Speech & Spoons

05/03/2022

Starting solids & wondering which foods to start with? Consider apples!
🍎🍏🍎🍏

There’s a common misconception that babies should start with rice cereal or vegetables before introducing fruit to avoid them developing a preference for sweet tastes. Have you heard this myth before? Maybe even from your own pediatrician?

Myth busting facts:
1. Our preference for sweet flavors is ✨instinctual✨ not a result of when that flavor is introduced. Why? Sweeter foods found in nature tended to have less risk to our ancestors (less likely to be poisonous)
2. Babies are introduced to sweet flavors far before we introduce solids (think: amniotic fluid, breastmilk/ formula)

Fruit contains many vitamins & minerals plus if your little one enjoys them they have the added benefit of JOY, which is a nutrient (isn’t that right ) & is especially beneficially for building positive experiences around those early mealtime exposures.

Hard foods (such as raw apples, pears or carrots) pose a choking risk & therefore should be modified for safety up until age 4. Try baking them! This can then be: served as finger food, mashed with a fork or blended into a purée.

Yummm 🍼🍎🍐🥕

05/03/2022

If mealtimes are a struggle for your family - you’re in good company!

Feeding your little one goes far beyond nutrition alone. Mealtimes offer an opportunity to gather, socialize, share your culture & bond with loved ones. Early eating & drinking skills encourage the best oral motor development - as well as - communication skills!

Finding tools & support for your family can make the difference between struggling through or enjoying these times, because unfortunately feeding problems are common in children.

Check out or https://www.speechtospoons.com/who-needs-feeding-therapy to learn more!

🍎🥑🍌🥦🍉🥝🥕🥒🌽🍅🥥🫐

02/24/2022

Parents RULE & babies… DROOL!!! 😉😝🐣🤤💧

We all know babies drool -

❓But what’s considered a
*normal* amount of drooling vs excessive?
🚰🪣🌀

ANSWER: 2+ bibs a day! 👅👅

If your little one is soaking through 2+ bibs a day from drool alone -
💡Consider asking your pediatrician for a referral to a speech pathologist (SLP) for an evaluation 👩🏽‍⚕️🔎👄

🧐 An SLP for drooling?!
But my baby is too young to talk… 🙃🤷🏻

✅ Yes! SLPs treat babies from birth!
(waaay before they are excepted to talk)

⚗️ A thorough evaluation can help determine the ROOT CAUSE of the drooling & recommendations can then be made for the best treatment (when necessary). 🛶🌈

No matter how you wipe it- drool is a big mess. If you’re finding yourself drowning reach out! I’m here to help 🏄🏼‍♀️🌤

02/22/2022

Today is 2/22/22! 🤨😲🤯😎

Speech Pathologist

02/22/2022

As early as 4 months of age babies can begin to show , such as looking at pictures in a book!

📖🛋🤓📚

Do you read to your little one? Do you find it: challenging? boring? enjoyable? A mix of all of the above?

Were you surprised to learn the foundation of literacy skills start this young?

Have a favorite children’s book?
👇🏼Drop a comment & share!

02/15/2022

Creating a speech room that felt welcoming, inspiring & FUN was important to me. Now thanks to our new artwork by our space is complete & better than I could have imagined! Our philosophies are clear! Now there’s just one thing left to do…

PLAY!
🤗🧠🧸🍍🌸

Welcome to speech!
Carry any inspirational messages within you?
Drop them below 👇🏼

02/14/2022

💘 Happy Valentines Day!!! ❣️

From all of us here at Speech to Spoons, Happy Valentines Day!

With love 🥣🤍🤗

02/11/2022

📣 Let’s hear it for tubie love! 💖
 
It’s true: a feeding tube is a life-saving device but did you know they do much more? Feeding tubes have the power to restore peace in the home, to ease worried parents’ minds, to open up the opportunity to focus on “quality” feeds, healing & skill-building for a child.
 
A feeding tube is not “worst case scenario”; it’s simply a tool. If your eye doctor explained to you that your child needed glasses would you protest & say, “Absolutely not! Everyone in my family sees without glasses and he’ll just have to learn to do so too” or would you give your child the glasses? After a bad fall & rushing to the ER, if you were told your child needed a cast for their broken leg, would you feel their life (& yours) was now suddenly over? I hope not.
 
& yet these are very common initial reactions to a feeding tube. Why? A feeding tube is ✨just like✨ glasses or a cast. They are TOOLS to give your child the best quality of life and opportunity for future success. They have no bearing on a person’s value or potential. 🏹
 
As we acknowledge feeding tube awareness this week let’s think about this concept and how we can continue to spread awareness of this population & reduce the stigma that comes with a feeding tube.
 
About half a million children & adults rely on feeding tubes in the US alone. Let’s show them our support and recognize the truth that “fed is fed is fed” & that’s best.  

❣️

02/04/2022

✅ Add that to the list of phrases I never thought I’d hear myself say: Parenthood Edition!

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever had to tell your child?
🙈🙊🙉

Let’s laugh!👇🏼

02/02/2022

Snow Yummy!

Remember the taste of fresh snow as a kid? I sure do! There’s not a snow cone on Earth that tastes better!
❄️👅🤣

From infancy - we use our mouths to help us learn about our environment. We do this even when we’re not eating (think: sucking on a pacifier, mouthing toys, etc.)
🏕😮🧠

As we grow 📈 this instinct to explore SHIFTS from doing so with our mouths to exploring & learning with our hands. 🙌🏽

Funny story- as a child, an older cousin of mine convinced me that the leaves 🍃that grew on the trees in our backyard were the same thing as lettuce 🥬! “That’s where lettuce comes from!” he exclaimed as he plucked a leaf right off the tree & proudly tossed it in his mouth. “See! Go ahead! Eat one…”

Needless to say - DM me if you want the inside scoop on the taste of leaves!

Did you taste snow as a child?
What’s the weirdest thing in nature you’ve ever tasted?

🍁😋🤌🏽⛄️