Speech First, LLC

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Speech First, LLC

📍 Wayne, PA: Private in-home and in-school speech therapy. Providing services to children and families throughout the Main Line and beyond for over 16 years.

Speech First, LLC is owned and operated by Lindsay Petersen, a Pennsylvania State licensed and nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist who provides private, in-home speech therapy to the greater Philadelphia region. Lindsay has extensive experience assessing and treating clients with receptive/expressive language impairments, articulation and phonological disorders, fluency disorders, fee

ding delays and disorders, and communication delays and disorders associated with developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, hearing loss, and neurological impairments. She is trained in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), American Sign Language, and Auditory Verbal Therapy strategies and techniques. Lindsay believes in a multidisciplinary team approach to therapy and thus encourages collaboration with parents, caregivers, teachers and other professionals to provide the most optimal and successful treatment plan for her clients. Her practice is based on providing the highest quality of service to her clients and their families while working to achieve their speech and language goals.

04/20/2026

I love this parent’s feedback because it touches on something so important! While we are all excited for a child to start talking, one of the biggest (and most overlooked) stepping stones to verbal communication is gesture imitation.

Before a child can imitate sounds or words, they need to be able to watch, process, and copy actions—like clapping, waving, pointing, signing, or blowing a kiss. These simple gestures are actually building the foundation for speech.

Here’s why:

👏 It builds the imitation pathway
Imitation is a skill. When a child learns to copy actions with their body, they’re strengthening the same system they’ll later use to copy sounds and words.

👋 It supports joint attention
When your child copies a gesture, it shows they’re tuned in—watching you, sharing the moment, and learning that communication is a back-and-forth experience.

👆 It reduces pressure while increasing success
Gestures are easier than words. Starting here helps children experience success and confidence without the added complexity of speech.

🙌 It gives children a way to communicate NOW
Pointing, reaching, waving—these are all meaningful ways to express wants and connect, even before words emerge.

04/13/2026

From toddlers to teens, engagement is everything!

For my toddlers, that usually means getting on the floor, following their lead, and turning play into opportunities for language.

For my school-aged kids, it’s games, movement, and activities that keep them motivated while we target specific goals.

And for my older ones, it’s real conversations, humor, and making therapy feel relevant to their world.

Why is this so important??
✨ Kids learn best when they’re enjoying themselves
✨ Connection drives communication
✨ And progress happens when they want to be there

Curious what speech therapy could look like for your child? Feel free to reach out or send me a message!

04/09/2026

An SLP’s thoughts on “wait and see…” 💭💭💭

I always tell parents — YOU know your child better than anyone. If you are feeling concerned or just need reassurance about their communication development, the best course of action is an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist!

04/03/2026

Is anyone else on day 5 of spring break and wondering if they’ve done “enough?”

I spend my days telling parents: “You don’t need to do more.”

And then I go home and wonder if I should be doing more.

More outings.
More activities.
More fun.
More everything.

If anyone out there is feeling this way, just remember: the moments that matter most and have the biggest impact are often the simplest ones!

03/23/2026

A question I’ve been asked several times recently: “Can this still be fixed?” This often comes up for children who have residual speech errors and are 10+ years old.

While early intervention is wonderful and highly effective, speech and language skills can absolutely improve at many ages. The brain is capable of learning and changing well beyond the toddler and early elementary years.

If something still feels off with your child’s speech, trust that instinct — no matter how old they are! Support at any stage can make a difference. And often the key is finding the right support paired with the most appropriate intervention approach.

It’s never “too late”—just a different starting point!

03/19/2026

Why do SLPs love the Little Blue Truck series? 💙🚛

These books are packed with opportunities for language development in a really natural, engaging way.

✨ Repetition builds language
“Beep! Beep! Beep!” — predictable phrases help children anticipate language and imitate/join in.

✨ Sound effects = early speech practice and language decoding
Animal and environmental sounds are perfect for early communicators (and much easier than true words at first!).

✨ Simple, clear vocabulary
Farm animals, vehicles, actions… all great for building early word knowledge.

✨ Social-emotional learning
Themes like helping others, teamwork, and kindness create meaningful conversations.

✨ Engagement = learning
Kids love these books — and when they’re engaged, language learning happens naturally.

03/10/2026

Any trend to show off those bangs and bowl cut (MOM!!!! 😳).

I always say I wish I had a crystal ball being in this field — to tell parents exactly when and how we will meet our goals. I realize how often I wished this for myself too.

I started college with a clear career path in mind. After several twists and turns to the story (one involving a crazy biology class and a cockroach — seriously), I realized that path wasn’t the right fit for me. At the time, it felt disheartening, unsettling, and frustrating.

Looking back now, it ended up being the best redirection. I just so happened to be at a university with an incredible program and I knew immediately this was the career for me. Finding speech-language pathology led me to work that feels meaningful every single day and I couldn’t be more grateful for the ups and downs that led me here!

02/26/2026

One of the very first things I ask during an initial intake is about your child’s hearing.

And here’s why:

Even mild or intermittent hearing differences (like frequent ear infections or fluid in the ears) can impact how a child hears speech sounds and develops language. Sometimes what looks like a speech delay is actually rooted in access — not ability.

Clear hearing = clear input.
Clear input = stronger speech and language development.

Before we build a therapy plan, I always want to ensure we’re seeing the full picture. It’s never about assuming something is wrong — it’s about ruling things out so we can move forward confidently and effectively!

02/24/2026

Forever fortunate for the opportunity to work with the BEST families. Speech therapy is a team effort — and I’m so grateful to be on yours. 🤝

02/20/2026

In addition to the many ways a baby turns your life upside down, becoming a mom also completely changed the way I see the parents I work with.

Before — I understood it professionally.
Now — I feel it personally.

The mom guilt, the second guessing, the WORRY. Relentless worrying.

I understand how heavy it feels to carry yet one more thing while trying to be present, enjoy your child, and not fall victim to the comparison culture.

When we work together, my goals are to support you, collaborate with you, and remind you:

You’re not behind.
You didn’t miss your window.
It’s not too late.
We WILL get there.
And you don’t have to do this perfectly. There is no such thing! 🤍

02/15/2026

Who else is growing tired of this winter “wonderland” and the frigid temps? Good news: We are officially under 100 days until Memorial Day weekend! ☀️😎☀️

While there are seemingly no breaks from planning kids’ schedules and activities (i.e. white knuckling our keyboards waiting in queues for summer camp sign ups!), one thing we don’t have to white knuckle is scheduling speech!

You don’t have to solve this one alone — we just need consistency over time — and we’ll create that together!

Now, let countdown to warmer days begin 🙌🏻…

02/10/2026

One of the most common - and hardest - questions parents ask is “how long will speech therapy take?” The answer: timelines depend on a few key indicators that shape progress. What are the top three?

1.) The diagnosis and/or underlying cause of the speech or language difficulty and the degree of the child’s needs.

2.) The consistency of sessions and carryover at home. Remaining consistent with our weekly sessions and incorporating strategies/practice at home in between will make a BIG difference.

3.) The RATE of progress. Once we get started in therapy, a child’s rate of progress aka how quickly we are closing the gaps can give us a better idea of the length of speech needed.

Speech therapy is certainly a commitment and progress isn’t always linear. However, if we stay the course, SO much is possible. Every child’s path is different and my goal to see steady, meaningful progress that lasts!

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Website

http://www.speech-first.com/

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