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Putting Louisiana in Your Mouth

Putting Words in Your Mouth

A place for all things speech and language...with a Cajun twist

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Rethinking therapy matierals during our new normal

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😷 obligatory mask photo* I’m just grateful to

😷 obligatory mask photo* I’m just grateful to be alive today. It’s enough (per Eliza Hamilton). The mask makes me sweat and break out, but I don’t want to be the reason someone else gets sick or dies.
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Our state (Louisiana ⚜️) has just received a statewide mask mandate because, per capita, we have the highest number of cases after New Jersey and New York 😫 and we’re readily growing. Too much of our motto going on, I think: Laissez les bons temps roulette (let them good times roll).
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How is your state doing? Hopefully better than ours.
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God bless y’all. 🤟 I’m

I see you, #schoolslps and teachers!😬
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Feel free to vent, whine or lament here.👇

For everyone who asked about the prints over my de

For everyone who asked about the prints over my desk (and to see them close up), here you go! These were given to me as a gift from my oldest son for Christmas a few years ago (so of course I cried), and I had them framed at @hobbylobby (on sale of course).
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SLPs, You can snag these (larynx, vocal folds, cochlea) and many others for any profession you can imagine at @lyonroadart on ETSY. They’re truly ✨ special, and there are even more amazing choices for your #audiologist friends so be sure to tag them! I think they’d make great gifts for grads, too. I just love her art! 😍
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#Slpeeps #slpsontpt #slpblogger #slplife #slp2b #Slp #schoolslp #speechie #slpa #speechtherapy #instaslp #speechlanguage #slpontpt #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #slpgradstudent #slpsoninstagram #slpsonig

Never assume that a tongue tie revision surgery is

Never assume that a tongue tie revision surgery is a cure all. I used to think “If it gets clipped, it’ll be fixed!” Disclaimer: I am just here to share my personal observations- just noteworthy info from
working with children with released and unreleased lingual frenulums (aka “tongue ties),” or if you are feeling fancy, you can call it ankyloglossia.
1. Many tongue ties go unnoticed by parents & doctors (even ENTs & dentists) unless there are problems nursing or a failure to thrive. Shout out to new moms. Momming is hard!
2. Some tongue ties affect speech and some do not. More often, they affect eating. Many of these children are often just thought of as “picky eaters” or “messy eaters” or kids who “just don’t eat much.” Can’t say I blame them- I wouldn’t either! Some may even insist on having their food cut up. (Hint, hint, these are good questions to ask).
3. Watch them eat! You might notice that if food goes outside of their mouths, they bring it back in with their fingers, their teeth, or their lips- NOT their tongue. Sometimes they drool, which is a big social concern for parents. Take heart, this can improve!
4. Even when the tongue is released, regardless of how young or how old, there are often residual affects that may require therapy. Since the child didn’t get the opportunity to explore his or her mouth with the tongue like other infants/babies/toddlers, etc., you may see reduced range of motion, strength, control, and coordination of the tongue. I tend to see lack of tongue/jaw coordination as well. Sometimes even lip strength is affected.
5. Beware of strong gag reflex! These kiddos haven’t had their tongue moving all around their mouth since birth to stimulate their cheeks, teeth, palate, lips, etc. so they often have a super sensitive gag reflex which goes into full effect when objects enter their mouths. I’m talking about you spoons, toothbrushes, Nuks, Denta swabs, tongue depressors, bite blocks. This can and will likely get better with gradually increased oral stimulation, though! JUST FYI, they will puke on you so go easy.
***You can read more in comments! 👇🏼

In case you thought I had my act together, my home

In case you thought I had my act together, my home desk is proof that I am just another SLP doing the best I can day by day. I have FOUR desks in my home (my husband says I have a desk addiction) in hopes one will be clear when I need to work. The rest of my (actual) home office Is shameful beyond belief. Seriously, it keeps me up at night (and then I avoid cleaning and organizing it all day). I travel for therapy and I for clients I see in my home, we do therapy in the kitchen so I constantly haul materials up and down the stairs and then just throw them in a corner or on a chair (bc I’m tired or running to do another task). Then one day I get sick of it and clean it all up - only to repeat the cycle.
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Do I just post the pretty things on IG? Yeah, I’ve been guilty of that. Don’t let that fool you. I ride in the struggle bus and hot mess express just like you do.
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Don’t let social media fool you. We tidy the areas where we take the photos, but I think I’ll do less of that now. What do you think? Who else is in the messy desk club?
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#slp #slpeeps #slpsofinstagram #slpa #slp2b #slpblogger #slpgradstudent #slpsontpt #slpsfollowerslps #schoolslp #preschoolslp #slpsoninstagram #instaslp #slpmaterials #speechtherapy #EISLP #privatepracticeslp #preschoolslp #speechpathology #speechie #speechandlanguage #puttingwordsinyourmouth
#digitalslp #digitalslpeeps #telepractice #teletherapy #teleslpeeps #teleslps #slpsgodigital #teletherapist #noprintnoprepnoproblem

Here’s another “safe” and washable activity

Here’s another “safe” and washable activity I used last week! I put my quick drill cards (laminated so totally washable) in this grassy looking baby bottle drying rack! All cards are just more engaging when you use them in a unique way, don’t ya think? My kids practiced their target skills and THEN were reinforced by getting to pick a quick drill card (this week was princesses, vehicles, dogs or dinosaurs). They are always shockingly excited to see what cards they get and to collect the most so that they win the game! Yep, there are wild cards that make them put cards back or pick extra cards.
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The bottle drying rack comes apart and separates into 3 pieces so cleaning is so easy. You can even put it in the dishwasher!
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Therapy during Covid is more challenging but I feel like it’s stretching me as an SLP and making me more intentional. Plus, you know “they” say that OUT of your comfort zone is where the magic happens.✨

If you’d been following, you know I’ve been re

If you’d been following, you know I’ve been rethinking therapy materials so that everything is washable - since I have resumed seeing a handful of kids face to face.
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This big roll of “road” paper was a great find at 🎯 target ($3 or $5 I forget), and I taped it to a baking pan. I just rip it off, throw it away and wash the pan and cars. You can do the same by drawing (or letting kids draw) tracks with dry erase markers! Baking pans are perfect for magnet play, too!
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I’m going to be coloring in some of the houses and other elements on the paper to use it for working on following directions. I’ll tell the kids where to drive to!
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If you scroll, you’ll see that I used dot markers (no shocker there) with an open ended dot page to work on /z/ today, and we also used a painted wooden stackable balance game (I believe I found at target, too, at a super low price) to reinforce productions of /s/. Everything wiped down so easily.
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If you didn’t see my previous post (with the toy animals on my feed) about washable items, go there and read for more ideas to keep everyone healthy and safe! The comments have some really smart suggestions from SLPs like you! 🤩
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What changes have you made during this super weird era we’re living in?

Still need CEUS? Check out these FREE courses from

Still need CEUS? Check out these FREE courses from @slpnerdcast now available until sept! Listen while you drive, rest, cook, etc. Know what? It’s a great time to listen while floating in the pool 😉 These topics are hot 🔥 and relevant! 🤩

Repost from @slpnerdcast using - As of today, all courses at SLP Nerdcast are FREE until September 1, 2020. 🙌
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16 hours of Professional Development available (equal to 1.6 ASHA CEUs). Learn while you cook, clean, drive, or chase your kids around (podcast learning at its best!) 📻🎙
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No materials to download. No login or accounts required. Listen to the episode, go to the website and put the free certificate in your cart. Checkout and a quiz will be emailed to you. Pass with a score of 80% or higher and a certificate will be emailed to you. 📃
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That’s it. All the PD. None of the hassle.
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We love hearing from you. Email or message us anytime! ❤️
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#freeslpceus #slpfreebies #freeceu #slpstuff #slpeeps #slpssupportingslps

This is ultra nerdy, but Dr. Laura Justice just bl

This is ultra nerdy, but Dr. Laura Justice just blew my #%?! mind with this tidbit right up there!! 👆🥱😳🤯 I hope it’s okay that I’m sharing (I couldn’t find her to tag).
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Y’all! I’d bet you can name those babies- the 90% whose reading just can’t catch up and who stay in that 10th or lower percentile. I know I can.
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I can’t decide is this is just a sad statement about school expectations in this age or proof that we need more headstart programs and early intervention. Maybe it’s BOTH. What do you think?
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And can I just say, we have to 🛑 STOP the “wait and see” approach to intervention and identification.

Thanks to Dr. Justice for the powerful knowledge she served up about emergent writing, print concepts, reading intervention and so much more! Have any of you gotten to learn from her at Ohio State?
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#slp #slpeeps #teacher #slpsofinstagram #slpa #slp2b #slpblogger #slpgradstudent #slpsontpt #slpsfollowerslps #schoolslp #preschoolslp #slpsoninstagram #instaslp #slpmaterials #sped #specialeducationteacher #specialeducation #speechtherapy #privatepracticeslp #speechpathology #earlyintervention #kindergarten #earlyliteracy #ashaweb #iteach #iteachtoo #preschool #preschoolteacher

IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR A GIVEAWAY! 🤩 I am givin

IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR A GIVEAWAY! 🤩 I am giving away 2 copies of these Inferencing and Who Questions Boom Cards!
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I’ve been working hard to finish this huge deck of language boom cards targeting inferencing, and I think it may be my favorite yet!
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Before I get to the 🤮giveaway details, I created it because…

1) Making inferences is a reallllly hard skill for our kids with language struggles, and most teachers work on it only in the context of TEXT which makes it even harder. Our clients/students can get there, but it will take a lot of scaffolding - and I hope this helps us do that!
2) We need to teach this very tough (and academically crucial) skill of inferencing by starting at at very basic level (like just images). That doesn’t happen in most classrooms. If our kids can grasp the premise on a very basic level, then we can continually increase rigor, but being bogged down in text all the time will frustrate the heck outta them. Instead, let’s use relatable images!
3)Building inferencing abilities is a must for academic success -along with the related skill of explaining/justifying answers, and visuals help!
4) Too many inferencing activities are painfully boring!
5) I could go on and on but this is turning into a rant.
CAN YOU RELATE?
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WATCH MY STORIES TO SEE MUCH MORE.

OH, and since I love a good multi-use activity, this one also works on answering WHO questions and giving rationale for answers. Are students where you are expected to do that? They are here.

TO ENTER:
1. ✅ FOLLOW me @puttingwordsinyourmouth here
2. ❤️LIKE this post
3. 🗣COMMENT telling me ANY thoughts about the post above!
🌟 FOR AN EXTRA entry, SHARE this in your stories and TAG ME.
⚡️For yet another entry, TAG a fellow SLP here!
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The winner will be announced at 9PM CST on Wednesday, July 1st. Good luck! 🤞This giveaway is not affiliated with nor endorsed by Instagram in any way.

#slp #slpeeps #slpsofinstagram #slpa #slp2b #slpblogger #slpgradstudent #slpsontpt #slpsfollowerslps #schoolslp #preschoolslp #slpsoninstagram #instaslp #slpmaterials #speechtherapy #speechpathology #speechie #speechandlanguage #puttingwordsinyourmouth
#digitalslp #digitalslpeeps #teletherapy

For some of my clients, I am back to doing a very

Today I had a session with a little guy who was ju

Today I had a session with a little guy who was just NOT having it. Truth be known, I’m a bit “over” online therapy, too. I think we are all a little worn out by our “new normal” (P.S., I loathe that saying now). Also, many of you have been cooped up with your own kids for months, and that’s tough on ALL parties involved. 🤪 Here’s some advice from a mom (aka me) with children who are now all grown up. One day you’ll wish you could have a go over - I know did/do. Talk to all your little boogers like magical beings anyway Covid has made you lose your mind. 😂 But seriously, it’s something we can all do so that the next generation doesn’t mess things up as bad as we have.

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