The Speech Path Buffalo

05/06/2026

This feedback means so much to us

“I highly recommend Jillian. During the pandemic, our son regressed in his speech therapy, and Jillian was the first therapist I found willing to conduct in person therapy. Within a few months we saw significant improvement and today, less than a year later, he has successfully finished services. Jillian is excellent at assessing and modifying her approach based on individual patient needs. What we appreciated most was her clear communication and suggestions and support how to work with him at home. Pre-pandemic we were with another speech therapy group, and Jillian’s services have demonstrated to be superior. We can’t thank her enough for her commitment and passion for her patients, as well as her incredible skills, individualized attention and successful outcomes.” – A parent

Why this is important to us: no two children are the same, and therapy should always adapt to meet each child’s unique needs.

05/04/2026

Letting your child choose the toy isn't just fun, it's a language-building opportunity.

The act of requesting (even without words) is communication. We build on it every single session.

Try it at home: hold up two options, wait, and see what they do. Then name whatever they pick as you hand it over. That's it. That's the strategy. 💙

For more simple tips like this, follow along!

05/03/2026

If you haven’t been to one of Stacey’s classes yet you’re missing out! And guess what, she’s now hosting them in Williamsville! 🎉

You’ve been asking… and now it’s here!

I’ll be hosting my first class in Williamsville on Tuesday, May 26, from 6:15-7 pm.

DM me “Williamsville” and I’ll send you the link to register!

05/01/2026

Regulation comes before communication.
Naming feelings helps kids find words instead of big reactions.

04/30/2026

When parents first come to us, a lot of them say the same thing.

"I knew something felt different. I just did not know what I was looking at."

That is such a common experience, because late talking does not always look like a child who is completely silent. Sometimes it is quieter than that and a lot easier to explain away.

Here is what late talking can actually look like in toddlers and preschoolers.

A child who has some words but is not combining them the way you would expect for their age.
A child who communicates a lot through pointing, pulling, or gesturing but is not adding words to those moments.
A child who had words and then seemed to plateau, or lost some along the way. A child who understands a lot of what is said to them but is not yet expressing much back.
A child who gets frustrated easily in moments where communication is involved.

None of these things on their own mean something is definitively wrong, but they are worth paying attention to and worth talking to someone about sooner rather than later.

The families I work with often tell me they wished they had reached out earlier, not because waiting made things worse forever, but because getting answers earlier made everything feel so much more manageable.

If something feels off, it is okay to ask, and that is not overreacting. That is just good parenting.

📌 Save this and share it with a parent who might need to see it.

Have questions about your child? Link in bio to fill out our inquiry form. 💙

04/29/2026

This one truly touches our hearts

“Jill has worked with my son for many years since early intervention. My son was very shy and reluctant to work with people he didn’t know. Jill won over his trust and my son absolutely loves her. His speech improved and he started to talk better as a direct result of the relationship built and the skills Jill instilled. Jill always communicated with me on steps and progress and I found her very proactive and professional. In addition, Jill truly cares about the kids and really gives her all to see them succeed. Jill is a great speech therapist, makes lessons fun, great with children and an overall great and caring person. I would recommend her to anyone.” – A parent

Why this is important to us: trust is the foundation of learning. When children feel safe and connected, growth becomes possible.

04/27/2026

Some decisions look a little crazy on paper.

In January 2021, I opened a private speech therapy practice. My son, Levi was 2.5, and my other son, Landon, was 2 months old. The world was still in the middle of a pandemic, and healthcare felt like it was held together with tape.

I'd spent years working inside systems built to serve as many kids as possible. And I understood why those systems exist, I'm grateful for what I learned in them. But I kept hitting the ceiling of what I could actually give: The time to really know a family, the flexibility to meet a child where they were, the kind of care where a parent never felt like they had to fight to be heard.

The pandemic stripped away the noise and made one thing very clear: I didn't want to go back to that.

So I built something different...from scratch...with a newborn...in a global health crisis.

Because the families I was hoping to serve couldn't wait for a better time and honestly,
neither could I.

If something in your gut has been telling you your child needs more than what's been offered, that feeling is worth paying attention to.

You don't have to wait for the right moment to start advocating for them.

I built this practice because I believe every child deserves care that was built for them, not built around the limits of the system their family can access.

If that resonates, we would love to hear from you. Link in bio to fill out our inquiry form and we will take it from there together. 🩵

04/24/2026

Kids act out when they don’t have the words.
Teach the phrase before the meltdown.

04/23/2026

Fort day = speech & language day in our world.

🏠 Play-based language strategies are something every parent can use at home.

Save this post for the next time you're building a couch cushion fort (or a Nugget one 😄).

And if you're curious whether your child's language development is on track, I'm always happy to connect. DM me anytime or fill out our inquiry form - link in bio!

04/22/2026

This message made our entire day

“We wanted to update you and let you know he is talking non stop now. We were laughing because we were just trying to do the two word sentences and he’s saying much more. We thought you would like this video from this morning lol.” – A parent

Why this matters to us: the biggest breakthroughs often happen in everyday moments at home, that’s when we know therapy is truly working.

04/20/2026

MYTH MONDAY: "If my child understands most things, they don’t need a hearing test" 🚫

✔️Truth: Kids can have hearing loss and still “seem” to understand by using lip reading, context clues, and partial hearing.

How they compensate:
• Lip reading/visual learning
• Using context and routines
• Hearing some frequencies but not others
• Watching body language

Types often missed:
• High-frequency loss (affects clarity)
• Mild/fluctuating loss
• One-sided hearing loss
• Conductive loss from ear infections

Signs even if they ‘seem to hear’:
• Frequent “what?” or “huh?”
• Responds better face-to-face
• Struggles in noisy settings
• Unclear speech or missing sounds
• Turns up volume often

Why early detection matters:
• Mild loss can delay speech
• Impacts academics & social skills
• Early treatment = better outcomes
• Some loss is treatable

When to test:
• Concerns about speech clarity
• Frequent ear infections
• Family history of loss
• Delayed milestones
• Teacher/caregiver concerns

A hearing test checks multiple frequencies, middle ear function, and both ears separately — all tailored to the child’s age.

💡 "Hearing" isn’t the same as "hearing well enough to develop speech." Rule it out early.

Have you been surprised by a hearing test result? 👇

04/17/2026

Talking on demand is hard, even for adults.
Sentence starters give kids a bridge instead of a spotlight.