Speech and Language Therapy Across Borders

14/02/2026

09/02/2026

Gestalt Language Processing: Sensory Filtering, Timing, and Access to Language- One Piece of the Puzzle?

Edit: I’m really grateful to Marge Blanc for reaching out with thoughtful feedback about this post. I want to be clear that I’m not suggesting gestalt language processing is simply a workaround for overload, or that it applies universally in the same way.

Ann Peters’ work reminds us that larger “units” of language may be a natural starting point for many learners, and many autistic gestalt processors describe their gestalts as richly multi-modal — including emotion, context, and lived experience.

The neuroscience lens I shared is only one possible piece of a much bigger picture. I appreciate the reminder to hold that complexity carefully.

05/02/2026

27/01/2026

“All you do is play!”
I hear this a lot as a Speech and Language Therapist, and honestly… YES. And that’s exactly the point!
To children, play is not “just playing.”
Play is how they:

🧠 learn new words
👂 understand language
🗣 practise talking
🤝 learn social skills
🎭 use imagination
💬 learn how conversations work

When we play, we’re not “passing time”, we’re building the foundations for communication.

When I sit on the floor with a child and roll a car back and forth, I’m working on: turn-taking, attention, shared enjoyment, early conversation skills

When we pretend to feed a teddy, we’re learning: action words (eat, drink, sleep), everyday routines, sentence building, understanding feelings

When we blow bubbles, we’re practising: waiting, requesting, sounds and words, interaction

Children learn language best when they are:
✨ relaxed
✨ interested
✨ having fun
✨ connected to an adult

Worksheets don’t teach toddlers to talk.
Relationships and playful interaction do.

So if your child’s therapist is “just playing”- trust the process. That’s where the real learning happens 💬🌈

18/01/2026

Why do we do play based sessions with children? ☺️

16/01/2026

15/01/2026

A reminder to all of us! 🤩

11/01/2026

Fun fact: speech is hard work!
It takes the coordination of over 100 muscles- including the lips, tongue, jaw, face, and breathing muscles- for speech to happen. That’s one of the reasons speech sound development can take time and vary so much from child to child.

When it comes to speech, timing matters.

Parents often ask me how they can support their little one’s communication- and whether it’s “too early” to have their child checked.
The short answer: it’s never too early to learn more.

I’ve put together this little resource to help explain the difference between a speech delay and a speech sound disorder, how we think about speech sounds, and what we typically look for at different ages. Hopefully it gives you a clearer picture- and a bit of peace of mind- along the way. 💛

Based on research into English speech sound development (e.g. Smit et al., 1990; Shriberg & Kwiatkowski; McLeod & Crowe).

10/01/2026

Une séance de langage en ligne peut sembler inhabituelle…

Mais lorsque l’attente pour un accompagnement est longue, pourquoi ne pas essayer ?

👋 Bonjour, je m’appelle Lenia.

Je suis thérapeute spécialisée en langage, communication et articulation.

Basée au Royaume-Uni, je propose des séances de thérapie du langage en ligne, en français, principalement pour les enfants, mais aussi pour les adultes.

J’accompagne les familles lorsque leur enfant :

• parle plus t**d que les autres

• a du mal à se faire comprendre ou à prononcer certains sons

• bégaie ou reste bloqué lorsqu’il parle

• présente des difficultés de communication liées à l’autisme

• a du mal à comprendre ou à utiliser le langage

• présente un handicap développemental

Mon accompagnement est personnalisé, bienveillant et appuyé par la recherche scientifique.

Les séances en ligne permettent un suivi flexible, directement depuis votre domicile, tout en impliquant activement les parents.

✨ Je propose une consultation initiale gratuite pour échanger sur vos questions, comprendre la situation de votre enfant et vous expliquer comment se déroulent les séances en ligne.

Cette première prise de contact peut se faire par téléphone ou par email.

📩 N’hésitez pas à me contacter si vous souhaitez en parler ou si vous avez des questions concernant votre enfant.

👉 https://www.speechspark.co.uk/our-services/

📞 +447758522758 (sms)

📧 info@speechspark.co.uk