Speech Therapy

Before a child can make sense of a story or answer questions about what they’ve read, they first need strong skills in understanding the language itself. This connection can sometimes explain why a child who seems to read fluently may still struggle to grasp the meaning behind the words. 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 in Columbia, Tennessee. Today we’re going to talk about how reading comprehension starts with receptive language. The Connection Between Reading Comprehension and Receptive Language Skills Receptive language is the understanding of language, whereas expressive language is how you use or communicate with language. When it comes to reading, we get a lot of parents who are understandably concerned as their kids get older, how language skills can affect their reading if they’re already in speech therapy; or if kids are struggling with reading, … Keep Reading…

Have you ever noticed your child repeating entire lines from their favorite TV show or movie, sometimes in moments that don’t seem to fit? While it might seem puzzling at first, this behavior is actually a common way that some children learn to communicate. My name is Jessica Abawag, and I’m a speech-language pathologist and the owner of Fluens Children’s Therapy. We have locations in Tacoma, Washington, and Columbia, Tennessee. Our clinic provides speech therapy services for kids 18 months to 18 years. And today, we’re going to talk about why your child might repeat phrases from television. Parents Often Wonder Why Their Child Repeats Entire Phrases from TV Sometimes we have parents come in and say, “My child’s not really talking a whole lot, but they have this favorite phrase they say over and over again. And if they’re watching TV or a movie, they’ll always rewind that movie to listen to that phrase … Keep Reading…

https://youtu.be/nkKtTFxre2I In today’s digital age, screens are everywhere, from TVs and tablets to smartphones and computers. For many families, screen time has become a regular part of daily life. And with the right strategies, screen time can become a valuable tool to support your child’s communication skills. 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. Our clinic provides speech therapy for kids aged just 18 months to 18 years. Today, we’re going to talk about the ever-controversial topic of screen time, but most importantly, we’re going to talk about how screen time can impact a child’s speech and language development. Sometimes, Screen Time Has to Happen I think at this point, most parents know that screen time at a very young age is not recommended. Typically, it’s recommended to wait until a kid is about three years … Keep Reading…