Speech Unbound

11/12/2025

🐾 Pawject Manager Report🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Otto! I’ve been working very hard at the computer lately. Someone has to keep this place running smoothly! 💻

I’ve also started school — big news! 🎓 I might not know all the skills just yet, but I’m working on it every day. Practice makes pawfect, right? 🐾✨
I’ve been getting pretty good at “heel” and “stay/wait,” though sometimes my tail gets too wiggly to focus. Oops!

I’m so excited for Thanksgiving (so many yummy smells!) and I saw snow for the first time! ❄️ It was cold, fluffy, and absolutely perfect for zoomies.

Fun fact about me: I do not eat out of glass bowls. Nope. Not my thing. If you’ve heard me barking about it… now you know why! 🐕💬

Until next time,
Your loyal Pawject Manager,
Otto 💙

11/12/2025

🦃 Holiday Office Closure Notice (2 Weeks Out)
As the holidays approach, we wanted to give you a two-week heads-up regarding our office schedule for Thanksgiving!

We will be closed on Thursday, November 27th, and Friday, November 28th.

Our regular schedule will resume on Monday, December 1st.

🗓️ Please note: Your therapist will be chatting with you soon about rescheduling any appointments you have during that holiday week.
Please confirm schedule changes no later than Wednesday, November 19th.

We are so thankful for our wonderful clients! Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday.

11/11/2025

We remember your service and sacrifice,
Thank you for upholding our flag's honor.
Happy Veteran's Day.

11/10/2025

🌿 Mindful Monday: Let’s Talk About Stuttering 💬

Fluency is all about the flow of speech — its rhythm, smoothness, and ease. Everyone has moments of disfluency (like saying “um” or repeating a word), but when these interruptions begin to impact communication or confidence, it may be a fluency disorder such as stuttering or cluttering.

Stuttering can be overt or covert:
🗣️ Overt stuttering occurs when a person stutters openly with little attempt to hide it — such as:
• sound/syllable repetitions (e.g., “b-b-boy”)
• prolonged sounds (e.g., “sssssometimes”)
• blocks or silent pauses
• tension or struggle when speaking

🤫 Covert stuttering occurs when someone tries to hide their stutter — by:
• using fillers (“um,” “like”)
• avoiding or substituting words
• talking around a word (“circumlocution”)

✨ Stuttering often begins in early childhood and can come and go. It is not caused by anxiety, nerves, or parenting style.

💬 How Speech Therapy Can Help

SLPs use individualized approaches that address both the mechanics of speech and the mindset around communication.

🎯 Speech Modification Strategies
➡Easy/gentle onset — gradually turning on the voice
➡Light articulatory contact — using softer sounds (especially on plosives)
➡Continuous phonation — keeping the voice going through an utterance
➡Prolonged syllables — “stretching” each word or syllable
➡Rate control — slowing overall speech rate
We may also adjust pauses to increase fluency and improve message clarity.

💫 Stuttering Modification Strategies
They often follow four key stages:
1️⃣ Identification
2️⃣ Desensitization
3️⃣ Modification
4️⃣ Generalization

Clients learn to “catch” moments of stuttering—before, during, or after they occur—and use tools to move through them with less tension. Therapy often progresses from easier speaking situations to more challenging ones, like phone calls or public speaking.

🧠 What we want families to remember:
➡Pause, listen, and give your communication partner time to finish their thought.
➡Avoid finishing sentences — model calm, patient communication.
➡Celebrate your communication partner's ideas, effort, and voice, not just their fluency.

💚 Mindful takeaway:
The goal isn’t perfect fluency — it’s confident, comfortable communication.
When we create space for authentic voices, we build real connection.

11/06/2025

😂 Sometimes our best audience is also our toughest critic!

Whether it’s sensory overload, not a fan of the song, or just my Grammy-worthy voice — when a child says “no” or “please stop,” it’s actually a huge communication win! 🙌

Protesting is an important early communication skill — it shows that your child is learning to advocate for themselves and use language to express their wants and needs. So even if it’s at our expense… we’ll happily take the “no!” 💬🎶💛

11/05/2025

🐾 Pawject Manager Report 🐾
It’s Otto here — your favorite spotted supervisor checking in! 🐶

I might have gotten in a little trouble for jumping up and scratching the table… but I was just trying to make sure the therapists were getting their notes done! 📝
I may be a little mischievous sometimes, but hey — I’m still a puppy, you know! 😅

🐾 Fun Fact: Did you know Dalmatians, like me, are known for their strong, cat-like paws! My strong, arched toes and tough pads help me run fast and stay steady on all my adventures! 🏃‍♂️✨

All in a day’s work at Speech Unbound! 💙

11/03/2025

🧠 Mindful Monday: Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, or Typical Aging?

Forgetfulness happens to everyone — misplacing your keys or walking into a room and forgetting why you’re there is normal. But when memory loss or confusion begins to interfere with daily life, it may be more than typical aging.

Dementia is not a normal part of growing older. It’s a progressive condition that affects memory, problem-solving, language, and daily function. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a key role in identifying early changes, supporting communication, and teaching compensatory strategies for individuals and families.

Here’s how they differ 👇

✅ Typical Aging:
- Occasionally forgets names or misplaces items but remembers later.
- Sometimes struggles to find a word but can describe it or recall it later.
- Maintains independence in daily activities.

⚠️ Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI):
- Noticeable memory lapses or word-finding difficulties that are greater than expected for age.
- May lose track of conversations or have trouble recalling recent events.
- Still able to perform daily activities independently, though with more effort.
- Increased awareness or frustration about memory changes.

🚨 Possible Dementia:
- Consistent memory loss affecting conversations, appointments, or daily tasks.
- Difficulty finding words, following directions, or recognizing familiar people or places.
- Confusion about time or location.
- Changes in judgment, personality, or ability to plan.
- Increased dependence on others for safety and daily routines.

🩺 It’s important to note that other treatable conditions can mimic dementia symptoms. Always consult a physician or neurologist for evaluation.

💡 Mindful takeaway:
Cognitive changes exist on a continuum — from normal aging to MCI to dementia. The earlier these changes are recognized, the more we can do to preserve communication, independence, and connection. Just like physical exercise keeps the body strong, cognitive and communication exercises keep the mind active and engaged.

👩🏽‍⚕️ SLPs at Speech Unbound work with individuals experiencing dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or other neurocognitive disorders to help maintain communication skills, cognitive functioning, and swallowing safety.

Sources:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Dementia
- Yale Medicine (2024): Normal Aging vs. Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Bourgeois & Hickey, 2009; Mahendra & Hopper, 2013

11/01/2025

This month’s activity spotlight is a November Color Walk!
Head outside with your child and pick a color to focus on — like orange, yellow, or red.
As you walk, name what you see, describe it, and talk about what’s the same or different.
You can use this to build vocabulary, describing skills, and even sentence length.
Working on speech sounds? Try finding things with your child’s target sound — like red, leaf, tree, or stick.
It’s a fun and simple way to bring language learning into everyday moments — and enjoy the beauty of fall together!

10/31/2025

👻 Happy Halloween from Speech Unbound! 🎃

As SLPs, we think missed communication and learning opportunities are the scariest thing of all! 😱

Don’t let those moments slip away — turn everyday routines into Speech-Language opportunities!
🗣️ Talk about costumes, describe decorations, practice sequencing while making treats, or retell your trick-or-treating adventures! 🍬

Let’s make communication spook-tacular this Halloween! 🕸️🦇

10/29/2025

🐾 Pawject Manager Report 🐾
It’s Otto here — your favorite Pawject Manager checking in! 🐾

I’m a spider for Halloween! 🕸️
I’ve been busy giving out puppy kisses to friends 🐶💙
Tried to see if my paws could spin webs… no luck. Bummer! 😅
Mom says I don’t get human candy, but I do get puppy treats if I follow directions! I’m doing my best to be a good model for my human friends.

All in a day’s work at Speech Unbound! 🎃👻

10/24/2025