Communication Matters

Brain Injury Awareness and Recovery

Alicia Verhovitz, M.A., CCC-SLP | Posted on February 02, 2022

In 2022,  Brain Injury Awareness Month highlights #MoreThanMyBrainInjury by bringing awareness to some brain injury facts and statistics from the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Brain Injury, talking, Communication Access, Speech therapy, Stroke recovery

Morning Communication Activities at Home

Sharon Dundee | Posted on January 01, 2022

You may find it challenging to access beneficial resources that allow you to properly care for your loved one. We have researched some at-home activities that encourage communication for adults who are recovering from a stroke or maintaining skills after a neurodegenerative diagnosis. These morning activities consist of routines that get you both up and moving and allow for independent participation.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Support, Caregiving, Brain Injury, Voice, talking, Speech therapy, Stroke recovery

Stroke Recovery: After the Hospital

Alicia Verhovitz, M.A., CCC-SLP | Posted on December 12, 2021

Preparing to go home after a hospital stay is never easy, especially after having a stroke. It can be a very overwhelming process with new challenges in thinking, memory, and mobility. The length of your hospital stay after a stroke can range anywhere from a few days to months depending on the severity of the stroke and the support system in place at home. There are many feelings associated with going home, excited to be back home along with feelings of anxiety or worry.  

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Support, Stroke, Brain Injury, talking, Speech therapy, Stroke recovery

Build Preschool Language Skills While Reading to Your Child

Stephanie Vondra, M.A., CCC-SLP | Posted on December 12, 2021

Do you find yourself wondering how to make reading a book with your child more meaningful? Do you have a hard time trying to get your child to WANT to read a book? Here are eight fun and easy ways to engage your child when reading a book and increase their pre-literacy skills and language skills.

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Tags: Speech, Communication, reading, literacy, Learning, toddler, Speech therapy

Stroke Recovery: A Whole Life Approach

Alicia Verhovitz, M.A., CCC-SLP | Posted on October 10, 2021

Welcome to the first of a blog series on stroke recovery resource information from Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center (CHSC). Topics of the series include first action steps following a stroke, benefits of speech therapy, communication strategies, tips for caregivers, and much more.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Support, Stroke, Caregiving, Brain Injury, Voice, talking, Speech therapy, Stroke recovery

Build Better Reading Skills in Your Preschooler

Stephanie Vondra, M.A., CCC-SLP | Posted on October 10, 2021

Kick start your child’s pre-literacy and language skills by focusing on these areas while reading books with them. Children who develop these skills at an early age are more likely to become fluent readers and better spellers than children who do not. We define these skills as phonological awareness, which is the ability to recognize, manipulate, and use the sound structure of spoken language.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, reading, literacy, Learning, toddler, Early Intervention

Speech-Language Concerns? Don't Wait - Evaluate!

“They’re still young - let’s just wait and see.” Coming from a pediatrician, this phrase holds a lot of power over parents worried about their child’s speech and language skills. The parents may have expressed a concern that their two-year-old hasn't started talking yet, is only saying a few words, or is very hard to understand. When the pediatrician brushes it off as not a big deal, the natural response from parents is to trust someone they consider an expert.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, toddler, talking, Early Intervention

Baby Sign Language Improves Communication

Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center | Posted on March 03, 2021

Infant sign language really does deliver on its promise of improved communication. This is particularly appealing for new parents, given that there’s a well-recognized gap between what babies and toddlers want to say and what they are able to say. Sign language can help ease frustration between ages 8 months and 2 years — when children begin to know what they want, need, and feel but don't always have the oral motor verbal skills to express themselves. Basic sign language can help babies better express themselves as early as 8 or 9 months and it can mean decreased frustration (for both caregiver and child), promote earlier language skills and enhanced bonding with those who sign.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, American Sign Language, ASL, Learning, toddler, talking, Early Intervention, Communication Access, Baby Sign Language

What is Dyslexia and How is It Treated?

Michelle Foye, MA CCC-SLP | Posted on September 09, 2020

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, literacy, Wilson Reading Program, Learning, Dyslexia

“People Play” - Speech and Language Fun Time with Your Child

To get young children talking, we often motivate them by showing that “using your words” can get you what you want. A simple way to achieve this is through “People Play”. People Play describes “songs, games and activities in which the fun happens when the child interacts with another person” (The Hanen Program, More Than Words). So grab a blanket or a couch cushion and enjoy some of these great ways to play and interact that will also motivate your child to request more fun! The one-word language suggestions can always be lengthened into phrases or sentences depending on your child’s expressive language level.

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Tags: Speech, Language, Communication, Learning, toddler, talking

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