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If your child is struggling with speech, you’ve likely tried different ways to help them communicate. But what happens when traditional speech doesn’t seem to be enough? In that case, it may be time to introduce your child to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods. My name is Jessica Abawag, and I’m a speech language pathologist and owner of Fluens Children’s Therapy. We have locations in Tacoma, Washington, and Columbia, Tennessee, and we provide speech therapy for kids. Today, we’re going to talk about AAC and answer a common question that we get asked by parents: does AAC prevent speech development in children? First, What Is AAC? AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. What does that mean? Well, speaking is the fastest way for people to communicate. But when people aren’t speaking, are there other tools and strategies that they can use? Are there alternative ways for people to communicate? Yes, there are. It … Keep Reading…

Did you know that how your child hears and interprets sounds can play a significant role in their ability to read and speak clearly? For many kids, challenges with reading go beyond letters and sounds—it’s about how they process what they hear. My name is Jessica Abawag, and I’m the owner and speech language pathologist at Fluens Children’s Therapy. We have locations in Tacoma, Washington, and Columbia, Tennessee. At our clinic, we provide speech therapy services for kids ages 18 months to 18 years. Today, we’re going to talk about how your child hears sounds and how that can impact their reading and speech. Many Children Struggle with Reading Due to Phonological Awareness Often, we’ll see kids who come in because parents or teachers are concerned about their reading skills. One thing that we always check for any patient that comes in with reading struggles is their hearing. If that checks out okay and there … Keep Reading…

If your child has trouble with speech, you may be worried about how it could affect their social life. My name is Jessica Abawag, and I’m a speech-language pathologist and owner of Fluens Children’s Therapy with locations in Tacoma, Washington, and Columbia, Tennessee. Our clinic provides speech therapy for kids aged 18 months to 18 years, and we specialize in the toddler preschool age range. Today we’re going to talk about how a speech disorder may or may not affect your child socially. Many Parents Worry Their Child Will Struggle Socially if They Have a Speech Sound Disorder Many parents that come to our clinic will ask us if having a speech sound disorder or a language delay or even stuttering will affect their child socially. That’s a totally understandable question, especially as kids get older and interact with peers, and especially if they’re coming in to see us and they’re a little older themselves. … Keep Reading…