

I get this question a lot:
“What if my doctor says my child doesn’t have a tongue tie?”

Here’s the reality 👇
Many quick structural reviews are based on appearance only
… NOT function.

Tongue ties are not about appearance
They’re about how the tongue moves and works.

A proper evaluation examines the jaw, lip, & tongue:
• isolated movements
• stability, control, coordination
• function during chewing
• swallowing
• speech
• resting mouth position

If those things aren’t assessed, important issues WILL be missed.
That’s why I focus on FUNCTION, not appearance.

If you’re dealing with unclear speech
or wondering if your child’s tongue function
has truly been evaluated…

Comment TONGUE TIE and we’ll DM you 💬

05/05/2026

If your child can say a sound one minute…
but not the next—this is for you!

Inconsistent speech is not random.
It’s often a sign the tongue isn’t moving with enough control & precision.

As an SLP specializing in oral function, these are 3 red flags I look for when a tongue tie may be impacting speech:
🔴 The tongue and jaw move together instead of separately
🔴 Sound errors are inconsistent (correct one time, incorrect the next)
🔴 Speech breaks down in longer words or full sentences

Why this matters:
Clear speech requires fast, precise, independent tongue movements.

When the tongue is restricted, kids often compensate with their jaw—
That’s when clarity starts to fall apart, especially in real conversation.

This is something that is often missed.
What are you noticing—more in single words or in full sentences?

💬 Comment below or DM me to connect the dots

📌 Save this so you know what to watch for as speech develops

It’s NOT always a “speech” issue first 👀What you’re hearing is often just the surface problem…not the real reason it’s h...
05/04/2026

It’s NOT always a “speech” issue first 👀

What you’re hearing is often just the surface problem…
not the real reason it’s happening.

A lot of parents are told to focus on sounds.
That’s not where the issue actually starts.

Here’s what is underneath:

👉 Breathing
If your child is mouth breathing,
it changes how the tongue, lips, and jaw work… and that affects speech clarity.

👉 Mouth posture
If the mouth is open at rest,
the system isn’t set up for clear speech before they even start talking.

👉 Oral function
Jaw, lips, and tongue all have specific roles.
If one is off, the others compensate…
and that leads to unclear or inconsistent speech.

For clear speech, these need to be:
✔️ Controlled
✔️ Coordinated
✔️ Able to move independently

If not, your child may be trying their best…
but working against their own body.

That’s why progress can feel stuck.

Focusing only on sounds is not enough.
You have to look at the whole system 🧩

When the system works, speech becomes easier and more natural.

If you feel like something is being missed, pay attention to that.

Comment SPEECH and we’ll reach out to see how we can help 💬

I was asked this question:"Can my child still have a tongue tie if they can stick their tongue out?"Here’s the answer 👇Y...
05/03/2026

I was asked this question:
"Can my child still have a tongue tie if they can stick their tongue out?"

Here’s the answer 👇
Yes… they can.

Sticking the tongue out is only one piece of the puzzle.
What really matters is how the tongue moves
during speech, chewing, & swallowing.

If the tongue cannot move independently, coordinate properly,
or reach where it needs to go,
speech can become harder to understand.

That’s why I don’t just look at single muscle movements.
I examine function of speech, breathing, chewing, swallowing
in detail during an evaluation because it often gets missed.

If you’re noticing unclear speech, chewing with their mouth open
or wondering if this could be affecting your child…
Comment TONGUE TIE and we’ll DM you 💬"

Let's STOP the FRUSTRATION for you and your child!Repeating words over and over… but nothing is changing? 👀This is where...
05/02/2026

Let's STOP the FRUSTRATION for you and your child!

Repeating words over and over… but nothing is changing? 👀

This is where so many parents get stuck.

You’ve been practicing with your child consistently.
And your child is trying their best…

But their speech errors haven't improved...

That’s more frustrating for BOTH of you.

Here’s the truth most people won’t tell you:

👉 More repetition is NOT the answer if
the oral motor (mouth) skills aren't working.

Because clear speech is not just about sounds.
It’s built on things like:
🌟 Jaw stability
🌟 Lip control
🌟 Tongue movements

If those oral motor skills aren’t working well,
your child is working harder than they should…
and progress will feel be slow, not occur, & not last.

What actually helps?

✔️ Building jaw stability
✔️ Improving tongue control
✔️ Training coordination of the jaw, lips, & tongue
✔️ Supporting independent movements of the tongue from the jaw

That’s how you create a foundation where speech becomes easier… not forced.

When the mouth system works, speech clarity improves more easily 🧩

If you feel like something is being missed, trust that instinct.

Comment BESST and we’ll reach out to see how we can help 💬

Most parents MISS this....They are told to look for issues in babies…Think tongue ties only affect feeding? Think again ...
05/01/2026

Most parents MISS this....
They are told to look for issues in babies…

Think tongue ties only affect feeding? Think again 👀
The truth is, tongue ties can continue to show up as your child grows.

You might notice things like:
👉 Unclear speech
👉 Messy eating
👉 Loud lip smacking while chewing
👉 An open mouth position as rest

And here’s the key…

It’s not just about what you see.
It’s about whether the tongue can actually move where it needs to go.

Because when it can’t…
Speech can become harder to understand.

The tricky part?
These signs are often overlooked.

So parents end up second guessing their gut instead of getting real answers.

If you’ve been noticing these things, it’s worth taking a closer look 🔍

Comment TONGUE TIE below and we’ll reach out to see how we can help 💬

04/30/2026

Part 5 in my Mouth Breathing Series

If your child breathes through their mouth,
do not assume it is just a habit.

Enlarged tonsils or adenoids may be blocking the airway.
When the airway is blocked partially or fully,
mouth breathing becomes the default.

That can impact sleep, facial growth,
and even how much energy your child has during the day.

The goal is not to guess.
The goal is to understand what is getting in the way of nasal breathing.

Comment NOSE and I’ll send you my guide on mouth breathing vs.
nasal breathing and what to do next.

04/28/2026

Part 4 in my Mouth Breathing Series

Your child can sleep all night…💤
and still not be getting the kind of sleep their body and brain need. 🧠
An open mouth 👄 during sleep, snoring, noisy breathing, teeth grinding, and dark circles under the eyes are not things to brush off. 😧

They can be signs that breathing is difficult,
and that can affect sleep quality, behavior, focus,
and even facial growth.
That’s why I tell parents to look deeper,
not just assume their child is “a bad sleeper” or “just cranky.”

Sometimes the real issue starts with HOW they’re breathing.

Comment NOSE below and I’ll send you my guide
on mouth breathing vs. nasal breathing and what to do next.

Address

10260 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD
21042

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 6:30pm
Thursday 9am - 6:30pm

Telephone

+14104429791

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