Empower Therapeutics

09/23/2025

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Building Confidence: Supporting Kids Who Resist Communication Practice

As parents, we’re always looking for ways to nurture our children’s ability to express themselves, offering care as they grow. For some children, especially those with communication delays, a lack of confidence can make them resist repeating or practicing when asked. They might show big emotions like sadness, frustration, or irritation, or use avoidance behaviors such as turning away, staying silent, or changing the subject to avoid challenging tasks. This hesitation can hinder their growth.

Avoiding difficult things can lead to real-life consequences, like missing social connections, struggling in school, or feeling isolated as communication skills lag. Conversely, pushing through challenges strengthens the brain through neuroplasticity—neural connections grow with practice, boosting learning and adaptability. This builds resilience for future efforts. Our aim is to foster a holistic approach, empowering effective communication skills by supporting their whole development—emotionally, socially, and verbally.

Try these steps at home, tailored to your child’s age and using gentle techniques like parallel play (playing alongside and narrating without pressure), recasting (repeating their words correctly in a natural way), modeling (demonstrating clear speech), and auditory bombardment (repeatedly exposing them to target sounds or words to boost receptive skills):

For Younger Children:
•Model with Ease: Sit beside them in parallel play, modeling “The car goes fast” with auditory bombardment of sounds to nurture their verbal growth.
•Practice with Guidance: Start with an easy sound, using modeling and recasting “ball” to “The ball is fun” while saying “I feel happy because we’re playing” to encourage them holistically.
•Start Small: Pick one sound, reinforcing with modeling and auditory bombardment through songs to empower their skills.
•Reward Progress: Say, “Wow, I see how hard you were trying there!” or “You did it! How does that make you feel?”

For Older Children:
•Model with Ease: Engage in parallel play, modeling “I like to draw now” with auditory bombardment in conversation to support their overall development.
•Practice with Guidance: Work on a sentence, using modeling and recasting “dog” to “The dog runs” while saying “I feel proud because you shared” to guide them comprehensively.
•Start Small: Practice a sentence with modeling and auditory bombardment via repeated phrases to enhance their communication strength.
•Reward Progress: Say, “Big brain! Let’s do that again!” or “When we try at things that are difficult, we are helping our brain grow in different areas!”

Have you noticed your child resisting due to confidence issues? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

09/22/2025

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series
Next up… Balancing Support: Reducing Cueing for Stronger Communication

As parents, we often seek the best ways to support our child’s communication, meeting them where they are with patience. One powerful step is modeling correct speech at home—this lays a strong foundation for their skills. However, too much cueing can hold them back, making them rely on us rather than building independence. The aim is to guide them toward becoming their own speech therapists.

Excessive cueing can overwhelm a child, limiting their chance to think and act independently. By reducing prompts over time, you help them grow confident in their abilities.

Try these steps at home:

For Preschool-Age Children:
Model and Practice: Speak clearly, modeling /s/ sounds (e.g., “sun” or “snake”), and let them mimic you naturally.

Introduce Simple Cues: Offer playful prompts like “make your snake sound” or “trap your tongue behind your teeth” to start, using them sparingly.

Encourage Self-Try: Let them practice without constant cues, stepping in only to remind them of strategies like the snake sound.

Reduce Reminders Gradually: Begin with gentle reminders, then fade out, allowing them to lead with the cues.

School-Age Children:
Model and Practice: Use full sentences, like “I like to play outside,” and encourage them to repeat or add to it.

Introduce Simple Cues: Offer prompts like “tell me what you see” or “add more to your sentence” to guide them, using them sparingly.

Encourage Independence: Let them form sentences independently, stepping in only to remind them of strategies like adding details.

Reduce Reminders Gradually: Start with gentle reminders, then fade out, letting them create meaningful sentences on their own.

Have you tried reducing cues to boost your child’s communication confidence? Share your tips or experiences in the comments—we’d love to hear!

09/19/2025

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… When to Walk Away: Navigating Unresolvable Conflicts

As parents, we often hope every interaction can lead to harmony, wanting our kids to connect with everyone. As an SLP, I’ve learned that sometimes connections just take time to find the right fit or not work—and that’s a gentle part of growing up. One helpful approach is reflecting together on what makes a friendship feel good, like shared interests or kind actions, and noticing when it might not click—perhaps due to different ways of handling situations or misunderstandings.
We can guide kids to choose how they feel and respond, empowering them to say, “I need space,” “Let’s take a break,” or for younger kids, “I need a hug."

Try these steps to support your child:

-Talk it Out: Sit with your child and ask what feels comfortable or tricky in their interactions. Use simple questions like, “What made you smile today?” or “Was there a moment that felt hard?”
-Name the Feeling: Help them use “I feel… because…” statements, like “I feel happy because we played together” or “I feel upset because someone took my toy,” to express emotions clearly.
-Practice a Phrase: Role-play saying “I need a break” or “I need a big hug and a rest” in a kind voice, practicing with you or a toy.
-Draw Feelings: Encourage them to draw their emotions—happy faces, sad lines, or anything they feel—to help process and organize their thoughts.

Have you tried guiding your child through unresolvable conflicts with these steps? We’d love to hear your experiences—comment below and share what worked for your family!

09/15/2025

What I Wish I Knew as a Parent but Learned as an SLP

As an SLP and parent, I believe kids grow most when they resolve conflicts independently. Pragmatics—the social rules of communication, as ASHA defines—includes navigating disagreements, from toy disputes to peer conflicts. For children with speech delays, practicing clear steps on their own, with parents available to guide only when asked, fosters confidence and social independence.

Here’s how to support kids in resolving conflicts:

For Younger Kids: Encourage them to try simple strategies first. When they ask for help, suggest:

Naming Feelings: Teach “I feel…” statements, like “I feel mad,” progressing to “I feel mad because…” as they grow, inspired by Dr. Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence. Use books or pictures of emotions for kids to point to and identify feelings.

Taking Turns: Offer a phrase like “Can I have a turn?” for sharing toys, letting them lead.

For Older Kids: Be ready to guide when they seek support. Help them plan steps like:

Calming Breath: Teach Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 technique—inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale slowly through pursed lips for 8 seconds—to calm the nervous system.

Share and Listen: Teach phrases like “I feel upset because…” and encourage hearing the other side.

Role-Play Practice: If asked, act out scenarios like handling an argument with a peer or addressing a situation where they feel someone wronged another person. Practice phrases like “Let’s find a solution” or switch roles to understand the other person’s feelings.

By staying available to guide only when kids ask, we empower them to handle conflicts with confidence. Want more tips to support your child’s social skills? Visit empowertherapeutics.us for practical ideas!

09/12/2025

09/11/2025

What I Wish I Knew as a Parent but Learned as an SLP: Cultural Differences in Communication

As a speech-language pathologist who grew up in a Cuban-culture household within an American-culture environment, I’ve experienced firsthand how cultural backgrounds shape communication. These differences influence how children express themselves and connect with others.

Here’s how you can support your child in navigating cultural differences in communication at home.

Why It Matters: Cultural norms impact eye contact, gestures, tone, and even silence. For instance, some cultures view direct eye contact as respectful, while others see it as bold or intrusive. Understanding these differences helps your child build stronger connections in diverse settings, from school to social gatherings.

Practical Tips for Parents

For Young Children: Use storybooks with diverse characters to spark conversations about how people greet, share, or show emotions differently. Try mimicking gestures like waving or bowing during play to make it fun and relatable.

For Older Children: Role-play scenarios like meeting someone from another culture. Practice greetings, such as a handshake versus a nod, and discuss how tone or personal space varies. Encourage your child to ask questions like, “What does that gesture mean to you?” to foster curiosity and empathy.

At Home: Share stories from your own cultural background about how your family communicates—maybe a special phrase or gesture. For example, in my Cuban household, animated hand gestures were a lively part of storytelling! Invite your child to observe how friends or classmates express themselves differently and discuss what they notice.

Visit EmpowerTherapeutics.us for more tools to foster effective communication skills at home.

09/10/2025

We are a private-pay only practice.

What does this mean?

Well, for starters we get the professional freedom to tailor therapy to fit your family's needs in ways that the one-size-fits-all insurance models does not. The biggest bonus is that the unique tailoring of services comes at cost equivalent to most insurance deductibles!

We offer free screeners in order to see if further evaluation is necessary.

Check out our website: EmpowerTherapeutics.us for more information about services and useful tools to empower effective communication skills at home.

09/10/2025

What I Wish I Knew as a Parent but Learned as an SLP

Growing up in a vibrant, expressive Cuban culture, I learned early that a raised eyebrow or pursed lips could speak louder than words. As an SLP, I now understand that body language is a cornerstone of pragmatics—the social rules of communication, as defined by ASHA. It’s how kids read cues like a friend’s slumped shoulders signaling sadness or a teacher’s nod meaning “your turn.” For children with speech delays, mastering these cues can transform their ability to connect socially.

Here’s how to teach kids to observe body language, tailored to their age:

- For Young Kids: Keep it simple. Point out smiles or frowns during playtime. Try:

Picture Books: Read books like The Feelings Book and pause to mimic characters’ facial expressions.

Mirror Games: Copy each other’s gestures, like waving or clapping, to identify happy or silly cues.

- For Older Kids: Use role-playing to make it engaging. Act out scenarios like meeting someone new or practicing a job interview to focus on gestures such as eye contact or handshakes. Role-playing stressful situations helps kids manage nerves and read others’ cues, like a clenched fist showing anxiety. Try switching roles to play the other side—it builds empathy by helping kids understand how others’ body language reflects their feelings.

Teaching kids to notice body language equips them with a powerful social skill, especially in expressive communities where gestures carry deep meaning.

Have you tried any of these social skill practices? If so, what worked best for your family?

08/26/2025

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series: Cooking Empowers Talking Every Day

As parents, we might think cooking’s just about meals, but as an SLP, I’ve learned it’s a powerhouse for engaging in conversation and learning!

Cooking builds expressive, receptive, and social skills for every child, helping those with communication delays shine. Research shows structured tasks like cooking boost vocabulary and social skills by easing mental effort (Journal of Child Language, 2020). Maria Montessori taught us to control the environment, not the child, using tools like small spoons or picture recipe cards tailored to their level, fostering independence without pushing.

Try these home strategies:

• Parallel Talk: Narrate what you or your child do, like “I’m slicing the bread—it’s crusty” or “You’re spreading jam smoothly,” to model expressive language without expecting a reply, building vocabulary for all ages.
• Expansion: If they say “Butter!” say “You’re spreading creamy butter” to grow their words.
• Modeling: Show “Can you pass the plate?” to practice social requests.

For cues: “Let’s spread the jam together—show me how!” to invite their participation.

Combine them: During meal prep, narrate sandwich-making, expand their words, and model requests, using visual cards to guide steps, fading prompts for independence.

Any cooking tips that have empowered your child’s communication at home?

08/25/2025

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series: Gut Health Empowers Effective Communication Skills

As parents, we cherish those moments when our kids dive into conversation, from first sounds to mastering social chats with big words, but some talks hit a wall! As an SLP, I learned kids connect best when their tummies are settled, often after a bathroom break.

The gut-brain axis links diet and gut bacteria to focus, mood, and memory (Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020). Poor gut health, like constipation, can spark irritability, frustration, or trouble calming down, disrupting sound practice for little ones or social skills and complex vocab for older kids, especially those with autism or delays who can’t signal discomfort. Research shows imbalanced diets hinder self-regulation, slowing communication in ADHD or autism (Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 2022). By noticing when your child’s most comfortable—often post-bathroom break—you can plan tough talks, like practicing sounds or navigating social rules, for those calm, focused moments.

Any gut health tips that have empowered your child’s communication at home?