#20 (Baby) Club Small Talk: Get your toddler talking more!

As a parent or caregiver, it is easy to question whether your child is on track developmentally for speech and language.

It is not fun to be unsure, so don't " wait and see!" Get access to speech and language development resources and strategies TODAY!

Check out this episode and get started with Club Small Talk!

At Small Talk, we are speech language pathologists with extensive experience in childhood development. We strive to empower and educate caregivers to provide a language enriching environment in their own home. We provide individual home-based speech services and playgroups, using a child-led and play based model for all of our therapy sessions! We use a neurodiversity affirming approach within our sessions with a strong focus on connection over compliance.

Follow along on instagram: Small Talk | Speech Therapy (@clubsmalltalk) • Instagram photos and videos

Check out their website (www.smalltalktherapeutics.com) to schedule a free consultation.

In this episode: 

2:05 Meet Bridget, Allison, and Sylwia

2:50 What is Club Small Talk?

4:24 Autistic person and identity affirming language

5:24 Neurodiversity: Connection over compliance

7:32 What are the common reasons for parents to come see you

9:18 What are you looking for in "late talkers"

10:47  A resource for parents who don't want to "Wait and See"

11:24 Play groups for all children in this developmental phase!

12:40 Signs for language milestones

14:00 The playgroup model: Child-led play

14:59 Example of strategies for at-home practice

17:46 How important it is to be pushy at home to correct their speech?

19:06 How important is it to use a variety of speech therapists or to advocate for the one specific therapist that is the best fit.

21:58 The future of Club Small Talk

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Transcript

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[00:11] Speaker A: Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Keep'em Healthy podcast. This is your host, Jami, and today I have the pleasure of having Club Small Talk on my podcast. Club Small Talk was brought to my attention, actually from one of my sisters, who she raved about their approach to developing language skills in young toddlers. So Club Smalltalk was created by three speech language pathologists, and their goal is to empower and educate caregivers and parents to create language enriching environments in your own home. So you go to Club Small Talk to not only get resources and advice from Speech Pathologists about your child and their speech development, but also they give you tools and skills to work on at home so that you can get started with the therapies for speech right away. There's a lot of waiting and seeing in this moment when your child is of an age where you think they should be talking, but you're not quite sure why they're not. Or is this normal, is it not? And sometimes it takes months to get a doctor's appointment to evaluate your child. So what's amazing about Club Small Talk is that you can start your process now and you can show up. They have extensive experience with childhood development and they can help you get started today. You don't have to wait and see. They will give you things to do in your home that can help develop your child's language and speech. So I'm really excited to connect Club Small Talk with you guys and get you started on maybe your journey with helping your toddler to talk more. So without further ado, let's meet Bridget, Allison, and Sylvia.

[02:05] Speaker B: So I want to welcome Club Small talk on my show today. These three awesome women are speech Language Pathologists, and they created Club Small Talk as part of their practice and to give and empower caregivers with language enriching environments in their home. So girls, welcome. And we're going to get started on you guys. Introduce yourself.

[02:30] Speaker C: Hi, everyone. I'm Alison. Thank you so much, Jamie, for having us today. We're super excited.

[02:36] Speaker D: So I'm Bridget. I am also part of small talk pediatric speech therapist. We're excited to be here.

[02:43] Speaker E: Hi, I'm Sylvia. I'm also the third part of Small Talk. Thanks so much for having us.

[02:48] Speaker B: Welcome, girls. So let's get started. Let's just off the bat. What is club? Small talk.

[02:55] Speaker D: So Small Talk was Sylvia, Allison, and I are all we've worked previously in early intervention speech therapy, and we kind of just saw a need for something a little bit more like more individualized. We wanted some playgroups, so we kind of created Small Talk to be this, like, parent coaching resource for families, just like, speech therapy practice that we have. So it's our little baby.

[03:24] Speaker B: I love it. I love it. Okay, so how did you guys, though, specifically sync up?

[03:31] Speaker D: So we are all friends outside of Speech as well. We actually know each other all separately. So Sylvia and I went to college together. We went to Temple University, and then we connected there, stayed in touch. We actually went to different grad schools. And then Alison knows Sylvia and I through our husbands, and we just all kind of linked up that way. So we're kind of like friends. First we realized we all had the same background. We were all speech therapists. We all ended up in early intervention, and we just kind of had, like, the same background and what we wanted to do. So kind of linked up that way.

[04:10] Speaker B: I love that. So you guys just have the same focus and the same mission for how you want to treat and use what you have learned through your education. So I love that. So give me a pinpoint. What is the focus of this particular practice?

[04:27] Speaker E: So I would say that our focus at Small Talk is to empower parents by teaching them strategies and giving them the tools that they need to facilitate and grow their child's development and teaching them ways to do this throughout just their daily routines.

[04:44] Speaker B: Alison and Bridget, you guys mentioned that you work with autism. Can you guys give some information and highlight what you do?

[04:51] Speaker C: Sure. So before we get started talking, I just wanted to make a quick note on language. We'll be using identity affirming language. So what that means is we are going to say autistic person rather than person with autism. The reason for this is that we've tried to hear from the autistic community, autistic adults, and they find that autism is not separate from their identity. Autism is just a different way of thinking and learning. So we take that into consideration in our practices. We are neurodiversity affirming therapists, which means that we come from a place of connection over compliance. Our practice is letting child lead. We're going to listen to neurodiversity voices. We're willing to learn and adjust our practice. We're not here to treat autism. We are here to embrace it. And just because a child is autistic does not mean that they need a million in one services. We want to support them as best as we can without changing them in any way.

[05:55] Speaker D: And I think something that we really try and focus on with small talk is we know that I think the statistic out there and the research is that 75% to 85% of autistic individuals process language in what's called gustal language processing. It's different from typical language development. It's completely valid, but it's just a different way. And we have really embraced learning about this type of language development and have learned how to have a therapeutic approach that embraces it and really helps them make success with where the child is. So we're not trying to change their neurotype. We're not trying to put typical speech therapy practices and mold it to the child. We're really individualizing our plans to work.

[06:45] Speaker B: With autistic kids, that must take a lot of work and on your end, too, because it takes time to learn a child. I mean, as a parent, it takes a lot of time and experience and different new engaging moments where you're like, oh, that worked, that didn't work. So I can see how intensive that approach could be for you, Alison and Bridgett. And so I think that as a parent, I would be so thrilled to know that the therapist I was working with has that approach and that they care that much about my child that they're going to go the extra mile versus go the conventional route. So thank you. Yeah. Nice. Okay, so for instance, what would be some main developmental issues that you see primarily? So, like, you were a parent, what issues would you say to that parent if they called you and said, my child is showing X, Y, and Z? What would that look like as a parent?

[07:37] Speaker E: So I think that it just depends on the issue. And all of us certainly have some overlap between our focuses. All of us treat a variety of different populations. I would say that I work a lot with children with feeding delays, like picky eating, and also a lot of feeding and speech therapy with medically complex children. So children such as trach fence and feeding tubes, these kids typically have an underlying medical diagnosis. I actually used to work in a hospital with adults with this population, so it's really cool to be able to take some of those and bring them to the pediatric population. But I think that if a parent was to call us, we would definitely take their concerns into consideration and just see what the concern is and do an evaluation to see how we can help out.

[08:38] Speaker B: I love that. And it's also kind of interesting because you were working with adults, so now you have this understanding of the future for those children with whatever medical issues you were explaining. And now you kind of can go ahead and start from the beginning and give them therapies to hopefully have them benefit even better in the future, which is awesome. I love that. Okay. And then Bridget and Alison, specifically for you guys, what type of clients do you take on in regards to speech delays? Yeah.

[09:11] Speaker D: So, again, with us, there is a lot of overlap. I think when we're working with our more traditional, like, late talkers, we're going to be looking for things like kids who aren't saying a word by 15 months. Maybe they have a couple of words, but they're not combining to make any phrases. So that's always some questions that we would have for parents. We also work with autistic children as a practice. It's really important for us to we're not experts in autism. We're not here to treat autism, but we're here to support their development and really embrace their different neurotype and how they learn and process. So some signs that we're looking for when we're working with autistic kids are maybe like long unintelligible language. Kids that are really into singing maybe have more specific interest in the alphabet and letters. So those are just like some of the characteristics that we're looking for with that population.

[10:15] Speaker B: Okay. And then also, though, just for the children that come, do they have to have speech delays to see you? Or is this something that you can kind of just provide really good exercises for all kids across the board who are in that developmental phase of learning to speak and interact? Especially kind of post pandemic where we had to wear a mask and different things. I feel like there's been an increase in delay with speech across the board. So would that be something that if a parent who was like, I just not sure, but I really want to work on his vocabulary, her vocabulary and practicing speech, is that something that a parent would reach out to you guys about?

[10:53] Speaker C: Yeah, that's a great question. We certainly and actually often are getting cases who maybe they reached out through their early intervention program and they didn't qualify for services. But the families don't want to wait and see. They want to be able to give their child all of those strategies and different ways to communicate as soon as possible. So we certainly will deal with families that are seeking additional support. And then the same thing for our playgroup. So we have like a playgroup and we also have a lunch bunch, which is like a meal time group. And we really want to focus on having all kids be included in that, whether there's regardless of a concern for language or feeding. It's just a great way for parents, like, really to empower them and to provide them with, like, evidence based practices so that they can be able to put their best foot forward and get that, like, head start for their child.

[11:53] Speaker B: That's wonderful because there's so many parents that especially, number one, we may not have access to other children to allow their children to be a part of a playgroup or something like that, and then also gives them for a parent, other parents who have children the same age to connect with and kind of discuss what's going on in that specific phase of their child's life and all of that. So outside of the speech development, it's even wonderful for their social development and for the parents social development. So I love that. So thanks guys. And also if you did have children come to a playgroup, what would be some signs and symptoms that you would be looking for that you would say to a parent like, okay, I would definitely go forward and seek out speech therapy.

[12:39] Speaker E: So I think some general things that we look for are general vocabulary milestones as well as nonspeaking communication things like gestures, like pointing waving, using their hands to clap, shaking their head yes or no. Just overall, their communication milestones, like their Babbling milestones, their use of jargon, which is that like baby gibberish. And also their ability to understand language. So we look at things like can they follow simple directions? Can they identify things in their environment? Can they respond to simple language like where's your ball? Or are you hungry? So those are all things that we look at. We also take into consideration their play skills and their social emotional development. So definitely a wide variety of skills that we look for.

[13:38] Speaker B: Okay, and when they're in these classes or play groups, what is the model that you guys follow or what's the set up? If you were to give a parent who called being like, I'm just really unsure if it's right for my child, what's the description or set up that you guys would explain for them?

[13:56] Speaker E: So the set up of the class, during each class we highlight like a sign strategy and sound of the day. And we practice these strategies, we model them for parents, and parents have opportunity to practice them during a variety of activities during the class. So we do things such as singing, book sharing, and a lot of activities such as sensory play. And the classes give kids a lot of opportunities for peer interaction. And like you said, the parents get to meet and interact as well, which is really great. So overall, the model is just child led play and giving parents the opportunities to practice the strategies that we're teaching them.

[14:46] Speaker B: Okay, that's interesting. You say the strategy. So for instance, what would be an example of a strategy that you'd be teaching to a parent while the class is going on? Or what would be an example of something that you would say would be a great thing to take home and practice this at home? Can you give some examples?

[15:03] Speaker D: Yeah, so I can give some examples of that. I think the beauty of speech therapy sometimes is that something really simple like a play activity can be very informative to us. So what might look like just kind of a playgroup for a parent? We are going around and kind of looking for certain things. We're asking certain questions. So even though it's a group setting, when a parent is doing an activity, I'll give some examples of that in a second. We're going over and saying, how old is your kid? Are they using any words? Kind of tell me a little bit about their communication based on what the parent says. We are giving them individualized and specific feedback on how they can make the activity more engaging. So something like really simple as like stickers. We might use this to target body parts where we'll put the stickers on our nose and our hands and our ears. And that's a way to kind of teach that skill. If we have a child that we want to work on some early developing speech sounds, which are sounds that use both of our lips. So like ABAP and an N sound. We might do bubbles and we work on oh, more bubbles, pop, pop, pop. So this is like a simple activity that just kind of looks like a game, but we're kind of tuning in. Are they using these early developing speech tones? Are they requesting, are they imitating what we're doing? And we're kind of collecting all of this information. If we have a child that has some words but maybe isn't requesting help or advocating for themselves, we might use something like a spray bottle where we know it's hard for them to kind of figure out the motor plan for that. So we give it to them. They're motivated to try and get the water out and they might have to request help. So really every single activity we're doing in class is always grounded in some sort of skill we want to see and advance using some of the strategies that we have.

[17:01] Speaker B: That's a gift for a parent, number one. And then number two, you're making it so fun for the kids, which is to get a kid to the doctors is a nightmare half the time. So to go to any place you want it to be a warm, exciting environment. You want them to play, have friends. But you guys are setting up this scenario where it's actually therapy, but it's fun and it's engaging and it also gives them skills. And then the parents get to take home these skills too to practice. So when they're at home though, how important it is to work on those skills and sounds opposed to the session, like how pushy should a parent be? I think there's always a misunderstanding. Like when you get home, how many times should you correct them or make them use their skill? Or sometimes it can be a little daunting as a parent to constantly keep up with their needs. But as you guys are the therapist, so what would you guys say is how often should they be using and working on these skills and sounds or correcting them?

[18:05] Speaker E: So I would say that carryover is really important and we encourage parents to use the strategies that we teach them throughout their daily routines. But these strategies should be used in a very natural, low pressure way. We definitely discourage parents from being pushy or putting pressure or demands on their children to communicate. A lot of times we see that this actually makes children communicate less and it makes them retreat and not want to engage in the activity. So that's something that we definitely ask parents to avoid, right?

[18:45] Speaker B: You don't want to create a stressful environment at home or anywhere, honestly, when it comes to teaching your child in particular. And so another question that a listener recently asked me is she has seen a couple of different therapists, and there have been some that don't really gel with her vibe or her child's vibe. And so she was wondering also how important it is to expose to different therapists in a practice or like, if she wanted to, would it be okay if she stuck with the therapist that she really is enjoying and she can see her child connecting with? What's your vibe on that, guys?

[19:18] Speaker C: Yeah, I think it's super important to know that you are your child's best teacher and you know your child's best, so you're there to advocate for them. So don't ever be afraid to try out a new therapist if you think that there's someone out there that might be a better fit not only for your child, but for your family. Progress and speech is made when there is a strong connection between the child, the family, and the therapist. That's when we see the most progress. So it's very important to make sure that you're having a connection. And we tell this to families all the time in our early intervention practice. If you're with an OT or a PT and they're not using the same model that you use with your child of that child led play or following their lead, you can always ask to have a different therapist join in or to interview with another person to see if they'd be a better fit for you.

[20:14] Speaker B: Completely agree. I think you're right. You are your child's best teacher, and you are your child's best advocate. So if something feels not right that you should follow that instinct and continue on with the therapist that does feel.

[20:28] Speaker A: Right.

[20:30] Speaker B: It'S interesting, all these decisions you have to make as parents, it gets difficult. And so you question yourself all the time, and which is why I love your group, because you provide a place for parents who are unsure that, like you said, you don't want to wait and see. You want to get someone to see your child. But sometimes booking an appointment can take months to a year, and you're like, in the meantime, you're losing all this time that you could get therapy started. And so what I love about Club Small Talk is that you guys give access to parents to get the ball rolling, even if their hands are tied in the other system of it. And I think that is something that I would love to share to people because it's not known outside. Unless you look on your insurance page, you don't beat Club Small Talk unless it doesn't show up. So I think this episode is so important because we are our children's advocates. And so if you do feel like, okay, I'm questioning my child may need some more support, and that this is such a great resource as a parent to go show up, be with other parents, have your child interact with their children, and to start any therapies that your child may need. And then also, you have trusted therapists that can give you their opinions of where their child stands in that developmental phase. So, ladies, I appreciate everything that you have brought to the table today. Do you guys want to give me some insight on the future of Club Small Talk?

[21:55] Speaker D: Yeah, so I can talk a little bit about that. We've put a lot of work into our playgroups, which we love doing. It gives us an opportunity to meet so many different people, but we're really pursuing the private practice aspect of it, and it just gives us the opportunity to kind of highlight the focuses that each of us have because it's all a little bit different. I think what makes us stand out from some more traditional speech therapy practices is that we use, like, a neuro diversity affirming practice. We're neuro diversity affirming therapists, meaning that we're really going to meet your child where they're at. We're going to help support them. We're not going to change them. And I think that's really important for parents to look for. So that is certainly in our future. But, yeah, we're excited to get started with that.

[22:47] Speaker B: What's so great about your mission is that you guys have a specific idea. You know exactly where you're trying to go with it. All three of you have this passion that you're trying to get into this zone so you can do the best you can with the families that are coming to see you. So I honor that. And I am happy to share this episode with everybody. And I hope that any parents listening can take some of this information and reach out to you guys and hopefully come some anxious feelings or just feel like, okay, I have a resource. And even if they don't even come to you right away, they can go to your Instagram. You have so much awesome information. So that's my hope for this episode. So, girls, I'm actually going to say goodbye because at this point, I feel like the information you gave was awesome. So thank you girls so much.

[23:36] Speaker A: As a parent, I get that there's no waiting and seeing when it comes to questions about your child and their development. I think Club Small Talk is an amazing resource and amazing option for parents and caregivers who want to incorporate more speech and language development in their homes and also to get started today. Not to mention that Club Small Talk, they have a specific mission to cater to the needs of your child and to learn your child and their needs and work with you and not try to change your child, but try to help them in where they are at. So I'm really excited to share and have this episode out there for everyone who is a caregiver or parent that is unsure or needs help in developing their child's speech and language. And so I have on my show notes, I have the links to Club Smalltalk. Their instagram is at Club Smalltalk, and you can also check out their website www. Dot smalltalk therapeutics.com. And in the meantime, check out my instagram at Keep Them Healthy with Jamie, and also follow my podcast episodes on any of the podcast apps that you use. And as I always say you do you stay well and keep them healthy.