Gramm Speech and Myofunctional Therapy, LLC

08/09/2025

08/04/2025

Shoutout to my husband being willing to move his computer to the basement so I can have a designated space that’s not the kitchen table. Maximizing my space forces creativity. Here’s to productive days ahead, and a little cheer from my sidekicks.

07/28/2025

In 2014, I was able to go to Australia and New Zealand with my Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Illinois State. When I saw that the Newfields museum Lume exhibit was aboriginal art, I was in! Two ways I seek inspiration are art and travel. That exposure has improved my ability to connect with others and infuse more creativity into what I do. It’s widened my perspective in ways that probably are not even describable. Thankful for my past experiences and looking forward to new adventures!

07/24/2025

Schedules fill up as school starts - secure your spot now!

07/21/2025

Just some summer moments off-hours. I love the summer vacation memories, and now we’re beginning to create them for our kids. Not to mention they make for great language learning opportunities. How are you enjoying your summer?

07/17/2025

Tool alert: for our infants learning to self feed, a tool I’m using are dipping spoons. They have a slot that holds purée consistency that allows for self feeding. This is helpful for infants who may be defensive about others placing objects/food in their mouth. While we eventually want babies to learn to clear a spoon using their lips, this can be a helpful step to get there.

07/14/2025

An easy manual therapy technique that I enjoy is a sternal shear. Stretching the skin down from the notch at the base of your neck feels very grounding and is so simple to do. It helps relieve tension in the chest, neck, and shoulder areas. Got tension impacting your voice or orofacial/neck muscles? I can help!

07/10/2025

Airway is becoming a hot topic and one I’ve learned about through Myofunctional therapy. It’s not screened for or sometimes even considered in traditional medicine, dentistry, and speech pathology, but it has far-reaching impacts. It relates to cardiovascular health, cognitive function, sleep, physical performance, speech, feeding, and more.

Structural and functional changes can impact health and wellness. As a quick check, when looking in a mouth, can you easily see the uvula with “ah”? If all you can see is the tongue, the airway might be narrow and restricted. The good news is that treatments are available! Myofunctional therapy addresses nasal, diaphragmatic breathing. It works in conjunction with other providers to optimize airway health. Initial evaluations help catch red flags and get necessary information and referrals started. Concerned? Schedule today.

07/07/2025

Compensation means that you have to alter what you’re doing to carry out the action. So in the world of airway, that can be mouth breathing. In feeding, it can be using your teeth to clear a spoon. In muscle function, other muscles do extra work. In speech, placement is off. If compensations are present, that means that orofacial function is sub-optimal. Myofunctional therapy works to improve muscle function so that movements, tasks, and processes within the face and neck region are carried out efficiently and effectively.

07/01/2025

July is National Peach Month, and with a sweet twist, we’re celebrating when things aren’t just “peach”. A common speech sound error is when /s/ blends, like “spot” or “stop” become “pot” or “top”. This is called a phonological process and can be normal til kids are about 4. Some kids produce /s/ blends earlier than that though. When speech errors are considered disordered is when they persist til after the average age of acquisition. Speech therapists use a variety of techniques to teach kids about sounds and how to produce them. So, while we all love a good peach, sometimes what we really need is “SPEECH”!

06/25/2025

One thing that makes me unique is that I work considering the whole person, and that includes making necessary referrals. So often, what I observe in evaluations and treatment points to additional needs: sensory issues, airway concerns, body tension/misalignment, orthodontic needs, etc. I actively am building referral networks to ensure that my clients receive information and support from knowledgeable providers. Some recent referrals have helped clients discover mold allergies, voice disorders, the need for palatal expansion, sensory and fine motor deficits, and more. When you come to work with me, I am serious about helping you get the information you need and obtain optimal results!

06/06/2025

This is a transitional cup I recommend for infants/toddlers moving from bottle to straw cups. With an easy squeeze, the liquid comes up to the mouth, which helps the child learn to suck the liquid. As they get the hang of it, less support is needed, and they can then work towards open straws. Need feeding support? Give me a call!